How a furniture maker became a lending partner for households.
Founder: William Coogan
William Coogan was born in 1857 in Collingwood, Victoria, the second of nine children to Irish immigrants Andrew and Catherine Coogan. His father was a miller and the household valued thrift, skill and steady work. William left school at 14 and completed a five year apprenticeship with a Collingwood furniture maker, learning cabinetmaking and upholstery. By the end of his training he was a capable journeyman with a practical eye for materials and finish.
In 1876 he moved to Launceston and began in a single rented room, crafting an upholstered wing chair as his first product. The early business was simple and personal. He sourced timber, stitched upholstery and sold directly to local families who valued workmanship they could see and touch. That blend of craft and service defined his approach.
Momentum followed. In 1880 he took a shared shop in Brisbane Street with W. J. Rout, lifting production and visibility. Two years later a fire destroyed his workshop and tools, so he shifted temporarily to Cimitiere Street and indentured his first apprentice, Robert Webber, who stayed with the firm for 70 years. By 1884 he had secured a larger workshop near Kingsway and hired 17 tradesmen, moving from a sole craftsman to organised manufacturing. In 1886 he opened a major retail showroom in Brisbane Street, establishing the platform that became Coogans, a trusted Tasmanian business that would later innovate in retail and finance.
In 1903 we introduced an Easy Payment plan that pioneered hire purchase in Tasmania and made quality goods attainable. That shaped the company’s transition to finance, strengthened by early computer systems in 1971 and a growing loan book through the 1980s and 1990s. The timeline below traces how a furniture maker became a lending partner for Tasmanian households.
Coogans Historical Timeline
1876–1884
From a small room to a public shop front, then back from a devastating fire, Coogans doubled down on quality and training. By 1884 the business employed 17 tradesmen in a larger Brisbane Street workshop, moving from a sole maker to a reliable manufacturer for Tasmanian homes.
1880: Moves into shared premises in Brisbane Street with W. J. Rout, lifting production and visibility.
1882: Fire destroys the workshop and tools; temporary relocation to Cimitiere Street.
1882: Indentures first apprentice, Robert Webber, who serves the firm for 70 years.
1884: Secures a larger workshop in Brisbane Street near Kingsway; hires 17 tradesmen and begins full‑scale manufacturing.
1886–1904
Coogans moved from workshop to destination retail. A three‑storey Brisbane Street showroom, an on‑tap timber supply, and an Easy Payment Plan that pioneered hire purchase in Tasmania made well‑made furniture possible for more households and positioned Coogans as an innovator in retail.
1886: First major retail showroom opens in Brisbane Street, Launceston.
1891: Exhibits at the Tasmanian International Exhibition in Launceston.
1903: Introduces the Easy Payment Plan, pioneering hire purchase in Tasmania - customers could furnish homes for £14 10s, payable weekly.
1903 – 1904: Brisbane Street showroom rebuilt into a three‑storey landmark; Hobart factory established; acquisition of Launceston’s Soap & Candle Works for expansion.
1905 - 1940
1912: Purchases Collins Street premises in Hobart and opens Coogans of Collins Street. Launches 30% factory discount sales as the Foster Street factory reaches full production and exports nationally.
1917 – 1918: William Coogan serves as Mayor of Launceston during WWII
1923: Becomes a private limited company with a formal Board; William marries Catherine Day and undertakes a global study tour of retail and manufacturing
1927: Presents a miniature bedroom suite to the Duke and Duchess of York for Princess Elizabeth, drawing international notice.
1934: Commits to assist the Sisters of Charity to build a hospital in Launceston.
1940: William dies; he had presided over the Board until October. He bequeaths 51% of company shares to the Sisters of Charity; Catherine Coogan assumes leadership. The company employs more than 400 people.
1941 - 1970
Under Catherine Coogan the company modernised. Governance matured, staff benefits grew, and ranges expanded into appliances and electronics. With No Deposit terms and a new large‑format store at Moonah, Coogans became a one‑stop destination for Tasmanian households.
1941: Catherine Coogan becomes Managing Director and appoints a Board.
1943 – 1947: Future leaders P. D. T. and Cliff Jeffrey join; Jeffrey becomes General Manager and Director in 1947.
1947: First apprentice Robert Webber retires after 65 years; the Board grants a pension.
1950: Establishes an employee Superannuation Fund.
1957: First in Tasmania to offer No Deposit terms.
1960: Pioneers TV rentals and advertising in Hobart.
1964: Opens the Moonah Furniture Supermarket on Main Road, Moonah.
1971 - Present
1971: First computer system installed to manage a growing finance operation.
1980s - 1990s: Coogans operates as both furniture retailer and finance provider, building a large loan portfolio and employing more than 300 people.
June 2019: Coogans furniture and electrical retailing closes after 143 years; focus shifts to finance.
September 2019: Coogans Group Pty Ltd approved for Australian Credit Licence 517441. Coogans Finance reintroduced across Tasmanian retailers, growing from about 50 outlets to more than 200 by 2021.