COOLAHAN, HUGH (1800-72). Born at Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland, Coolahan learned baking and carried on a successful business in his native town before emigrating. Arriving in Sydney at the end of 1840, he crossed to Auckland, spent a few months at Bay of Islands, but returned when Auckland was made the capital and conducted a successful bakery there for some years. He selected valuable city sections, including that on which some years later he erected the Waitemata Hotel. A man of untiring energy, shrewd common sense and high integrity, he was able to let his hotel to a tenant and was living in Parnell when the great fire in Queen Street (1866) destroyed most of his property and his financial prosperity. To retrieve his fortunes he moved to Thames (1867) and had built up a lucrative bakery when he died 25 Jun 1872.

Coolahan took an early interest in the politics of Auckland, to which he devoted much time. He was a zealous adherent of John Williamson, whom he supported throughout his provincial career. He was a member of the Provincial Council for Suburbs in 1857 and again 1859-61 and for Auckland West from 1864 until his resignation in Nov 1867.

Auckland P.C. Proc.; Thames Advertiser, 28 Jun 1872.

Reference: Volume 1, page 104

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