he was educated at cadoxton boys' school and cardiff technical college. he later attended university college of wales swansea as a mature student between 1950 and 1954. he held a number of technical positions at various laboratories at cardiff and swansea before securing an appointment in 1954 as metallurgist to the research department of the steel company of wales, abbey works, port talbot, in which position he remained until his election to parliament in the general election of october 1964. coleman had joined the labour party in november 1948 and became a member of the co—operative party in 1955. he had also stood as a labour candidate for swansea borough council in 1960.