Frank Alleyn Coles was born in Streatham, Surrey, England on 4 March 1866 and was articled to William Kidner (1841-1900) in London in 1884 for three years and remained as an improver. In 1888 he worked in the office of Sir Ernest George (1839-1922) and Harold Ainsworth Peto (1854-1933) in London. He returned to Kidner in 1889 as his assistant. He qualified as an architect in 1891 and the following year was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA).
Coles was employed in the Architect's Department of London County Council from 1890 and was in partnership with Henry Cornwallis Rogers and Charles Belfield Bone (1862-1942) as Rogers, Bone & Coles in London until 1926. He died in Kingston, Surrey 23 July 1926.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001