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Thomas Cole
Biography
Son of James and Catherine Cole, Thomas Cole was born in Nether Stowey, Somerset, and was the younger brother of the clockmaker James Ferguson Cole. Thomas's history and works are fully recorded in 'Thomas Cole & Victorian Clockmaking' by John B. Hawkins, published in 1975, in Sydney.
Known as a specialist in making decorative timepieces of the highest quality, Cole established himself in London and, by 1848, was working in Clerkenwell as a "designer" and maker of ornamental clocks. His reputation for artistry and fine craftsmanship grew, leading to his exhibition at the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851, where he displayed a number of elaborate items. He later received an 'honourable mention' at the Paris Exhibition of 1855 and was awarded a medal for "excellence of taste and design" at the London 1862 International Exposition. His work was praised by critics and foreign visitors for its "beauty of design" and "general excellence of workmanship." Thomas Cole was also elected to the Royal Society of Arts in 1861. He died on January 3, 1864.
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