Sir Henry Cole (15 July 1808, Bath – 18 April 1882, London) was a civil servant who facilitated many innovations in commerce and education in 19th century Britain. Image File history File links HenryCole2. ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Bath (disambiguation). ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... London is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom, and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

He began his career at the age of 15 at the Public Record Office, where he became Assistant Keeper and was instrumental in reforming the organisation and preservation of the British national archives. The Public Record Office of the United Kingdom is one of the two organisations that make up the National Archives (the other is the Historical Manuscripts Commission). ...

From 1837 to 1840, he worked as an assistant to Rowland Hill and played a key role in the introduction of the Penny Post. He is sometimes credited with the design of the world's first postage stamp, the Penny Black. This article is about the postal service pioneer. ... The Penny Post is any one of several postal systems in which normal letters could be sent for one penny. ... For the research project, see Penny Black (research project). ...

In 1843, Cole introduced the world's first commercial Christmas card, commissioning artist John Callcott Horsley to make the artwork. 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Christmas Card is a vinyl album of Christmas music the case of which contained a reproduction of a Christmas card that was signed by the whole Partridge Family, the stars of a 1970s sitcom. ... John Callcott Horsley (January 29, 1817 - October 18, 1903), English painter, son of William Horsley, the musician, and grand-nephew of Sir Augustus Callcott, was born in London. ...

As Felix Summerly

Cole was personally interested in industrial design, and under the pseudonym Felix Summerly designed a number of items which went into production, including a prize-winning teapot manufactured by Minton. As Felix Summerly, he also wrote a series of children's books, including A book of stories from The home treasury; A hand-book for the architecture, sculpture, tombs, and decorations of Westminster Abbey (1859); and The most delectable history of Reynard the Fox (illustrated with twenty-four coloured pictures by Aldert van Everdingen) (1846). Thomas Minton established his pottery factory in Stoke-upon-Trent in 1793 producing earthenware and from 1798 bone china. ... Basic Characteristics There is some debate as to what constitutes childrens literature. ... 1859 (MDCCCLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... Reynard the Fox, also known as Renard, Renart, Reinard, Reinecke, Reinhardus, and by many other spelling variations, is a trickster figure whose tale is told in a number of anthropomorphic fables from medieval Europe. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Cole and the Exhibitions

Through his membership of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, Cole lobbied government for support for his campaign to improve standards in industrial design. The backing of Prince Albert was secured, and in 1847 a royal charter was granted to the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). Under the patronage of Prince Albert, Cole organized a successful Exhibition of Art Manufactures in 1847, with enlarged exhibitions following in 1848 and 1849. Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Francis Charles Augustus Albert Emmanuel, of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha branch of the House of Wettin) (26 August 1819 - 14 December 1861) was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. ...

Cole visited the 1849 11th Quinquennial Paris Exhibition and noticed the lack of an exhibition open to international participants. He saw that the RSA's planned exhibitions for 1850 and 1851 could be adapted into a larger international exhibition, and he secured the backing of Queen Victoria to establish in 1850 the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 to manage the new exhibition, under the Presidency of Prince Albert. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from January 1, 1877, until her death in 1901. ... Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 is an institution founded in 1850 to administer the international exhibition of 1851, officially called the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, held in The Crystal Palace. ...

The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and was an enormous popular and financial success, partially due to the astute management of Henry Cole. The Great Exhibition: Paxtons Crystal Palace enclosed full-grown trees in Hyde Park. ... The Great Exhibition in Hyde Park 1851. ... The Serpentine, viewed from the eastern end. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... 1851 (MDCCCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

As one of the Commissioners, Cole was instrumental in the decision that the £186,000 surplus from the Great Exhibition would be used for improving science and art education in the United Kingdom. Land was purchased in the South Kensington area and developed as the centre for a number of educational and cultural institutions, known half-jokingly as "Albertopolis". Henry Cole was appointed the first General Superintendent of the Department of Practical Art, set up by the government to improve standards of art and design education in Britain with reference to their applicability to industry. In this capacity he was instrumental in the development of the Victoria and Albert Museum which had begun as the Museum of Ornamental Art in Marlborough House. Cole oversaw its move to its current site, and became first director of what was initially called South Kensington Museum from 1857 to 1873. Albertopolis is a nickname for the area in South Kensington, London, between Cromwell Road and Kensington Gore, which contains several educational and cultural sites, including Imperial College Natural History Museum Royal Albert Hall Royal College of Art Royal College of Music Royal College of Organists Royal Geographical Society Science Museum... The Cromwell Road entrance to the Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum viewed from Thurloe Square The main interior courtyard of the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2004. ... Marlborough House, London Marlborough House is a mansion in Westminster, London. ... The Cromwell Road entrance to the Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (the V&A) is on Cromwell Road in Kensington, West London. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Honors and Legacy

He was instrumental in the development of the Royal College of Art as a postgraduate design school and played a part in the establishment of many other South Kensington institutions, such as the Royal College of Music and Imperial College London. In fact, the Imperial College Mathematics Department was formerly based in the Sir Henry Cole Wing on Exhibition Road, before the premises were donated to the Victoria & Albert Museum. The Royal College of Art in South Kensington, London. ... // The Royal College of Music from Prince Consort Road, London The Royal College of Music is a prestigious music school located in Kensington, London. ... Imperial College London is a prestigious British academic institution focussing on science, engineering and medicine, complemented by a business school. ... The Cromwell Road entrance to the Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum viewed from Thurloe Square The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) is on Cromwell Road in Kensington, West London. ...

He was awarded the CB for his work on the Great Exhibition and was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1875. Often referred to in the press as "Old King" Cole, he was known to have the closest personal backing of the Queen and especially of the Prince Consort, who when he needed a facilitator for one of his pet projects, was heard to remark: "We must have steam, get Cole". Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ...

Further reading

• Henry Cole – Fifty years of public work of Sir Henry Cole accounted for in his deeds, speeches and writings. In two volumes. London, Bell and Sons, 1884 (Completed by Henrietta and Alan S. Cole after Henry Cole's death)
• Elizabeth Bonython – King Cole: A Picture Portrait of Sir Henry Cole, London, 1985
• (English) Design Council Archive _ University of Brighton Design Archives (Journal of Design and Manufactures is still not digitalised, but open to researchers.)
• (English) Journal of Design and Manufactures