Literature: John Hawkins illustrates two striking "strut" docks in Thomas Cole and Victorien Clockinaking,1975, Items 4 & 5, but neither has quite the beauty of the example offered above. THOMAS COLE 1800-1864 In 1823, he joined his brother James Ferguson in partnership, 3 New Bond Street, where he worked until about 1829. After the brothers' separation, Thomas' movements are untraced until he reappears in 1838 as a watchmaker at No. 11 Upper King Street, Bloomsbury. Of Thomas Cole's first marriage no record has been found. After the death of his first wife he married Charlotte Boulding on 28th October 1841; she was 20 years younger than her husband. Shortly after their marriage, the Coles moved to 47 Lamb's Conduit Street and moved again to 24 Hart Street, Bloomsbury. By 1845 he left Bloombury for Clerkenwell, 2 Upper Vernon Street where he was registered as "Designer and maker of ornamental clocks". At the Great Exhibition of 1851, Thomas Cole was entered in the official catalogue as "Inventor, designer and maker". He was also present at the International Exhibition in Paris, in 1855. By this Lime, Thomas Cole had moved to his final place of business at No. 6 Castle Street, Holborn. Thomas Cole was elected to the Royal Society of Arts on 28th June 1861. He was also admitted to the British Horological Institute in which his brother James Ferguson played a leading role. The last contribution to the scene of international exhibition carne in 1862, when both brothers had examples of their work on display in London. Thomas Cole was awarded a medal for "excellence of faste and design, in ornamental and portable clocks of original construction". Thomas Cole died from typhoid fever at his flouse, No. 1 Westbourne Park Road, Paddington, on 3rd January 1864. Usually, Thomas Cole traded through other retailers, although several clocks signed by him are known. Some of his clocks, retailed by various firms, are either crested or monogramed as an integral part of the dial engraving. It must therefore be assumed that Cole accepted special orders through them at agreed prices. The following signatures of retailers can be found on Thomas Cole clocks: ASPREY, London. Thomas BOXELL, Brighton. DENT, London. EMANUEL, London J.M. FRENCH, London. R.& S. GARRARD, London. THE GOLDSMITHS ALLIANCE LTD., London C.F. HANCOCK, London. HOWELL & JAMES, London. HUNT & ROSKELL, London. JENNER & NEWSTUB, London. LONDON & RYDER, London. ORTNER & HOULE, London. W. PAYNE & CO., London. PHILLIPS BROTHERS, London. E.W. ROBINS, London. BENJAMIN SMITH, JNR., London STREETER, London H. & E. TESSIER, London. The Great Exhibition of 1851 saw Cole at the height of his influence in that, in addition to exhibiting himself, his products were on display on the stands of Hunt & Roskell, Hancocks, Phillips Brothers, W. Payne & Co., and possibly Howell & James. Not a bad effort in that they must all have required something different so as to prevent a conflict of interest.