Cole, Henry 1808 - 1882

Sir Henry Cole, FRSA, was a British civil servant and inventor. He attended Christ's Hospital school, and upon leaving became clerk to Francis Palgrave and later a sub-commissioner under the Record Commission, employed to transcribe records. He studied water-colour painting under David Cox, and exhibited his work in the Royal Academy. After the Public Record Office Act of 1838, Cole became one of four senior assistant-keepers at the record office. From 1837 to 1840, Cole worked as assistant to Rowland Hill, and was a key figure in the introduction of the Penny Post; he is sometimes credited with the design of the Penny Black. Cole is credited with inventing the concept of the Christmas card, introducing the world's first commercial card in 1843. He was interested in industrial design and used the pseudonym Felix Summerly to design a number of items, as well as to write a series of children's books. As a member of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA), he lobbied the government to improve standards in industrial design, and, after securing the support of Prince Albert, the RSA gained its royal charter. After visiting the Paris Exhibition of 1849, Cole put forward plans to increase the scale of the Great Exhibition of 1851, and the ultimate success of the latter exhibition has been credited to his management. Cole was key in deciding to invest the £186,000 generated from the Great Exhibition to improving science and art education in the UK; the money was used to purchase land in the South Kensington area that would be developed into the "Albertopolis". He became the first director of the South Kensington Museum from 1857 to 1873. There is a wing of the V&A named after him. He played a part in the development of the Royal College of Art, the Royal College of Music, and Imperial College London. He was knighted in 1875.