John Cole (antiquary)

John Cole (1792–1848) was an English bookseller and antiquary. A prolific author, he was active in Northamptonshire and Yorkshire. Unable to make a success in various lines of business, he died in poverty.^[1]

John Cole

Works

Cole's works include:^[1]

• History of Northampton and its Vicinity, Northampton, 1815; 2nd edition, 1821; 3rd edition, 1831.
• History of Lincoln, Lincoln, 1818.
• Histrionic Topography, London, 1818, 13 plates. Published by Cole, engravings by James Storer and Henry Sargant Storer, descriptions by James Norris Brewer.^[2]
• A Catalogue of Standard Books, made out on an entirely new plan, (titles are drawn up in enigmas). Second edition as An Ænigmatical Catalogue of Books of Merit, on an entirely new plan, Scarborough, 1821.
• A Key to Cole's Ænigmatical Catalogue of Books, Scarborough, 1821.
• Questions on Cooke's Topography of the County of York, 1821, 1834. Based on the work of George Alexander Cooke.
• Herveiana; or graphic and literary Sketches illustrative of the Life and Writings of the Rev. James Hervey, Scarborough, 1822-3-6, 3 pts. (pt. ii. includes some unpublished letters of James Hervey).^[3]
• Graphic and Historical Sketches of Scarborough, Scarborough, 1822, (with wood engravings by A. J. Mason).^[4] Second edition as Picture of Scarborough for the year 1823, Scarborough, 1823, (reprinted in 1824, 1825,^[5] 1829, and 1832 as the Scarborough Guide, ed. by Christopher Robert Todd, 1836 and 1841).^[6]
• A Biographical Sketch of the late Robert North, Esq., the founder of the Amicable Society, Scarborough, Scarborough, 1823.
• Bibliographical and Descriptive Tour from Scarborough to the Library of a Philobiblist, Scarborough, 1824. Reference is to Francis Wrangham.
• Sketch of the History of Scarborough, Scarborough, 1824.
• The Scarborough Repository and Mirror of the Season, consisting of historical, biographical, and topographical subjects, &c., Scarborough, 1824, vol. i. (8 Nos.), all published.
• Scarborough, Yorkshire [Letters] to the Editor of the Port-Folio, Scarborough [1824].
• A Descriptive Catalogue of a select portion of the Stock of John Cole, Scarborough, 1825.
• The Scarborough Album of History and Poetry, Scarborough, 1825.
• The History and Antiquities of Ecton, county of Northampton, Scarborough, 1825.
• A Series of Cabinet Views of Scarborough, Scarborough, 1825.
• Extracts of Sermon on death of Thomas Hinderwell, Scarborough, 1825.
• Scarborough Worthies, Scarborough, 1826, (mostly a life of Thomas Hinderwell).
• Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Character of the late Thomas Hinderwell, Esq., Scarborough, 1826.
• Le petit Visiteur; containing a Sketch of the History of Scarborough, Scarborough, 1826.
• A Tour round Scarborough, historically and bibliographically unfolded, Scarborough, 1826.
• Bookselling Spiritualised: Books and Articles of Stationery rendered Monitors of Religion, Scarborough, 1826.
• The Antiquarian Trio, Scarborough, 1826. Subtitle Consisting of Views and Description of I. Duke of Buckingham's House; II. Rudston Church and Obelisk; III. Effigy in the Town Hall, with Some Original Observations on the Latter by the Rev. J. L. Sisson, M.A.; to which is Added ... a Brief Description of Hunmanby.^[7]
• The Fugitive Pieces of Thomas Hinderwell, Scarborough, 1826.
• The Casket of Poetry, Scarborough, 1827.
• Tribute to the Memory of Mr. Wm. Abbott, Scarborough, 1827.
• An unique Bibliomaniac displayed in a Biographical Account of Mr. Wm. Abbott, Scarborough, 1827, (with Catalogue of Books).
• Dialogues in the Shades respecting the Cliff Bridge, Scarborough, Scarborough., 1827.
• The History and Antiquities of Weston Favell in the county of Northampton, Scarborough, 1827.
• The Scarborough Souvenir, Scarborough, 1827.
• The Scarborough Collector and Journal of the Olden Time, Scarborough, 1828 (plates).
• A pleasant and profitable Journey to London, Scarborough, 1828.
• The History and Antiquities of Filey in the county of York, Scarborough, 1828.
• The Oldfieldian Cookery Book, Scarborough, 1828, (from the recipes of J. Oldfield).
• Journal of the Entrance upon their Journey of Life of the Young Travellers, John [born 3 October 1792] and Susanna [born 3 August 1796] Cole, Scarborough.
• Select Remains of the Rev. John Mason, M. A., Scarborough, 1828.
• Letter to John Tindal relating to the remains of an ancient village near Cloughton, Scarborough, 1828.
• Historical Sketches of Scalby, Burniston, and Cloughton, with Descriptive Notices of Hayburn Wyke and Stainton Dale in the county of York, Scarborough, 1829.
• The Antiquarian Bijou, Scarborough, 1829.
• The Antiquarian Casket, Scarborough, 1829.
• Bibliotheca Coleiana: a Catalogue of the Collection of Books the private property of John Cole, Scarborough, printed for Cole for friends, 1829.
• Original Letters of the Rev. James Hervey, Scarborough, 1829.
• The Curiosities of Scarborough described in Verse, Scarborough, 1829.
• A Month's Excursion, Scarborough, 1829.
• Scarborough Graphic Gems, Scarborough, 1829.
• Biographical Account of Master Herbert, Scarborough, 1830.
• A Critique on the performance of Master Herbert, the youthful Roscius, Scarborough, 1830.
• Scarborough Tales, Scarborough, 1830.
• Critique on the performance of Juliana by Miss Hilton, Scarborough, 1831.
• Biographical Account of the late Rev. S. Bottomley, Scarborough, 1831.
• Critique on the performance of Othello by F. W. Keene Aldridge, the African Roscius, Scarborough, 1831.
• An Account of the Proceedings at the Commemoration in Honour of Hervey at Weston Favell, 18 June 1833, Northampton, for private distribution, 1833.
• Reminiscences tributary to the Memory of Thomas Allen, Northampton, private distribution, 1833. For Thomas Allen.
• Cole's Graphic Cabinet, Northampton, 1833.
• Fifty original Hymns by James Edmeston, Northampton, 1833. James Edmeston was a well-known London architect and hymn-writer.^[8]
• Ten Minutes' Advice on Shaving, London, 1834.
• Historical Notices of Wellingborough, Wellingborough, 1834.
• History and Antiquities of Wellingborough, Wellingborough, 1837, and Northampton, 1865.
• Conundrums conceived and arranged by John Cole during his residence at Wellingborough, Wellingborough, 1837.
• History and Antiquities of Higham Ferrers, Wellingborough, 1838.
• Annals of Rushden, Irthlingborough, and Knuston, Wellingborough, 1838.
• Memoirs of Mrs. Chapone, London, 1839.
• Popular Biography of Northamptonshire, Wellingborough, 1839.
• Buds of Poesy [by W. L. Cole], London, 1839.
• The Calendar of everyday Reference for the County of Huntingdon, Huntingdon, 1845, 2 (or more) parts.
• The Real Romance of the Tombs at Great Addington, Wellingborough, 1847.
• Northampton pictorially Illustrated, Northampton, 1847.

Undated works:^[1]

• The Talents of Edmund Kean delineated.
• Scarborough Natural Historians.
• Catalogue of Books on Sale by John Cole, Market Square, Northampton.

Notes

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1887). "Cole, John". Dictionary of National Biography 11. London: Smith, Elder & Co.