Things to do Thursday: Get to know Cole of the Book Arcade

E W Cole is definitely a contender for most colourful historical personality from Moonee Valley. 

Never heard of E W Cole? Perhaps the cover of one of his books might jog your memory? Cole compiled and published a series of Funny Picture Books. The first one launched on Christmas Eve 1879 and they remained incredibly popular for decades. 

Remember this? 

If you remember the Funny Picture Books you’ll probably remember that Cole loved absurd humour. The first of the series has been made available for free online thanks to the Gutenberg Project – so one of your suggested things to do this Thursday is to re/discover Cole’s Funny Picture Book #1.  Be warned though: what was considered funny and family appropriate then is not necessarily still considered funny – or appropriate for anyone – today, but the book is certainly interesting, has a few gems, and even the bits we cringe at now say a lot about the culture of the time and place in which the book was published.

E W Cole, by Henry William, from Cole's Album, 
State Library Victoria collection

The second suggestion for a thing to do is learn about Cole himself – because Edward William Cole, who towards the end of his life lived in Essendon in the mansion now known as Lowther Hall, was a particularly fascinating and forward-thinking fellow. A failed gold-seeker, Cole eventually made a fortune as a publisher, book-seller and entrepreneur. Cole’s Book Arcade – an icon of Melbourne retail into the 1930s – first opened in 1883, and is remembered as much for the caged monkeys and weird entertaining contraptions as for its multitude of books, old and new. He’s also often remembered for the fact that he found his wife, to whom he had a long and happy marriage, through an advert in the newspaper! Listen to this interview with author Richard Broinowski, who has just released a book all about E W Cole, to learn a whole lot more. 

featuring the interior of Cole's Book Arcade

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