William Cole Piano Shop?

Hi all,

Trying to date a Sheffield-bought piano, supplied by the William Cole shop on Norfolk Street. The nameplate has a four digit phone number (1720) and telegram reference (WilCole).

Am thinking is maybe 1950s, but would appreciate any thoughts or information, about the company or about when Sheffield used a four digit number.

All the best,

TRW

Hi all,

 

Trying to date a Sheffield-bought piano, supplied by the William Cole shop on Norfolk Street. The nameplate has a four digit phone number (1720) and telegram reference (WilCole).

 

Am thinking is maybe 1950s, but would appreciate any thoughts or information, about the company or about when Sheffield used a four digit number.

 

All the best,

 

TRW

Don't know, but 'Hiilsbro' will be along in a minute or so !

Certainly an age before the 50's. My father was a professional pianist and as a child I was ushered around all the music shops back then! He was also an artist in oils and as William Coles store appears to be next to, or above Hibberts, I'm pretty sure that I would have known if it had still have been there.

First of all, you can see the entrance on this photo... LINK

Secondly, in this next photo, is a record sleeve with the company's details printed. The phone number you have, is prefixed here by a '2' LINK.

All things considered, I am guessing the piano is 1920/30's

.

This is an entry from Kelly's Directory 1925:

COLE, William (~, (Incorporating Cole & Sons) Piano & player piano expert).

Address: 115 Norfolk Street, ~ in 1925.

Recorded in: Sheffield & Rotherham Kelly's Directory.

Doesn't help you much with the date but, just to prove where the company was based.

William Cole is still shown in Norfolk Street in the 1931 Kelly's Directory but the 1937 directory shows the firm at 292 Glossop Road, and so the move would have taken place between 1930 and 1936.

Postscript - looking at newspapers online, I found a January 1932 advertisement for William Cole which gives the Norfolk Street address, and one of March 1934 stating "late Norfolk Street, now 292 Glossop Road", and so this dates the move to before 1934.

Telephone numbers beginning with "1" did not exist on automatic exchanges. Sheffield was fully automatic well before the 1950s. The first automatic exchange was Sheffield Central at Telephone Buildings on West Street & was opened in 1927. I would guess that the piano pre-dates 1927.

Prior to the Norfolk Street address, they were at 76-80 Surrey Street, described as 'Piano manufacturers, shop and warehouse'. From a bit of digging, I don't think that they manufactured them on the premises but rather commissioned them from elsewhere, fashioned as 'manufactured for W.F.Cole and sons Ltd'

Here is an advert from 1919 for their record dept. LINK

I wonder (not searched) if there was any connection to the Coles family of 'Cole Bros'

.

I also wondered about Cole Brothers but there doesn't seem to be a connection. John and Thomas Cole came from Pickering in North Yorkshire, while William F. Cole "pianoforte tuner & manager, music warehouse" turns up in the 1891 census return at 106 Whitham Road, with his birthplace given as Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. He seems to have learned his trade in London - in 1861 he was a "music apprentice" living in Twickenham. He appears in an 1881 directory as a "manager" living with his family on the premises of "Arthur Wilson, pianoforte dealer" at 169-171 West Street. He died aged 68 in 1915.

Hello - I have found everyone's questions and comments so interesting. William F Cole was my great grandfather. He was born in Bury St Edmunds and after a time living in London working and managing a piano store moved to Sheffield with his family and opened his piano shop. I was only aware of the shop on Surrey Street so thank you for the added information. I was especially interested in reading about a piano bought recently and the beautiful cabinetry - I have never seen one and would be most interested in a picture if available.

Any other information would be most welcome to add to my family history.

Hello LibbyC - welcome to the Forum!

In case it is of interest, here is a link to a 1911 photo on the picturesheffield.com site of William F. Cole's son Herbert Lemon Cole (1871-1962) as a sergeant in the Hallamshire Rifles; the photo is accompanied by some biographical notes.

Herbert evidently married Frances Ward in 1913, and the 1939 Register finds them at 114 Banner Cross Road, Sheffield. Here is a photo of Banner Cross Road.

Hi all,

 

Trying to date a Sheffield-bought piano, supplied by the William Cole shop on Norfolk Street. The nameplate has a four digit phone number (1720) and telegram reference (WilCole).

 

Am thinking is maybe 1950s, but would appreciate any thoughts or information, about the company or about when Sheffield used a four digit number.

 

All the best,

 

TRW

1901 Dir.

Cole W.F. & Sons-pianoforte makers, dealers, tuners & c. sole agency Steinway & Sons, New York & London, 76-78 Surrey Street TN 2102

1925 Dir. Norfolk Street TN. 1720

Contact Paul Fox Piano Tuner - I am sure he will be able to help.