Cole, George, Golden Sq., London, u (1747–74). Supplied goods and carried out work at Corsham Court, Wilts. between 1761 and 1774. Some of the sums paid were substantial, such as £130 14s on 10 March 1761 and £101 8s on 30 April 1763. In 1773 alone £505 5s was paid in the first six months. There is little indication of the nature of the goods supplied and work done, but the payment of £34 11s 6d made on 17 April 1769 was stated to be ‘for upholstery goods sent to Corsham House being furniture for the Great Room’ (i.e. the Picture Gallery). On 29 April 1773 £5 5s was paid for ‘Mr West's small ebony cabinet’. Both a Cole snr and jnr are mentioned in the accounts. Commissions were also carried out for the Duke of Atholl's Scottish houses. In 1761 a pierglass was supplied to Dunkeld House and two years later three pier-glasses and associated tables were provided for Blair Castle. The three tables were charged at £43 and the glasses at £168. A resemblance between these items and the designs of Thomas Johnson has been noted, and it has been speculated that Cole may have employed Johnson to supervise these Scottish commissions for him. [Heal; poll bks; Wills, Looking-Glasses; Conn., December 1960, pp. 252–56]