Cole, Sir Henry, pseudonym Felix Summerly 1808-82
English designer, writer and civil servant

He was born in Bath, Somerset, and as assistant keeper at the Public Record Office from 1838, was responsible for saving many ill-preserved documents. He also was involved in setting up the penny postage system. Under the pseudonym 'Felix Summerly' he set up a firm for 'art manufacture', designed the 'Summerly tea service', produced by Minton, wrote a series of handbooks on famous buildings in London, produced illustrated children's books, and published the first English Christmas card (1856). He planned and largely organized the Great Exhibition of 1851 under the patronage of Prince Albert. He set up a national system of art education, and was director of the South Kensington Museum in London (1853-73), which later became the Victoria and Albert Museum. His autobiography was published posthumously in 1884.