Edward William Cole

Edward William Cole, also known as 'E. W. Cole of the Book Arcade', (5 January 1832 – 16 December 1918) was a bookseller and founder of the Cole's Book Arcade, Melbourne, Australia.

Cole was born at Woodchurch near Tenterden, Kent, England, son of Amos Cole, labourer, and his wife Harriett. He received little education, his father died young, and, after his mother had married again, the boy ran away to London. In 1850, with £20, he migrated to the Cape Colony and had some success as a farmer and enjoyed botanical explorations. In November 1852 he migrated to Victoria. He spent some time on the diggings at various jobs.

On 30 September 1865, Cole started a book shop at the Eastern market, Melbourne, with a stock of 600 volumes. His total takings at the end of October amounted to £15 12s., most of which was spent in buying fresh stock. He gradually prospered and became lessee of the whole of the market, most of which was sub-let to small stall-holders. He engaged a band, spent a comparatively large sum on advertising, and made the market a popular resort. Though Cole had little education he read a great deal, and in 1867, under the pseudonym of "Edwic", he published The Real Place in History of Jesus and Paul, which is largely a discussion on the validity of miracles. The last paragraph of the book stated that it had been written largely to show what Jesus was not, and that he hoped to publish another book showing "what he really was and Paul also, namely that they were two honest visionaries". No one in Melbourne or Sydney would publish it.

In 1874 Cole took a building fronting on Bourke Street near the market, and opened his first "book arcade". This business was successful and he also continued renting the market until 1881, when he was unable to secure a renewal of the lease on sufficiently favourable terms. He then began negotiations for a building lower down Bourke Street near the general post office.

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