Article
THE COLE PEPPERBOX PISTOL
THE COLE PEPPERBOX PISTOL,
….FROM HOBART TOWN TO THE EUREKA STOCKADE, … THE MAORI WARS AND BACK TO TASMANIA. 6 GENERATIONS OF AUSTRALIAN OWNERSHIP.
BILL LOWE SILVER SERVICE
It was an ordinary sort of day in May 2018 when a gentleman walked into my shop with a bag, within was an item that would turn out to be anything but.
He unwrapped a cloth within a bag and pulled out a shiny, black and quite heavy looking pistol with multiple barrels. At first it wasn’t apparent that what I was looking at was a 19th century pepperbox pistol, such was the condition, colour and brightness of the finish!
Philip informed me it had been in the family for many generations and was owned by his great grandfather who he described as an early Tasmanian Pioneer. He was referring to Thomas Stanley Cole.
He indicated that it had come through the family to T.S. Cole, though he had no personal knowledge of it prior to his great grandfather’s ownership.
I purchased the pistol from him and I was determined to see whether I could trace it back further to its origins.
The first thing to do was to see if I could gently restore it back to some semblance of its originality.
It was painted gloss black all over and the firing mechanism wasn’t working. Over a period of time I carefully and painstakingly removed the painted surface to reveal the original patina underneath. The pistol was pulled apart and the inner workings re connected so that the pistol operated correctly.
I then measured it and found it to be 20cm long with an overall barrel diameter of 33mm. Each of the six independent barrel openings measured 8.5mm in diameter, equating to .32 calibre.
On completing the conservation work I could ascertain that it was of English manufacture, c. 1850, the barrels having proof marks for Birmingham, England (1813-1855). The butt was made from walnut and cross hatched, and after all the thick gloss paint was removed, engraved decoration adorning the pistol became apparent. The underside of the butt was engraved with the letter “C”.
After comparing the engraving that covers the pistol I was satisfied the engraved “C” on the underside of the butt was contemporary to the other engraving and consistent with a manufacturing date of circa 1850 when the pistol was made.
This gave me great encouragement that the pistol was purchased by one of T.S. Cole’s direct descendants, the “C” referencing Cole.
The next step was to see if I could trace the Cole Family History back further to as close as to when the pistol was made.
I engaged the help of Sallie Mulligan, a research expert in genealogy and family history. With her help we were able to determine the male relative line of T.S. Cole to whom the pistol may have belonged.
The family tree shown below indicates the earlier descendants of T.S. Cole going back to Phillip’s great, great, great, grandfather, Thomas Cole.
Thomas Cole.
12th Foot Regiment (East Suffolk)
b.1815 d.1864
I
John Cole.
12th Foot Regiment (East Suffolk)
b. about 1844 d.1915
I Thomas Stanley Cole.
b. 2 Feb 1873 d. 1938 (missing, never found)
I
Charles Leonard Stanley Cole.
b. about 1907 d.24 January 1969
I
Donald Charles Cole.
b. 22 Nov 1937 d.7 Jan 2000
I Phillip Charles Cole.
b.1960 d. 2019
Thomas was an officer in the 12th Foot Regiment; given the date the pistol was made it is highly likely that he purchased it in the UK prior to leaving for Tasmania in 1854.
Tracing the family line through from its first to its last family owner, it seems as though this wonderful multi barrelled pistol had an amazing journey, including a jaunt to The Eureka Stockade and years surviving The Maori Wars in New Zealand, making it very likely, a unique piece of Australian History.
Thomas Cole (b. about 1815. ) (GGG Grandfather)
Born in Ireland, Thomas Cole sailed to Australia in 1854 with the 12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk) Regiment on the ship Gloucester.
A company of the 1st Battalion, 12th Regiment proceeded from Chatham, England to Cork, Ireland and sailed on the 18th January 1854 in the freight ship Gloucester. Captain Hutchins, Lieutenant Cole, Ensign Wilkie, four sergeants, 102 rank and file, thirteen women and sixteen children arrived one hundred days later in Hobart on the 29th May. (0*)
Shortly after arriving at Hobart, Thomas was sent as part of the contingent to strengthen the military detachment at The Ballarat Goldfields arriving on Monday 4th September, 1854. There had been much dissent around miner’s licences and a stand-off now known as The Eureka Stockade is now firmly entrenched in our history.
“A detachment of the 12th Regiment, consisting of 67 men and 1 sergeant, under the command of Lieutenant Cole, arrived on Monday to relieve the body of Pensioners who have for some time been stationed here.” (Bendigo Advertiser, The Argus, 9th September 1854) (*1)
It is highly likely that Cole would have taken the “pepperbox” with him to Eureka, …it would certainly make sense to have a multi chambered gun as a backup to his military firearm and there is evidence that pepperbox pistols were present at Eureka.
An article from The Australasian Historical Archaeology, 23 in 2005, “Curious Matter for Contemplation: A Pistol from Eureka Lead, Ballarat” details the finding of a pepperbox pistol from the Eureka Lead, Ballarat in 1997. It goes into great detail and includes the conservation of the pistol. It bears remarkable similarities to the Cole pistol. It is the identical size and to all intents and purposes appears to be exactly the same model.
The article also discusses the topic of guns on the goldfields at the time.
“In the first instance, the pistol is an example of the kind of personal item owned by many people at the time. Firearms were not at all unusual on the diggings, and are well-documented historically. They were carried by many new arrivals, ..…” *1A
Thomas and his detachment of the 12th Regiment arrived in Ballarat just 15 days before The Eureka Battle on the 28th November, 1854. Almost immediately his force was in the limelight.
“A detachment of the 12th Regiment entered Ballarat on 28 November 1854 between nine and ten o’clock at night, and marched through the Eureka Diggings accompanied by some transport wagons. An incident ensued which resulted in injuries to the Drummer Boy, John Egan the publican, Benden Hassell and the carter, George Young. *1B
There is no clear evidence that Thomas Cole’s detachment were in the mix of the trouble that was to ensue at the stand now known as The Eureka Stockade.
It is quite possible that as part of the force of the 12th Battalion relieving the pensioners who were on duty at the diggings, they were.
On 9th January, 1856 the guard at Oatlands comprising thirty -four soldiers under Lieutenant Cole, removed to Hobart for embarkation to Adelaide, South Australia. *2
It appears Thomas’ time there was short lived as he returned to Hobart on the 25th January 1856. *2
He was promoted to Captain sometime between 1856 and 1859. On the 12th January 1859 three companies of the 1st Battalion including Captain Cole embarked form Hobart on the ship Salem and arrived in Sydney on the 20th January.
On 17th December 1860, Captain and Mrs. Cole sailed to Hobart on the ship Tasmania, just 2 days after him arriving of his second tour of duty.
While no information is forthcoming as to why he left so quickly, it may have had something to do with the impending birth of his daughter born on the 29th May, 1861 at The Military Barracks in Hobart Town. *2A
On the 3rd September, 1863, Captain Cole arrived in New Zealand in command of a contingent of the 12th Regiment that fought in The Maori Wars.
It is reasonable to assume that the pepperbox pistol would have travelled with him. He most likely fought in a number of campaigns, certainly he was at The Battle of Rangariri. The following is an excerpt from a letter sent to Mr. Teale by QM Laver, quartermaster of the 12th Regiment.
….” I soon rejoined our party but was nearly firing into some of our men who were being mistaken for the enemy. As one was about to fire I challenged and the answer in English soon set matters right. Within thirty yards of the enemy I made my bed, having taken the precaution to bring my waterproof sheet and some blankets. Here I turned in with Captain Cole, Lieutenant Phillips, and Crawhall on
my left, and slept pretty well, although the enemy kept up a blazing fusilade all night and yelled like infernal demons every quarter of an hour. ‘Puckeroo the hoya” kill the soldier!” *3
Thomas was never to leave New Zealand, he died from sunstroke in Rangiriri, New Zealand in 1864. *4
From military records we know that his son, John, also a member of the 12th Foot, was present at The Battle of Rangiriri, (in fact he was presented with a medal for bravery that included a bar for Rangiriri.) It is not unreasonable to assume that this was when the pepperbox passed to him, but more of that later.
John Cole (GG Grandfather) (b. about. 1844)
John was born in England and left as a young child on the ship Gloucester, sailing to Tasmania with his father (Thomas) and mother in 1854.
He followed quickly in his father’s footsteps, at apparently 14 years old (1856) he joined his father’s regiment, the 12th Foot (East Suffoulk), then stationed in Hobart as a drummer boy. There is some doubt as to his age, he may have been as young as 12.
“The Second Recruit Boy John Cole, aged fourteen, was the Battalion’s second recruit on the 24th November 1856 in Hobart. No bounty was paid. Cole received one shilling for “Bringing Money and Attesting”. His Regimental number was 2. (PRO3716) The Hobarton Mercury reported, under Local Intelligence – Enlisting, on Wednesday the 26th November 1856 – A lad named John Cole was duly sworn in before Captain Bateman yesterday to serve Her Majesty as a soldier in the 12th Regiment. The little fellow went through his exercises in a very smart and soldierly manner, and judging from appearance, won golden opinions from the portly Sergeant who stood looking on with evident approval. The named Captain was not on the Battalion’s payroll (PRO3716) for this period and the name is assumed to have been mistyped or Captain Bateman was from another regiment. Cole, born in Hampshire, England, was discharged in New Zealand on the 4th May 1867. (PRO3731)” *5
John Cole was promoted to Private on 25th November, 1857. *6
At 19 years of age, in 1861, John and the 12th East Suffolk Regiment was sent to New Zealand. He was engaged in the war with the Maoris for some 4 or 5 years, during which time he distinguished himself. On November 20 1863, Mr Cole performed a gallant action for which he received the New Zealand cross “for conspicuous bravery.”
“Some of the regiment were crossing a river on a pontoon under a terrible fire when two of the number slipped off into the water. With great presence of mind and courage, Mr Cole hastily snatched up a rope and plunged in to the rescue. He ran the rope round the 2 men and under their arms and effected a rescue. On another occasion, a party was on the other side of the river to the regiment when they were pressed by the natives. All with exception of 2 were able to swim across the river and Mr Cole again came to the rescue. Securing a canoe, he strapped the 2 men to it and swam with them across the stream. Mr Cole received the distinguished service medal with no less than 10 clasps attached to it, he having taken part in the following battles:- Pontoko, Piko Piko, Rangiriri, Rangiawaina, Orkan, Gate Pah, Te Rangai, Pukerimo, Nukermara and Ngutu-o-Te-Mann.
It appears highly likely that either before or during the battle at Rangiriri and prior to his father Thomas’ death there, the pepperbox pistol was passed to him.
After the Maoris had been defeated the regiment was ordered back to England and acceding his mother’s request, John bought his discharge and returned to Hobart.
Shortly after his return to Tasmania, John was stationed at Port Arthur as a constable and had the distinction while on sentry duty there, of being the 1st in the State to sight the ship conveying the Duke of Edinburgh to Tasmania, The Galatea.
His time at Port Arthur was short lived, he was then to move to the north of the state where he undertook various posts.
His Obituary reported in The North West Post on the 29th March 1915 provides an insight into his future after leaving Port Arthur.
“After 9 months service at the penal settlement, Mr Cole came north and was married at Ross. In 1868 he joined the Territorial Police at Launceston and St Leonards, just outside the city, was his first station. He was then transferred to West Tamar. Having performed some smart detective work on several occasions, his abilities were recognised and in 1877 he was promoted to the rank of sub-inspector and was transferred to Stanley.
He was next moved to Ulverstone, where he encountered 3 ruffians on the bridge one night and received such severe injuries to his head that for a time his condition was extremely critical.
Right up to his death, Mr Cole felt the effects of this attack, which was made with the object of securing possession of the keys of the police buildings.
Mr Cole’s next stations were Lefroy, Port Cygnet, Newtown, Devonport and Selby (near Launceston) where he retired in 1897, after a period of 29 years faithful service.
He then paid a visit to New Zealand, but some 16 years ago he returned to Devonport and was appointed inspector to the Devonport Town Board, a position that he held until his death; in fact, only on Monday last he fumigated a house at Spreyton. In that capacity he proved himself a conscientious and capable officer and discharged his multifarious duties in a manner that excited admiration.
About 5 years ago he accompanied the Devonport troop of Boy Scouts to Hobart to meet General Baden-Powell and while at the capital he was presented to the Governor (Sir Harry Barron) at whose request Mr Cole was photographed standing beside the monument erected in Barracks Square to the memory of the members of the 99th Suffolk Regiment who fell during the Maori war. On the occasion of Lord Ranfurley’s visit to Tasmania, Mr Cole was selected as guide to the party on account of his knowledge of the country. He evinced a keen interest in matters appertaining to the welfare of the Empire and as a member of the Devonport branch of the Royal Society of St George, he proved most enthusiastic in infusing interest into the society.
He leaves a widow and five sons – Messrs. William and Frank (Victoria), Thomas (Nabowla), Harry (Devonport) and John (New Zealand) and 2 daughters – Mesdames Neilsen (Pioneer) and Hoberg (Melbourne), for whom the deepest sympathy is felt. The funeral will take place this afternoon leaving his late residence at 2 o’clock for the Mersey Bluff cemetery.” *7
GREAT GRANDFATHER – THOMAS STANLEY COLE
b. 2 Feb 1873, d. missing 1938.
As the eldest son of John Cole, Thomas Stanley Cole was likely the next in line to inherit the pepperbox pistol. The last owner of the Cole line who owned the pistol, Phillip, said his father had told him that the pistol belonged to T.S. Cole, his great grandfather.
Little is known of Thomas Stanley’s life, it seemed he lived a quiet life in the south west of the state in Nabowla and Adamsfield, a town that no longer exists. Adamsfield was a town of around 1,000 during its hay day as a mining town, one of the world’s largest sources of osmium and iridium during the 1920s.
He was postmaster at Nabowla and seemingly both a teacher and postmaster at Adamsfield.
In 1913 T.S. Cole is listed as station and postmaster at Nabowla.*8
In 1932 he listed as miner and teacher at Adamsfield. *9
In 1933 he is listed as postmaster at Adamsfield. *10
Along with the pepperbox pistol I purchased, were some note books that belonged to Thomas. In them are many tales of everyday life and a number of poems seemingly penned by Thomas. They make interesting reading once his scrawling hand writing is deciphered!
In 1935, Thomas set out to walk to Deloraine, a trip that would have taken him through some most inhospitable country. It was a trip he was never to complete, having initially been lost and presumed dead.
23rd February 1935 – “Mr. Thomas Cole who set out to walk from Adamsfield through the rugged bush country to the West Coast Road on Saturday, February 23, against the warning of friends, has not yet been heard of, and since Thursday last police troopers have been searching in the vicinity of the Derwent Bridge, near the Iron Store, to which point he was supposed to be making.” *11
At last, 17 days into his journey he made it to Derwent Bridge after coming across the small rescue party that had been searching for him.
13 Mar 1935 – “Seventeen Days in the bush. Mr T. Cole’s experience. Severe hardship endured. Summary: Mr Thomas Cole – occupied 17 days covering 60 miles from Adamsfield to Derwent Bridge. He left a note in an unoccupied hut in Rasselas Valley stating he we was going on but the heel of the foot, part of which had been amputated many years ago between the ankle and the toes was worrying him; his specially made boot was becoming the worse for wear.” *12
The article went on to report the various trials and tribulations Thomas encountered including catching and eating a snake after his rations had all but gone. The article makes interesting reading indeed, even mentioning the presence of a large Tasmanian Tiger prowling around the countryside!
One would imagine that after the arduous conditions Thomas Stanley had encountered that he would be unlikely to undertake such a journey again.
Not so it would seem, as in May 1938 he left Adamsfield in the company of Mark McLeod with the intention of prospecting an extensive area of gold bearing country between the areas of Gell River and Lake George *12A
Some 13 days later, The Mercury Newspaper reported that no word had been heard from the two prospectors.
On the 7th June, News (Adelaide) reported no trace of the missing prospectors, believed lost in the rugged country of the west coast. An aerial search conducted from Cambridge Aerodrome by Captain E.J. Gregory was forced to return after encountering fog, rain and snow over New Norfolk.
On the 4th August, The Examiner Newspaper reported “Difficult Search Ends.” The only traces found were remains of a small fire near Denison Creek and a tent site near King William Range. The search party explored the wilds in the vicinity of Denison Creek, Gordon and Gell Rivers, King William and Prince of Wales Ranges. The extensive search failed to locate Cole and McLeod and Mr. Ogilvie, the Attorney General commented “Unless additional information is available it appears that nothing further can be done.”
Nothing further was ever heard from Thomas Stanley Cole, and subsequently he was presumed dead.
Thomas had married Sarah Cleaveland Dyamond on the 24th November, 1895 and together they had four children.
One of their children, Charles Leonard Stanley Cole, who at the time Thomas went missing, presumed dead was about 28 years old. He was the grand-father of Phillip from whom I purchased the pistol.
According to Phillip, the pistol was passed down to Charles.
GRANDFATHER –
CHARLES LEONARD STANLEY COLE
b. about 1907 d.14 Jan 1969 Nabowla. Aged 61. *13
There is little known of Charles’ life, it certainly doesn’t seem to have been out of the ordinary, and although his elder brothers, George and Frank both served in the military during the First World War, Charles did not as he was too young.
He was married on the 18th April, 1936 to Annie Grace Smith, the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs V Smith of Nabowla.
On the 22nd November 1937 Annie gave birth to a son, Donald Charles Cole, Phillip’s father.
Charles’ last will and testament dated in 1957, notes Donald as the recipient of his motor car and personal effects. It appears that although he was the youngest son of three known, he was the only son mentioned in Charles’ will.
Phillip was given the pistol by his father Donald prior to his passing.
Of the pistol, nothing more appears to be known until its appearance in my shop in 2018. It remained in Donald’s and Phillip’s possession and Phillip remembered little of its life during his life time but believed it was his father who had given it a spruce up with a new paint job!
It is nothing short of remarkable that this wonderful pistol can be traced back six generations of the same family and that its journey was so remarkable.
Whether it was fired in anger we’ll never know for sure, but given its time at Eureka and The Maori Wars it seems likely that it saw action.
FATHER – DONALD CHARLES COLE
b. 22 Nov 1937 at “Naldera” Hospital, 25 Canning St, Launceston
m. 5 Apr 1958 to Dorothy Frances Smythe at Scottsdale
d. 7 Jan 2000, bur. Nabowla General Cemetery *14
PHILLIP CHARLES COLE.
b. about 1960. d. 18 December 2019. *14
BIBLIOGRAPHY
*0 From 12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk), Service in Australia and NZ 1854-1867, Eureka, Lambing Flat and New Zealand Wars. Volume 1 of 2, Page 22, by Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
*1 From 12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk), Service in Australia and NZ 1854-1867, Eureka, Lambing Flat and New Zealand Wars. Volume 1 of 2, Page 24, by Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
*1A Australasian Historical Archaeology, 23, 2005, A Curious Matter for Contemplation: A Pistol from the Eureka Lead, Ballarat. Barbara O’Brien, Richard Garcia and Susan Lawrence.
*1B Wickham, D., Gerbasoni, C & Phillipson, W., Eureka Research Directory, Ballarat Heritage Services, 1999.
*2 From 12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk), Service in Australia and NZ 1854-1867, Eureka, Lambing Flat and New Zealand Wars. Volume 1 of 2, Page 71, by Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
*2A The Mercury (Hobart, Tasmania, Wednesday, May 22nd 1861)
*3 From 12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk), Service in Australia and NZ 1854-1867, Eureka, Lambing Flat and New Zealand Wars. Volume 1 of 2, Page 290, by Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
*4 From 12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk), Service in Australia and NZ 1854-1867, Eureka, Lambing Flat and New Zealand Wars. Volume 1 of 2, Page 138, by Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
*5 From 12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk), Service in Australia and NZ 1854-1867, Eureka, Lambing Flat and New Zealand Wars. Volume 1 of 2, Page 77, by Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
*6 From 12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk), Service in Australia and NZ 1854-1867, Eureka, Lambing Flat and New Zealand Wars. Volume 1 of 2, Page 84, by Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
*7 The North West Post – Obituary, Mr John Cole. 29th March 1915.
*8 Tas PO Directory (Wise) 1913.
*9 Advocate Newspaper 26 January, 1932.
*10 The Mercury Newspaper, 5 May, 1933.
*11 The Mercury Newspaper, 11 March 1935.
*12 The Mercury Newspaper, 13 March 1935.
*12A The Mercury Newspaper, 10th March, 1938.
*13 Ancestry, Australian Cemetery Index.
*14 Ancestry, Australia and NZ Find A Grave Index, & The Examiner Newspaper, 24 Nov 1937.
*14 Carr Villa Record.
Figure 1
Family Tree
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