Tristan de Vere Cole explained

Birth Date:1935 3, df=y
Education:Kelly College, Tavistock, Devon
Alma Mater:Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
Mother:Mavis Cole
Partner:Anne Stow
Children:1
Occupation:Actor & TV Director
Module:
Embed:yes
Allegiance: United Kingdom
Serviceyears:1953–1960

Tristan John de Vere Cole (born 16 March 1935) is an English television director, now retired. He is believed to be the last-surviving illegitimate son of the painter Augustus John (1878–1961).

In his first career, he was a Royal Navy officer for seven years. His career as a television director included work on Z-Cars, Doctor Who, Emmerdale Farm, Howards' Way and Bergerac.

Life

His mother, Mavis Cole, met painter Augustus John (1878–1961) at the Café Royal in 1928, and agreed to model for him. In 1931 she married Horace de Vere Cole, a well-known Edwardian practical joker, then in 1932 she became the mistress of Augustus John. Cole was born in 1935 and is believed to be John's last-surviving illegitimate son. Cole was brought up in the John household at Fryern Court, Fordingbridge, from the age of 18 months, partly by his mother, and then later by Dorelia McNeill.[1] [2] Cole was educated for three years at Kelly College, Tavistock.

He married Diana Crosby Cook in 1962 and they had two children, including a son, London fine art dealer Cassian de Vere Cole (born 1966).[3] She died in 2025.[4] In 2000, he married lawyer Prudence Murdoch. She died in 2010.[5] He lives in Sutton Scotney, not far from his partner Anne Stow, eldest grandchild of Neville Chamberlain, a former prime minister, whose wife was a sister of Horace de Vere Cole.[6]

Through his father, Gwen John was Cole's aunt, his half-siblings were cellist Amaryllis Fleming, Sir Caspar John, Gwyneth Johnstone, and Vivien John; Johnstone and Vivien also were artists in their own right. Only Caspar was born from his father's marriage, and he later became prominent as an admiral also in the Royal Navy and First Sea Lord.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Career

From 1951, Cole trained for a naval career at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He went on to serve as an officer in the Royal Navy from 1953 to 1960.[12]

After his return to civilian life, Cole worked at the Bristol Old Vic as assistant stage manager and actor,[13] before moving on to a career with BBC television.

In May 2024 it was reported that Cole had written the screenplay for the adventure thriller Storm Witch, an independent U.K./Ireland co-production, to be directed by David Blair and starring British actress Gemma Arterton.[14]

Work as television director

The Wheel in Space (1968)[16]

Work as film director

Publications

References

Notes and References

  1. https://archives.library.wales/downloads/tristan-de-vere-cole-augustus-john-manuscripts.pdf Finding aid: Tristan de Vere Cole (Augustus John) manuscripts
  2. Darren Devine, "Last illegitimate son of Augustus John on life with 'King of Bohemia'", in Wales Online dated 9 March 2012
  3. Bernard Dolman, Who's who in Art, Volume 32 (Art Trade Press, 2006), p. 262
  4. 74623 . 20 January 2025 . Register . 45 . 5 . De Vere Cole.
  5. Teresa Davies, Prudence de Vere Cole obituary dated in The Guardian dated 5 July 2010, accessed 28 February 2019
  6. Book: Holroyd . Michael . Michael Holroyd . Augustus John – The New Biography . 1996 . London: Chatto & Windus.
  7. Book: Heathcote, Tony . The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734–1995 . Pen & Sword Ltd . 2002 . 0-85052-835-6 . 136.
  8. Web site: Gwen John . National Portrait Gallery . 4 April 2023.
  9. Web site: Obituary: Vivien John. 27 May 1994. The Independent.
  10. News: Gwyneth Johnstone obituary. The Guardian. 6 January 2011.
  11. News: Fergus Fleming. Obituary: Amaryllis Fleming. https://web.archive.org/web/20121105072341/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-amaryllis-fleming-1110720.html . 5 November 2012 . limited . live. The Independent. London. 5 August 1999.
  12. Roderic Owen, Tristan de Vere Cole, Beautiful and Beloved: The Life of Mavis de Vere Cole (Hutchinson, 1974), pp. 156, 246
  13. Owen and Cole (1974), p. 265
  14. News: Ritman . Alex . 1 May 2024 . Gemma Arterton to Lead David Blair's Adventure Thriller 'Storm Witch' (EXCLUSIVE) . Variety.
  15. Chris Perry, Kaleidoscope British Christmas Television Guide 1937-2013 (2016), p. 618
  16. David Butler, Time and Relative Dissertations in Space: Critical Perspectives on Doctor Who (Manchester University Press, 2008), p. 316
  17. Harris M. Lentz, Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Television shows (McFarland, 2001), p. 2132