SOLE Coal Merchants of Ascot

by John Sole

This article was originally published in the July 1993 edition of Soul Search, the journal of The Sole Society

About a year ago, at a Sole Society committee meeting, Don Steel said to me (in so many words), "If you want information, don't write or phone. Go to the house, knock on the door, introduce yourself, and soon you will have the material you want and a lot more besides!"

Recently, my work took me to Bracknell in Berkshire for the day and, having discharged my duties, I drove the few miles to Ascot. (It was the week before Royal Ascot, so H.M. wasn't able to greet me.) Some years ago, my father had told me that our nearest relations with the SOLE surname had a coal merchants' business in Ascot, so an enquiry in the High Street resulted in me driving for another few miles to South Ascot where I met Anthony Sole, who runs a garage business, and his twin brother Malcolm Sole, who runs William Sole and Son, a solid‑fuel merchant and furniture removal business.

Now, I know the link between the Ascot family and my family; I have a set of useful photographs, and plenty of material for an article for Soul Search.

Our Don knows what he is talking about! Try knocking on a few doors yourself.

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