Cowper Phipps Coles

Captain Cowper Phipps Coles
Coles in an 1870 illustration
Born(1819-07-09)July 9, 1819
DiedSeptember 7, 1870(1870-09-07) (aged 51)
Cape Finisterre
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service1830–1870
RankCaptain
Spouse(s)Emily Pearson (m. 1856)
Cowper Phipps Coles
Family

Captain Cowper Phipps Coles, C.B., R.N. (1819 – 7 September 1870), was an English naval captain with the Royal Navy. Coles was also an inventor; in 1859, he was the first to patent a design for a revolving gun turret. Upon appealing for public support, his turrets were installed on HMS Prince Albert and HMS Royal Sovereign. Coles died in a maritime accident in 1870 when HMS Captain, an experimental warship built to his designs, capsized and sank with him on board.