The French Embassy in London outlines the role of the Honorary French Consul in the UK as: « Les consuls honoraires ne sont pas des agents de l’État mais des particuliers qui exercent leurs fonctions à titre bénévole.  Leur mission principale est la protection des Français et de leurs intérêts et le devoir de rendre compte aux autorités consulaires françaises des événements intéressant ces autorités. »

The French consulate in Boston defines the same role more succinctly:

“private persons of French (or local) citizenship who volunteer to act as representative of the Consul General. They take care of French interests and French citizens in their local area, in close cooperation with the Consulate General.”

Jules Zanole was one of the few French consuls in Brighton / Newhaven who was not connected with trade or shipping.  His early life, and indeed at least part of his middle age, seems to have been given over to literary pursuits. His writings ranged from a diatribe against the deposed Charles X following the July Revolution of 1830, to a 13-page conte persan [Persian tale] in rhyme, to articles on Catholic worthies, to a four-verse poem about a cat which starts:

His first posting was to Canton (Guangzhou) in 1851 where he could not resist bursting into rhyming Alexandrines to urge the removal of a decorative pai lao, or Chinese honorary portal in nearby Macao. This tedious and lengthy work can be found in “Historic Macao” published in 1902.

Zanole was, however, a lawyer by profession. His practice was in Orleans in the Loiret département [county] of France. In addition to his private work, he was also Secretary to the Préfet (an unelected state representative) of the Loiret.  It was his work for the state which probably led to that first consular posting to Canton (1847-1854).

Next came a short spell in Geneva (1854-1857) before Jules Zanole settled in England as consul for Brighton and Newhaven.  His office was in Newhaven, but his residence was first at 29 Queens Road, Brighton.  In March 1861 he moved both his office and his residence to a relatively modest house at 3 York Place, immediately opposite St Peter’s Church. His housekeeper was 45-year-old Maria Montanier.

In Brighton, Jules Zanole fulfilled his role as consul conscientiously.  In June 1856, to celebrate the peace following the Crimean War, he hung “festoons in lamps” outside his Queens Road premises.  There was no conflict of interest as the British and the French had fought side by side against Russian forces. 

However, whenever French citizens were involved, M. Zanole became 100% French.  When two French sailors were accused in court of wounding the owner of (effectively) a brothel in William Street after getting quite drunk in the Artichoke pub next door, M. Zanole was there, in his “official uniform” to pay the fine. 

It was M. Zanole who organised the funeral of Célestin Pruneau.  27-year-old Célestin was first mate aboard the 140-ton cargo ship, Altantique.  In the gale on the night 2 June 1860 the ship was washed up into relatively shallow water just off the Albion Hotel, demolishing part of the Albion groyne.

The unfortunate first mate had jumped overboard, despite not knowing how to swim.  He was immediately drowned.  Three days after the disaster, Célestin’s funeral took place in the Parochial (Woodvale) Cemetery.  M. Zanole, Captain Gaston and the surviving crew of the ship as well as “other gentlemen” followed the coffin to its final resting place.

Even before Célestin was put to rest, within two days of the disaster, Mr Akehurst the auctioneer from Prince Albert Street, had organised the sale of items rescued from the wreck: “Full particulars obtained of M. Jules Zanole, French consul at Brighton and Newhaven.”  However, the wreck continued to lie on the beach until the beginning of September 1860 and it attracted both sightseers and plunderers.

A few months later, Captain Gaston was “suspended from service for three years, for not having remained with his ship until every other person on board had quitted her!!!” exclamation marks courtesy of the Brighton Gazette.

One of Monsieur Zanole’s final tasks before leaving for China was to give a speech, in French, at a celebration dinner in the Telemachus Room of the Old Ship Hotel. Oh! if only a French Honorary Consul could be in a position to express similar positive sentiments in the early 21^st century.

Je remercie cordialement votre président des sentiments d’amitié qu’il a exprimés, en votre nom pour le pays que je représente, et des vœux qu’il a formés pour la continuation des bons rapports qui nous unissent.  La France désire, autant que l’Angleterre, le maintien des relations amicales.  Elle a donné récemment la preuve par l’adoption de deux mesures gouvernementales, qui sont de nature à resserrer les liens d’attachement sur lesquels se fonde la bonne entente des deux pays.  L’abolition des passeports, en donnant aux Anglais une satisfaction qu’ils appelaient depuis longtems (sic), a rendu les communications plus promptes et plus faciles.  Le traité de commerce préparé de longue main, par votre habile compatriote, M. Cobden, accepté par le gouvernement de mon pays, … a ouvert aux deux pays un champ plus vaste, et doit tendre à consolider de plus en plus leur alliance pacifique. Brighton Guardian 26 June 1861.

[May I warmly thank your Chairman for the words of friendship which he has expressed, in your name, for the country I represent, and his wishes that the firm relationship which unites us should continue.  France desires, as much as does England, to maintain friendly relations.  She recently proved this by adopting two legislative measures which are of a nature to strengthen the bonds on which the good understanding between the two countries is founded.  The abolition of passports, responding to a plea that the English have been making for so long, has made communications faster and easier.  The trade treaty, many a year in the preparation by your skilful compatriot Mr Cobden, has been accepted by the government of my country, … has opened up to both countries a far wider field and must work toward greater and greater consolidation of their peaceful alliance.]

Why, in his mid-40s, had Jules Zanule given up what was probably a flourishing career as a lawyer and state employee in Orleans?  Madame Montanier might well have been the reason. 

M. Zanule’s last consular post was to the Kingdom of Siam (Thailand).  He died of dysentery within five months of arriving in Bangkok.  Official state financial accounts show that, shortly after the consul’s death, Madame Montanier, M. Zanole’s Brighton “housekeeper”, was repatriated from Siam to France at the expense of the French government.  She was clearly more than a housekeeper – the accounts describe her as une dame Montanier, dame de compagnie du sieur Zanole [A certain Mrs Montanier, lady companion to Mr Zanole].  One possible interpretation might be that, as a Catholic, M. Zanole could neither marry bigamously nor marry a divorced woman and remain in France.  An overseas posting might have solved a legal and moral dilemma.

Jules Zanole was undoubtedly one of the more colourful of the 19^th century consuls in Brighton, but not the last.  Watch this space.