Miscellaneous Cycling Map Publishers

This page mops up a number of organisations that for the most part did not produce their own maps, but were extensive publishers of maps sourced from the main cartographical firms who have their own dedicated pages. To include every organisation that issued a cycling (let alone motoring) map would involve a very long list so it is somewhat subjective. Although obviously marketed as motoring maps, they were the same maps at base as formerly described as cycling maps and thus continued to be of value to cyclists.

AA (Automobile Association) and RAC (Royal Automobile Club)

These two motoring organisations have commissioned road maps branded under their own names ever since their formation. Initially these were the Bartholomew half-inch maps favoured by cyclists, later switching to smaller scales. The RAC also used G. Philip mapping for several years. Further details are given under those publishers.

Dunlop

A first series of Dunlop maps was produced in the 1920s, based on W. & A. K. Johnston mapping from 1889. As might be expected, these were completely out of date. The Dunlop ‘On The Road’ booklets (1920s), were low-detail strip maps produced by Burrows of Cheltenham. Later, Burrows were to publish a Dunlop-branded Motorists Atlas of the British Isles, utilising Bartholomew's 16m to an inch mapping. This also included an extract of Bartholomew's 3m to an inch map of the Lake District, and an extract of Snowdonia on the half-inch scale.

Hovis

Hovis’s links with cycling go back far beyond the iconic baker’s-lad advert. In 1899 the Hovis Bread Company, recently established, issued a series of cycling maps, covering England & Wales in eight sheets (numbered south – north), initially using mapping by George Philip. These maps and guides were produced jointly with the Birmingham firm of The Cycle Components Manufacturing Company Ltd (est. 1894), basically as a joint promotional venture for the two companies. The maps themselves, modestly advertised as ‘the best Touring and Road Map Published’, and each covering approximately 90 miles by 110 miles, at 5 miles to an inch, are rather basic: it is only when they are compared with other contemporary maps one realises how much is omitted. The product is perhaps best considered as gazetteers of cafes, accommodation and cycle repairers with a key map, than foremost as maps pure and simple. In fact the map sheets bore no reference to Hovis, only to Warwick tyres, one of the C.C.M. Co’s products, around the borders. The same maps were also used to promote other products, such as W. & A. Bates’ tyres.

Sheets were priced at 6d (paper). The guides included with the maps (and also available separately) showed tea-shops etc. which served Hovis, and ‘CC Free Inflating Stations’ – presumably for the new-fangled pneumatic tyres rather than their riders. Locations were not marked directly on the maps.

These maps were very short-lived, at least as employed by Hovis. In 1901 they were superseded by a new series, on cloth at 1/-, still in eight sheets, showing “roads, rivers, hills, streams, castles, woods. abbeys, railways, villages”. These were actually another reincarnation of Bacon’s ex-Cary 5m to an inch mapping. The covers now showed a large H within a bicycle wheel and titled Cycle Road Map – no longer with a reference to an inclusive guide. However, references to these maps seem to dry up after a few years, implying for one reason or another they were not perpetuated.

In 1920 Hovis published a book Where to go and how to get there. This included a series of maps: England, Wales & Isle of Man on 28 large pages (numbered north-south). Scotland was covered on two pages at a smaller scale . The mapping was by Bacon at 8m to an inch. This was periodically reissued.

A 1925 and onwards road atlas – Touring Maps of England, Wales and Scotland - published by Hovis utilised standard small-scale Bartholomew maps and was aimed primarily at motorists.

Charles Smith & Son

Charles Smith, later Charles Smith & Son, 'Map and Globe Publishers' of 63 Charing Cross, operated throughout the nineteenth century. It advertised several cycling maps, though these seem to be those by other publishers sold under the Charles Smith name. In 1888 the firm was advertising

The Ordnance Map of England & Wales, reduced to ¾ inch to a mile [whose?]
England & Wales in 65 sheets, 2m to an inch, price 1/6d coloured [Cruchley/ Gall & Inglis]
England & Wales in 16 sheets, 4m to an inch, price 2/6d on cloth in case [Black/Bartholomew]
England & Wales in 60 sheets, 4m to an inch, price 1/- on cloth in case [Pocket Series derivatives of Black/Bartholomew base mapping]
England maps, various prices
County maps 6d and 1/-
20 miles round London, ¾ inch to a mile
20 miles round London, 4m to an inch
25 miles round London, 2m to an inch
50 miles round London, 4m to an inch, roads coloured with dangerous and difficult places marked.

In the 1899 Cyclists’ & Motorists’ Road Book they were advertising ‘Cheap Maps’ of the following:

The Ordnance Map of England & Wales, ¾ inch to a mile, 1s paper, 2s cloth, 2/6 coloured
England & Wales in 60 sheets, 2m to an inch, with roads coloured, mounted on cloth and folded for pocket, 1/6. [Cruchley/ Gall & Inglis]
Bartholomew’s New Half-inch Map of England & Wales, in 37 sheets. Coloured to show heights, mounted to fold for pocket 2/6. [Either the advert is later than thought, or not all sheets were yet published. Price higher than Bart’s own]
Cycling Road Map of England. 5 miles to an inch, main roads specially coloured. In 7 sheets. Price on cloth, in case, 1/6. [Presumably Bacon]
County Maps for Cyclists. With main roads coloured and other information specially prepared. Mounted on cloth to fold for pocket 1/-. [Presumably Bacon, or possibly Philip]
Environs of London. 1 inch to a mile, in 4 sheets, mounted on cloth to fold, 3/6.
Twenty Five Miles Round London, new edition, thoroughly revised and corrected, 2 miles to an inch. Price, with roads coloured, 2/6, mounted on cloth to fold in case, 3/6.
Cyclists’ Map of the Environs of London extending from Ware, Tring etc on the North, to East Grinstead, Tunbridge Wells on the South; and from Henley on the West to Chelmsford, Chatham and Maidstone on the East. New edition, thoroughly corrected, ruled in Five Mile Circles, with best Cycling Roads coloured. Scale 2 miles to an inch. Folded in cover, 1s 6d, or printed on cloth, in neat pocket case, 2s 6d.
Fifty Miles Round London. Ruled in 5 mile circles, with Main Roads coloured. Mounted on cloth to fold in case 3s 6d.
The Roads of England and Wales. Giving a description of the Contour and Surface, with Mileages of the Main Roads and Principal Cross Roads. Notes of the Chief Cities and Towns, and References to Antiquities and Curiosities, 5s.
Contour Road Books – North England and SE England now ready, SW England ‘in preparation’ – evidently Gall & Inglis; SW England appeared in 1900.
Sixty Miles N of London, Sixty Miles West of London, Sixty Miles South of London – Scale 2m to an inch, Main Roads coloured. Mounted on cloth, to fold for the pocket, 2s.
Cycling Maps of Ireland (no further details given)

The firm was taken over by George Philip in 1916.

W. H. Smith & Son

Although now ubiquitous in town centres, the business initially was based solely on news and book stalls at railway stations. The elder William Smith had established a newspaper and publication distribution business in 1810, later involving his son, also William. In the 1850s long-term bookstall franchises had been negotiated with several of the major railway companies, and as rail travel expanded so did the business. Among the items sold were maps for travellers, and it is reasonable to suppose that foremost of these would be Cruchley’s Railway Maps, on the half-inch to a mile scale, and his County Maps, on various scales. These were later published by Gall & Inglis. Philips’ County Cycling Maps were also advertised as available “from the railway bookstalls”. These County maps are covered on their publishers' respective blog pages

From the 1870s W. H. Smith was to offer its own ‘Pocket Series’ of travel maps, utilising the four miles to an inch mapping produced by John Bartholomew, initially for Adam & Charles Black. The Black maps first appeared in 1865-66 as sixteen sheets covering England and Wales, but soon afterwards various publishers started to offer more localised sheets for sale, taking advantage of improvements in lithography and colour printing. With Smith's national coverage of outlets, their Pocket Series of tourist maps came to be the most popular selling version of the Bartholomew maps. Although initially aimed at rail passengers (then the only form of mass long-distance travel), they were naturally adopted by the growing band of cycle tourists. Roads rather than railways were to become highlighted, and the stiff board covers gave way to more flexible ones more suited to the pocket. The number of quarter-inch maps covering England and Wales grew to about eighty: obviously only a few local sheets would be available at each bookstall, but presumably others could be ordered.

The first ten sheets to be published, as listed inside an early map cover, were the Environs of Derby, Gloucester, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newport/Monmouth, Rugby, Salisbury, Shrewsbury and Tunbridge. Covers were stiff black card, with sheet name in gilt. The earliest numbered list to hand, dating from about 1875, gives 43 sheets, all on the quarter-inch scale. These appear to have covered all of England and Wales as no further quarter-inch maps were to appear for a few years, and the later maps on that scale were overlapping ones designed to assist in local sale.

Also separately listed in 1871-2 were New Plan of London (later numbered 45), London and its Railways, Ten Miles Round, Liverpool and its Surrounding Railways, and Manchester and its Surrounding Railways. The ‘railway’ maps did not appear in later indexes , though probably appeared in other outlets, such as atlases.

Over the decades the Pocket Series was expanded to include a hodgepodge of other Bartholomew maps, including Irish and Scottish examples, as well as an ever-increasing number of additions on the original quarter-inch scale. With Bartholomew issuing its own 12-sheet national series on that scale in 1897, the more local sheets were phased out over the following decade and the Pocket Series brand was eventually dropped.

W. H. Smith was an early promoter of maps on fine cloth or paper rendered waterproof by impregnating with ‘pegamoid’, a nitrile compound developed originally for ammunition cartridges. The first map product was the production of waterproof editions of the new (1897) Bartholomew Quarter-inch to a Mile series, as illustrated above. Most pegamoid covers, regardless of publisher, had this embossed surface and a mustard colour. Despite initial enthusiasm its adoption was short-lived.

Only in 1905, with the termination and loss of some of its railway bookstall contracts, did the company acquire town-centre outlets and morph into the general publishers and stationers still familiar on the High Street today. By that time Bartholomew maps were being sold as Bartholomew, rather than under the W. H. Smith name.

The Pocket Series (under its various titles) are the only cycling maps published by W. H. Smith that need concern us, and as its history is intertwined with that of Bartholomew’s other touring maps its general history is fully covered on the Bartholomew Page. However, the following is an alphabetic inventory of all the various maps that appeared in the W. H. Smith publications index, from circa 1870 to 1900, after which the W. H. Smith headed versions of the index ceased. Date ranges are taken from numerous sources and apply only to this W. H. Smith series: many of the maps were to appear elsewhere under Bartholomew and other covers and for a longer duration. As there could be up to four versions of the index in any year, trying to pin arrivals and departures to a particular year is problematic.

The index basically covered four types of plan –

· The initial quarter-inch coverage based on the 1866 England & Wales mapping for A. & C. Black, reproduced by lithography as locally-centred sheets. Named by county, or town name & environs.

· Town plans – a very small subsection of the town plans (British and foreign) published by Bartholomew

· ‘Hybrid‘ – combination of a town plan and an environs map, introduced in the 1890s.

· Other one-off plans, mostly on the one-inch or half-inch scale

Index numbers are given where maps appeared in the 1874-onward (‘early’) and 1891-onward numberings, though these never appeared on the maps or covers themselves. During their publication period the maps would have been revised and, in the case of town plans, completely redrawn. Maps which underwent a change of name (e.g. Central Wales to Wales – Central) I have treated as one map; maps published simultaneously under different names have been treated as two (e.g. Carmarthen & South-West Wales and Wales – South-West). I have not noted the numerous instances where what might be ‘Environs of Barchester’ on the cover would be ‘Barchester & Environs’ on the map itself. In some cases index numbers were reused. Note that the same title might apply to more than one map.

Aldershot & Environs, ¼”

Published 1871, last listed 1904. Numbered 1 in1874 index, also 1 in 1891 index

Aldershot Camp & Environs, ½”

Published 1880 or 1881, last listed 1899 (2 under 1891 index)

Barrow & Ulverston (1”)

Appeared in 1891 John Walker edition of index and c.1893 W. H. Smith index, as 3, but number left vacant thereafter. Seems to have been same map as 89 Ulverston & Furness.

Around 1882-90 Barrow was shown on the index map as a map centre, but no map of that name ever appeared.

Bath, Plan & Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Short-lived (1893 – 1896?) as 105 in index.

Bedford, Hertford, ½”

First included in the 1897 preliminary half-inch series of 12 maps; to become one of the England & Wales series.

Bedford & Environs, ¼”

Later Bedfordshire. Advertised 1871 – 1903. Numbered 2 in early index, 4 under 1891 index.

Belfast & NE Counties, ¼”

First included under District Maps 1900; in 1904 renumbered in new Irish ¼" Series.

Birmingham District , ½”

Published and advertised 1897 under New Reduced Ordnance Survey of England & Wales heading; to become one of the England & Wales series.

Birmingham & Environs, ¼”

Advertised 1871 – 1896. Numbered 3 in early index numbering, 5 under 1891 numbering.

Birmingham, Plan

Published by 1874, numerous editions followed. Numbered 53 in early index numbering, 6 under 1891 numbering. Still on sale 1914.

Blackpool, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Advertised 1894 – 1899, index number 106. Included under town plans in final years.

Bournemouth, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and half-inch environs map. Advertised 1893 – 1904, index number 107. Also included a short guide.

Brighton & Sussex Coast, ¼”

Advertised 1871 – 1895, numbered 5 in early index numbering, 7 under 1891 numbering.

Brighton & Sussex Coast, ½”

First listed 1891, index number 8. 1897 transferred to preliminary half-inch series of 12 maps; to become one of the England & Wales series.

Brighton, Plan

Originally Brighton, Town & Suburbs, later with Index. Various editions 1880 to 1904. 1891 index number 9.

Bristol & Environs, ¼”

Advertised 1871 (or earlier) – 1892; number left vacant after withdrawal, then briefly reused for Bristol, Plan with Environs combined town plan and district map c1894. Index number 4 under early numbering, 10 from 1891.

British Isles, General Railway Map

Advertised 1873 onwards; early index number 49 (50 on linen), numbered 11 from 1891. Probably same as later 104 – General Railway Map.

British Isles wall map

Advertised 1891 – 1895, map probably on sale longer, but not included in these indexes as atypical. Numbered 58 in early index, 12 from 1891.

Buxton, Plan of & Neighbourhood.

Published 1885, 6” = 1m.

1889 listed both under ‘Specials’ and under town plans; renamed Buxton Plan & Environs 1890 under Town Plans only. Number 13 in 1891 index. Dropped from index after 1898 but a Buxton Town Plan also appears in 1933 index.

Buxton was named on the key plan accompanying the sheet indexes to the Pocket Series, but no quarter-inch map ever appeared under the Buxton title.

Buxton, Matlock, Dovedale etc ½”

Advertised 1885 – 1902; index number 14 from 1891; same map as 67 Matlock, Buxton, Dovedale etc.

Cambridge & Environs, ¼”

Huntingdon & Cambridge on map. Also appeared in index as Cambridgeshire. Advertised 1871 (or earlier) , withdrawn 1906. Early index number 7, 1891 number 15.

Cardiff & Environs, ¼”

Advertised 1891 – 1902. Index number 108.

Carlisle & Environs, ¼”

Advertised 1871 (or earlier) – 1894. Early index number 8, 1891 number 16. Superseded by 21 Cumberland & Westmorland from 1896, 16 in index used for Connemara.

Carmarthen & SW Wales, ¼”

Published in or by 1871, early index number 6, from 1891 number 17. Same map as later Wales – South-West, this number and title dropped 1891 or 1892.

Channel Islands (on various scales)

Briefly listed as 110 c.1894 then dropped from indexes, though map still published c. 1950

Cheltenham, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Advertised 1893 – 1903 as index number 109.

Cheshire, ¼”

Published 1871 (or earlier), withdrawn 1904. Early index number 10, 1891 18.

Central Wales, ¼”

see Wales – Central

Clyde Watering Places, ½”

Advertised 1891 – 1899 as index number 19. Presumably the same as Upper Clyde map published 1889 by Bartholomew.

Connemara District, ¼”

Published late 1897, included in some indexes as 16. in 1904 renumbered in new Irish ¼" Series.

Contour Touring Map of England & Wales for Cyclists, 13m = 1”

See Pocket Touring Map of England & Wales for Cyclists

Cork & Killarney, ¼”

See Killarney

Cornwall, ¼”

Advertised c.1880 – 1889 as index number 20. Also in 1878 Black’s Guide advert. Same map as Land’s End & Cornwall of 1871, advertised same time.

Cornwall, ½”

Published and advertised 1897 under New Reduced Ordnance Survey of England & Wales heading. Later included in the new national half-inch series for England & Wales.

Cumberland & Westmorland, ¼”

Advertised 1896 – 1901, initially as index number 21. See also Lake District.

Cycling Maps (10m = 1”)

See Tourists’ & Cyclists’ Maps

Cyclists’ Pocket Map

See Pocket Map

Dartmoor & Environs of Plymouth, ¼”

Advertised 1890 – 1894; 1891 index number 21. Probably former Devon, South quarter-inch map of 1880 renamed to avoid confusion with new Devon, South (or South Devon) half-inch map. See also under Plymouth.

Derby & Environs, ¼”

Index title altered to Derbyshire, 1897. Published in or by 1871, withdrawn 1901. Early index number 11, 1891 number 22.

Devon, North, ¼”

Published by or in 1871. Numbered 12 in early index. Numbered 23 in 1891 index but briefly renumbered 24 shortly before abolition of numbering system. Expanded & altered to 23 Devonshire, (c. 1896, to avoid confusion with new half-inch map), at higher than standard price. Last listed 1905.

Devon, North, ½”

Published and advertised 1896 as number 26 in index. Following year moved under New Reduced Ordnance Survey of England & Wales heading (as North Devon). Later included in the new national half-inch series for England & Wales (Sheet 35).

Some 1897 indexes have this as numbered 23 alongside 24 Devonshire, both as quarter-inch, though wrong in respect of Devon, North.

Devonshire, ¼”

Successor to Devon, North quarter-inch – see above

Devon, South & Dartmoor, ¼”

Listed 1880 – 1889. Probably renamed Dartmoor & Environs of Plymouth (q.v.) on publication of half-inch Devon, South map, 1890.

Devon, South, ½”

Initially (1890) listed as both Devon (South) among General Maps and as South Devon under Special Maps. Numbered 24 from 1891.

At least three maps appeared in succession with this title. The first, c1890, was not a Barts map, though in a standard W. H. Smith/Bartholomew cover. This was titled South Devon & Dartmoor on cover. The map itself was titled W. H. Smith’s Reduced Ordnance Map of South Devon, with no other attribution. The second (1892?) was a Barts map, using hachuring. Superseded 1895 or 1896 by contour-coloured version, still Devon, South in index but South Devon on cover. This moved to under New Reduced Ordnance Survey of England & Wales heading (as South Devon). Later included in the new national half-inch series for England & Wales (Sheet 36).

Donegal County, ¼"

Published late 1897, briefly numbered 17 before numbering system dropped. Removed from District maps in 1904, as Donegal, and incorporated into in Irish ¼" Series

Dorsetshire, ¼"

Advertised 1871 – 1900, originally as Dorset. Numbered 13 in 1874 index numbering, 25 in 1891 numbering.

Dover & Watering Places of Kent, ¼”

This was the same map as Kent Watering Places, but appeared as number 14 in the index. It was dropped in 1872 with the number left vacant. Title reappeared as Dover & Kent Watering Places, index number 26 in 1891, alongside 46 Kent Watering Places, but last listed 1893.

Dublin, Plan with Environs

Advertised 1891 – 1907, index number 27. In 1897 given as with Index & Guide. Formed basis of 1904 Irish ¼" Series sheet Dublin & Athlone.

Durham, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Advertised 1891 – 1907, index number 28. Later listed under town plans.

Eastbourne, Plan of Town

Published and advertised 1879, 1891 index number 29. Later adverts state as including Index & Guide. Successively reprinted to 1933 or later.

Edinburgh, Plan with Index

First appeared in index for 1894 (as number 30), though map of earlier origin and remained in print until 1933 or later.

Edinburgh, Environs of, ½"

Appeared in index c.1894 as number 31, but in 1895 replaced by 1½" to mile map using same index number.

Edinburgh, 1½" to mile

Barts published this contour-coloured map in 1892, but not included in index until 1895, replacing a half-inch map as number 31. Last listed here 1899.

Edinburgh, Pocket Guide with Maps

Advertised here 1894 – 1903, as index number 112.

England & Wales – see under ‘Tourist’ maps

Essex County, ¼”

Advertised 1878 – 1902, 1891 index number 32

Exeter & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by 1871, withdrawn 1895. Early index numbering 15, 1891 numbering 33.

General Railway Map of British Isles

First listed 1873 as index number 49, 1891 numbering as 11 (12 for roller-mounted version, advertised c1874 - 1890). Also advertised c.1892 onwards as index number 104 (briefly 103), alongside number 11, Same price, same title.

General Railway Map of Great Britain

Advertised here 1874 – 1876 as number 52, thereafter number used for Tourist’s Map of Scotland

Geological Map of England & Wales

Advertised here 1898 onwards.

Geological Map of Ireland

Advertised here 1898 onwards.

Geological Map of Scotland

Published 1892, advertised here 1895 onwards, originally as variant of index number 102, Scotland.

Glasgow, Plan with Index

Advertised here 1894 onwards, index number 34.

Glasgow, Environs, ½"

Advertised here from1894 as index number 35, still advertised 1910.

Gloucestershire, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, originally Gloucester & Environs. Early numbering 16, 1891 numbering 36. C.1880 sold as Gloucester & Environs (index), Gloucestershire (on map), Gloucester, Cheltenham & Environs (cover). Withdrawn 1901.

Grange, Carnforth etc, 1”

Listed from 1880, withdrawn by 1891 (never received index number). Area later incorporated into Windermere & Morecambe Bay map.

Great Britain, Railway Map of – see General Railway Map, early index number 52.

Hampshire, ¼”

Advertised c1882 to 1907. Numbered 37 in 1891 index. Large overlap with Salisbury & Isle of Wight, and Isle of Wight maps.

Harrogate, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Advertised 1894 – 1907, later listed under town plans. Numbered 39 in index.

Hastings & St Leonards, Plan

Advertised here 1880 – 1908, 38 in 1891 numbering. Later included guide.

Hereford & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised in or by 1871. Early index number 17, 1891 index number 40 (41 in John Walker index). Later Herefordshire etc (1899 Hereford & Worcester, but withdrawn that year).

Hertfordshire & District, ¼”

Advertised 1880 – 1901; numbered 41 from 1891 (40 in John Walker index). Hertford & Environs in earliest indexes.

Hull, Plan with Environs

Advertised from 1891 as index number 42. Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Replaced 1897 (retaining number) by Hull, Plan of, with Index & Guide, last listed 1911.

Huntingdon & Cambridge, ¼”

See Cambridge

Huntingdon & Cambridge, ½”

Advertised from 1898, under New Reduced Ordnance Survey of England & Wales heading. Later included in the new national half-inch series for England & Wales.

Ipswich & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871 as number 18. Last advertised 1894, as 1891 index number 43. Number subsequently left vacant.

Ireland, Touring Map

See Touring & Cycling Maps, Sheet 103

Isle of Man, ½”

Advertised from 1893 or 1894 as index number 111. Last appeared 1899.

Isle of Wight, 1”

Advertised here from 1880, later with Guide. 1891 index number 44. A 1908 reissue had contour-colouring and inset town plans. Still advertised in ‘Pocket Series 1914.

Isle of Wight, ¼”

Advertised here from 1876, early index number 57. Later Isle of Wight and parts of Hampshire. Largely duplicated by Salisbury & Isle of Wight and Hampshire maps and dropped c.1882.

Isle of Wight, ½”

Advertised here by or in 1889. Originally described as 4m to an inch on cover. 45 in 1891 numbering. Withdrawn 1897 on publication of New Forest half-inch map (q.v.).

Kent Watering Places, ½”

Published 1891 as number 46 in index. Not to be confused with quarter-inch map following. Later Kent and included in the new national half-inch series for England & Wales, 1897.

Kent, ¼”

Advertised by or from 1871 to 1912. Early index number 19, 1891 index number 47. Originally Kent Watering Places, but Environs of Dover & Watering Places of Kent on map itself and also listed under that name (see Dover)

Keswick, Buttermere, Ullswater etc, 1”

Also Keswick, Grasmere etc (and other combinations) on cover and map. 48 in 1891 index numbering. Advertised from 1880, variously republished until c.1914.

Killarney, ¼”

Advertised as 112 in index c.1893 as Killarney Lake District. Renumbered 50 in 1896. 1897 retitled (and probably enlarged) as Killarney & Cork, also sold as Cork & Killarney. Removed from District maps in 1904 on its inclusion in new ¼" Irish Series.

Lake District, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871. Variously named:

1871 Lake District of Westmoreland [sic] & Cumberland, also listed as Windermere & Lake District

1874 just Lake District

1878 Lake District of Westmoreland & Cumberland

1885 just Lake District again

1889 Lake District & Windermere,

21 in early index numbering, 49 in 1891 series. Withdrawn and replaced by 3m=1” Lake District map from 1893 (see following), which took over its 1891 index number.

Quarter-inch coverage of Lake District restored as 21 Cumberland & Westmorland (q.v.) 1896.

Lake District & Windermere, 3m = 1”

Originally appeared in Baddeley’s Thorough Guide to the Lake District, 1880, as general map. Advertised here from 1893 as index number 49 and superseding Lake District quarter-inch map.

Still in 1935 Barts catalogue, but gradually superseded by new ¼” mapping.

Lake District, 1”

A one-inch map of this title was added in 1891 as 50 in index numbering. Various more local maps of parts of the Lake District had been listed since 1880 and continued on sale alongside for some years. The Lake District one-inch was dropped c.1894.

A new, larger Lake District map on this scale was published 1913.

Lancashire, ¼”

Advertised 1877 or 1878 - 1905. Index number 51 in 1891 listing.

Land’s End & Cornwall, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, number 20 in early index numbering. Last listed 1890. See also Cornwall, which was advertised simultaneously and presumably the same map.

Leamington and Warwick Environs, ¼”

Advertised from 1886 (initially Leamington on cover), number 52 in index, but withdrawn in 1895. From 1894 briefly listed alongside new 126 Warwickshire, with plans.

Leeds & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 25 in early index numbering. Withdrawn 1890, replaced by Leeds, Plan & Environs in 1892, 55 in new index numbering.

Leeds, Plan with Environs ¼”

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Advertised 1892 – 1898, as number 55 in index. Replacement for Leeds & Environs map withdrawn in 1890.

Leicester & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 22 in early index numbering. 1891 numbering 53, last listed 1898.

Lincoln & Environs, ¼”

From 1891 listed as Lincolnshire & Environs.

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 23 in early index numbering. For some reason dropped from indexes c.1881-85, though still named on adjoining index map of map centres. Probably the line containing Lincoln and York maps dropped accidentally. 1891 numbering 54, last listed 1904.

Liverpool & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 24 in early index numbering. Numbered 56 in 1891 index numbering, last listed 1906.

Liverpool and its Surrounding Railways

Advertised here 1871 (or earlier) until 1873, but withdrawn before numbering system.

Liverpool, Plan

Listed from 1874 as index number 54, became 57 in 1891 numbering. From 1897 advertised as ‘with index’. Periodically revised to 1933 or later.

Llandudno & Environs, ½”

First listed c.1892, 120 in index numbering. Dropped by 1894, number 120 used for World Series map. With hill-hachuring. Formed basis of 1897 Wales, North/North Wales half-inch map ultimately included in national series.

Loch Lomond & Trossachs, ½”

First listed 1891, though used standard Barts mapping already appearing in its Scottish national series, which included a larger sheet of the same name. Numbered 58 in index. Last advertised 1899.

London & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, early index number 26. Numbered 59 in numbering from 1891; also J. C. Walker version from 1897.

1899 title subtended ’50 mile radius map’, also titled on map as ‘Cycling Map of 50 miles round London’. Superseded by new ¼” mapping from 1912.

London & Environs (1”)

Advertised from 1877; numbered 60 in early index numbering, also 61 mounted on linen. Coincidentally 60 in 1891 index, one of three maps under this title on different scales.

Contoured from 1908. Advertised in CTC Handbook 1932. Noted in 1935 Barts catalogue as shortly to be reissued in two sheets.

London & Environs, ½”

Published 1891 and appearing as 61 in index, one of three maps under this title on different scales. Withdrawn 1899, London area by then covered by national half-inch series.

London Railway Map

London and its Railways, ten miles round, advertised by 1871. From c. 1874 listed as Railway Station Map of London & Environs, 47 under early numbering scheme. By 1891 listed as 62 London & Environs Railway Station Map. Last appeared here 1902.

London, Plan

First listed here c.1874 as New Large Plan (later with Index & Guide). Early index numbering 45, also 46 on linen. Numbered 63 in 1891 index. Various mountings & prices, still appearing in 1933 index

London, The City (12" = one mile)

First listed here 1887, withdrawn 1907. 64 in 1891 index numbering.

London, Pictorial Bird’s Eye View

First listed here c.1893, withdrawn 1895, index number (113) re-used. Also appeared in ‘Pocket Guide & Atlas to London’.

London East, Plan

Although apparently published 1894, not listed here until c.1896, taking over index number 113. Withdrawn from index 1912, but from 1907 duplicated and eventually replaced by new London NE & SE sheets,

London South, Plan

Listed as 114 in index, first listed 1894. Later advertised as ‘with Guide’. Withdrawn from index 1912, but from 1907 duplicated and eventually replaced by London SE & SW sheets,

London North, Plan

Listed as 115 in index, first listed 1894 although apparently published 1892. Withdrawn 1907 replaced by new London NE & NW sheets.

London West, Plan

Listed as 116 in index, first listed 1894. Withdrawn 1907, replaced by new London NW & SW sheets.

Manchester & Environs, ¼”

Advertised by or from 1871, early index number 27. 65 in 1891 index. Last listed 1906.

Manchester and its Surrounding Railways

Generally advertised by or from 1871, though first listed here c.1873.

Manchester, Plan

Listed from 1874 as index number 55, became 66 in 1891 numbering. From 1897 advertised as ‘with index’. Also appears in 1933 index.

Matlock, Buxton, Dovedale, ½”

Advertised 1887 – 1902; index number 67 from 1891; identical map to 14 Buxton, Matlock, Dovedale etc.

Melrose & Abbotsford Pocket Guide.

Published 1892, though first to be listed here was the 1897 second edition. Never numbered. Various editions to 1950s. Facsimile edition published 2010.

This was an odd 'outlier' in the index, though it had some small map and plan extracts by Bartholomew. The inclusion in the Pocket Series of a guidebook, rather than a map, and of a Scottish rather than English district at that, can be attributed to the close acquaintance of John Bartholomew with the book’s author, Ralph Richardson, through their involvement with the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and elsewhere. Giving it a plug would help advertise it south of the Border.

Middlesex, ¼”

A Middlesex, County map was listed in W. H. Smith adverts included in A. & C. Black’s guidebooks in the late 1870s, but never appeared in the indexes included with the maps. Probably the same map as London & Environs, ¼” (q.v.). However, need not necessarily have been a Bartholomew map.

Naturalists’ Map of Scotland

See under Scotland

New Forest, ½”

Published and advertised 1897 under New Reduced Ordnance Survey of England & Wales heading; to become one of the England & Wales series.

Newcastle & Environs, ¼”

Publshed and listed by or from 1871, number 28 in early index. Numbered 68 in 1891, but very soon withdrawn, superseded by the following entry.

Newcastle, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Advertised 1892 – 1902 as number 68 in index, replacing Newcastle & Environs map withdrawn in 1891.

Newport, Monmouth etc, ¼”

Publshed and listed by or from 1871, number 30 in early index. Number 70 in 1891 index, last listed 1896.

Norfolk Broads Special Map (1”)

Only advertised c.1894, as number 117 in index.

Norfolk County, ¼”

First listed 1880. From 1891 named Norfolk, County and Environs of Norwich following demise of separate Norwich & Environs map. 71 under 1891 index numbering. Last listed 1904.

Northamptonshire, ¼”

First listed 1896, last listed 1903. Soon renamed Northampton & Huntingdon. Took over index number 76 (ex Plymouth).

Northumberland, ¼”

Publshed and listed by or from 1871, number 29 in early index. Number 69 in 1891 index, last listed 1907.

Northumberland, North, ½”

First listed 1897 under New Reduced Ordnance Survey of England & Wales heading. Later included in the new national half-inch series for England & Wales.

North Devon, ½”

See Devon, North

North Wales, ¼”

See Wales, North ¼”

North Wales, ½”

See Wales, North, ½”

Norwich & Environs, ¼”

Published and listed by or from 1871, number 32 in early index. Withdrawn by 1891, that year former Norfolk map 71 quoted as Norfolk, County and Environs of Norwich.

Nottingham & Environs, ¼”

Later Nottinghamshire . First listed 1874, 33 in early index numbering. Last listed 1899 as 72 in 1891 numbering.

Nottingham, Plan

First listed c.1894; last listed 1902 as index number 110. Initially produced for British Association Annual Meeting, Nottingham, 1893.

Oban & Environs, ½”

First listed here 1894, but appeared elsewhere 1889. Last listed 1899, index number 73.

Oxford, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. First listed 1895 as index number 74. Last listed here 1906.

Oxford & Environs/ Oxford, ¼”

Publshed and listed by or from 1871, 34 in early index numbering. At one period Oxford & Buckingham on both cover and map. Last listed 1901.

Under 1891 numbering scheme numbered 74 but 1895 changed to 105, previously used for Bath, Plan & Environs, and renamed Oxfordshire. Old number used for new Oxford town plan with Environs, above.

Peterborough & Environs, ¼”

Publshed and listed by or from 1871, number 35 in early index. Number 75 in 1891 index, last listed 1899.

Plymouth & Environs, ¼”

First listed 1874, 36 in early index numbering. Last listed 1895 as 76 under 1891 numbering – number then reused for Northampton. From 1890 title augmented with ‘embracing South Devon’.

Plymouth & Devonport, Plan 6” = 1 mile

First listed 1874 (until 1885 as Plymouth), 56 in early index numbering. 77 under 1891 numbering; last listed Last listed 1908.

Pocket Touring Map of England & Wales for Cyclists

Scale 13m = 1”. First listed 1897; reduction of 10m to an inch map. Reissued with contour-colouring 1900 and renamed Contoured Touring Map … etc. Not to be confused with sectional touring maps at 10m – 1”.

Preston & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 37 in early index numbering. Last listed 1895 as 78 under 1891 numbering.

Railway Maps, British Isles/Gt Britain

See General Railway Map

River Thames

See Thames, The River

Rugby & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 38 in early index numbering. Last listed 1899 as 79 under 1891 numbering.

Salisbury & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 39 in early index numbering. 1880 renamed Salisbury, Environs & Isle of Wight, with railways highlighted in reddish brown. Last listed 1894, as index number 80. Large overlap with Hampshire.

Scarborough & Yorkshire Coast, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 40 in early index numbering. Last listed 1895 as index number 81, alongside new 82 Scarborough, Plan & Environs.

Scarborough, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Listed 1891 – 1898 as index number 82.

Scotland Tourist’s Map

Advertised here from 1877, 52 in early index. Last listed c.1882. Initially 1/-, later also 2/- on linen.

For later Scotland Touring Map see Tourist’s & Cyclist’s Map, 10m = 1”, 102

Scotland Touring Map

See Tourist’s & Cyclist’s Map, 10m = 1”, 102

Scotland, Orographical map, Scotland Naturalist’s Map Scotland Geological Map

All 10m = 1”. See under 102 Tourist’s & Cyclist’s Map

Sheffield & Environs, ¼”

First listed 1889. 83 in 1891 index numbering. Reissued as combined Sheffield Plan, with Environs from 1894, retaining index number. Last listed 1899.

Shrewsbury & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 41 in early index numbering. Last listed 1904 as index number 84. From 1896 Shropshire.

Somersetshire, ¼”

Originally Somerset. Published and advertised by or in 1871, 42 in early index numbering. Last listed 1907 as index number 85.

South Devon, ½”

See Devon, South

Staffordshire, ¼”.

First listed c.1894 as index number 117. Number previously used briefly for Norfolk Broads. Last listed 1905.

Suffolk, ¼”

First listed c.1889, 1891 index number 86. Last listed 1900.

Surrey, ½”

First listed here 1896 (a version coloured by parliamentary divisions had been published 1892). Index number 118. From 1897 included in the new national half-inch series for England & Wales.

Surrey & Sussex, ¼”

First listed c. 1895 as 125 in index numbering. Last listed 1906.

Thames, The River, ½”

First listed 1875, number 59 in index; various subsections, each individually coloured. Later superseded by more recent mapping. 87 in 1891 index numbering. New edition 1908.

(Contoured) Touring Map of England & Wales (13m = 1”) – see Pocket Touring Map

Tourist’s General Travelling Map of Central Europe.

Published and listed in1891 as 119 in index. Later Travelling Map of Central Europe. Perpetuated through various editions.

Tourists’ and Cyclists’ Map, England & Wales (10m = 1”)

Initially published and listed in 1890 as 4 sheets:

97 Northern Counties

98 Central Counties & Wales

99 Eastern Counties (also South-Eastern Counties)

100 Western Counties (also South West Counties)

Some examples give Tourist’s & Cyclist’s map on cover, Tourists’ & Cyclists’ map on map itself.

By 1893 supplemented by England & Wales in one Sheet, numbered 101 in index.

From 1896 the four regional sheets and the single sheet were withdrawn; from 1897 map issued in two parts (never numbered):

Northern Section (or Northern Counties)

Southern Section (or Southern Counties)

Single sheet reappeared 1899 alongside the two sections, the three still advertised 1914.

Tourist & Cycling Map of Scotland (10m = 1”)

First listed here 1891 as index number 102 (initially 101). Coloured to show Counties & Roads (also other formats), from 1908 as contour-coloured. Still advertised 1914; base map widely used.

Base map also used for Geological and Naturalist’s maps – see under Scotland

Tourist & Cycling Map of Ireland (10m = 1”)

First listed here 1891 as index number 103 (initially 102), though a W. H. Smith 10m to an inch Tourists’ Map of Ireland had been advertised elsewhere from 1886, i.e. the then-new Bartholomew map. Still advertised 1914; base map widely used.

Tunbridge & Environs, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 43 in early index numbering. Last listed 1899 as index number 88. This map also displays some geological information. Official spellings are Tonbridge for the original settlement, Tunbridge Wells for the later spa town.

Ulverston & Furness District, 1”

First listed 1880, last listed 1899. Contour-coloured. Numbered 89 in 1891 index numbering, sometimes also appearing as 3 Barrow & Ulverston. In part later covered by Windermere & Morecambe Bay 1” map.

Wales North, ½”

First published 1897; fleetingly appearing in index as number 81 Wales, North before shifted to ‘New Reduced Ordnance Survey of England & Wales’ list as North Wales.

The base map, with hill-shading, had appeared earlier elsewhere, and was shared with the earlier Llandudno & Environs map. It became one of the England & Wales national series, with addition of contour-colouring from 1902.

Wales, North, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 31 in early index numbering, as North Wales, listed under both titles c.1877, thereafter the four Wales maps were grouped together. 1891 index number 90. Last listed 1904.

Wales, Central, ¼”

Published and advertised by or in 1871, 9 in early index numbering, as Central Wales; c.1878 the four Wales maps were grouped together under Wales. Last listed 1901, 1891 index number 91.

Wales, South-West, ¼”

Listed from 1878, but a renaming of the earlier Carmarthen & South-west Wales (q.v.) when the four Wales maps were grouped together under Wales. Last listed 1904, 1891 index number 92.

Wales, South-East, ¼”

Listed from 1874, 44 in early index, 93 in 1891 index. Last listed 1899.

Warwickshire, with Plans, ¼”

Included town plans of Leamington and Warwick. First listed 1894, as 126 in index. Last listed 1899. See also Leamington & Warwick, which it was to supersede.

Wexford & Wicklow, ¼”

Briefly appeared in index 1903 (i.e. post W.H. Smith era); following year incorporated in new Irish ¼" national series

Wight – see Isle of Wight

Wiltshire, ¼”

First listed c.1894, as 127 in index. Last listed 1904.

Windermere & Lake District, ¼”

See Lake District, ¼”

Windermere, Coniston, Grasmere etc (1”)

Listed from 1880-81, numbered 94 in 1891 index. Last listed 1901; area covered by new Windermere & Morecambe Bay map of 1902.

Windsor & Environs, ¼”

There appears to have been an early W. H. Smith map under this title, but dropped by 1871. This may not necessarily been a Bartholomew map.

York, Plan with Environs

Combined town plan and ¼” environs map. Listed 1891 – 1896 as index number 95. Reappeared 1903, listed under town plans.

Yorkshire, ¼”

First listed 1877 (as Yorkshire County Map); Briefly dropped from indexes c.1881: probably the line for Lincoln and York maps dropped accidentally, as both retained on accompanying index map and soon restored. Numbered 96 under 1891 index numbering. Still listed 1914. Price noted as 1/- paper, 2/- cloth from 1891.

World Series Maps - Originally 119 – 124 (South America, 1894), these were extended to include 128-131 between 1894 and 1896, to 133 by 1897. Other foreign maps were added after the numbering scheme was dropped. This series does not require further comment and is only mentioned as an aid to dating maps from their indexes.

Edward Stanford

Edward Stanford (1823-1904) had a background in map publishing before establishing under his own name in 1853, initially at 55 Charing Cross Road then (1888) at 26 & 27 Cockspur St, Charing Cross as well as 12-14 Long Acre from 1901. In 1890 the business, now run by his son, also Edward, was incorporated as a limited company. In 1908 the business was concentrated at the famous premises at Long Acre – “The World’s Biggest Map Shop” - from which the business has only recently moved. Stanford could supply maps for any part of the world, including those from all the major British producers.Whilst engraving, printing and publishing a number of their own maps, perhaps the majority of their products were those of other publishers sold under the Stanford name.

In 1874 Stanford acquired the maps of the long-established and well-respected firm of John Arrowsmith, nephew of and successor to Aaron Arrowsmith, including a three mile to an inch series of England & Wales. This was in 24 sheets, each 20” by 28”, in various formats priced from one to three shillings each. This it advertised as ‘Railway Maps’, with railways rather than roads highlighted, though their scale would make them suitable for cycling. Wales was also available on the same scale, on a map by John Walker.

Stanford also distributed Black’s (i.e. Bartholomew’s) 12 sheet series of quarter-inch maps of Scotland, and the Bartholomew Scottish half-inch maps.

From the 1870s Stanford produced a series of County-based guidebooks, though with little content specific to cyclists.They were later to publish John Murray’s extensive series of tourist guidebooks.

In 1876 Stanford published a set of ‘orographical’ maps, for England & Wales, Scotland and Ireland, each on the scale of 8 miles to an inch. These were coloured by height of land, being the first such maps produced covering Britain. Although intended as instructional wall maps for educational purposes, showing no roads and so far from intended for travellers, the orographic or ‘contour colouring’ system was to be widely adopted thereafter for cycling maps, as providing a simple way of indicating the hilliness or otherwise of roads, as well as a hint on the scenic interest of the terrain. It was notable that the maps were produced under the supervision of Professor A. C. Ramsay, head of the Royal Geological Survey: coloured geological maps had long been produced, often correlating with the landform, but these were specialised productions which could justify their laborious individual hand-colouring. Mass-production for the like of cycling maps required advance colour lithography – and, of course, detailed contour information which had had to await the Ordnance Survey.

In 1879, Edward Stanford advertised an

Ordnance Survey of England in Miniature (intended specially for Bicyclists). Being a Facsimile to the minutest detail of the sheets of the New One-inch Scale Ordnance Survey Maps.

These were photographic reductions to the half-inch scale and based on the New Edition of the Ordnance Survey and used the same sheet numbering. The first sheets available were for London and the southeast. The maps were published at the suggestion of Edward S. Gaisford, a prominent London cyclist. These maps are sometimes erroneously referred to as ‘quarter scale’, which would be illegible – it is the area which is a quarter of the original map. Once folded the maps were only 7” by 2½” and cost 1 shilling. The Ordnance Survey seems to have acquiesced to this piracy – it jealously guarded its one-inch scale, but maps at other scales, however arrived at, were apparently accepted.

An 1880 advert offered a New Map of Ireland, 8m to the inch. By 1882 Stanford was advertising separate maps for North and South Wales: these seem to have been of Cruchley origin. There was a New Map of Scotland published that year, at 7.69 miles to an inch.

In 1890 Stanford was advertising the following maps of value to cyclists:

The Bartholomew’s Large Scale Map of England & Wales on the scale of 4 miles to an inch, in 16 sheets, folded and coloured 2s, mounted on linen 3s. [the series originally produced for A. & C. Black in 1866, now advertised by various English publishers]
Stanford’s New Map of the English Lake District, one inch to a mile – probably not the Bartholomew production, as available in both plain and coloured versions.
Tourist’s Maps of North Wales, 3 miles to an inch, and South Wales, 3¼ miles to an inch, both including descriptive guides
Environs of London (25 miles round), ¾ inch to a mile, various formats and prices

The route key maps included with the CTC Route Books were produced by Stanford, and printed on ‘waterproof’ paper.

Stanford nearly always used his own name on map covers, regardless of the actual source cartography; similarly ‘Stanford’s Geographical Establishment’ was the normal accreditation on the map itself. Therefore the cartographical origin of such maps has usually to be deduced from stylistic evidence. Stanford also specialised in dissected versions of Bartholomew and other maps, but in these cases generally keeping the actual printer’s name on the cover.

Between 1947 and 2001 Stanford’s was part of the George Philip group, but later became independent again. As agents for the Ordnance Survey, and publisher of maps and charts for the whole world, it was and still is one of the best-known map publishers.

J. & C. Walker

Despite the similarity of name to that of the following John Walker & Co., these were two entirely separate companies, both only peripheral to the story of cycling maps.

John and Charles Walker followed on from their father John Walker, as geographers and engravers of maps and sea charts. They produced many of the county maps produced by the cartographers James and Charles Greenwood in the first half of the 19th century, as national atlases as well as individual maps. These were some of the finest maps available prior to the Ordnance Survey and not entirely superseded by them, as their smaller scale made them in some respects more convenient. Reproduction prints of these maps are popular.

In the 1830s the Walker brothers engraved and produced The British Atlas for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Co. This contained Greenwood county maps of England and separate maps of Wales. The county maps from this atlas were also sold individually, the standard sheet size of 34cm by 41cm necessitating a variety of scales. The same maps were also used for Hobson’s (later Walker’s) Fox Hunting Atlas: foxhunters must have made a sizeable share of mid-19th century map purchasers. The firm also produced maps for The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, whose maps were later issued by Letts and their successors, Mason & Payne and so lingered on into the cycling era. An example of the Hull district, from the Yorkshire East Riding county map, is given on the Letts page. The Letts versions of the Walker maps were also sold under the James Wyld name into the 1890s.

The Walker brothers produced Hobson’s 1843 half-inch map of Yorkshire, in four sheets, parts of which were republished as cycling maps by G. W. Bacon into the 20th century.

Both brothers died in the 1870s, but the company continued until the 1890s.

John Walker & Co.

In 1880 a different John Walker left publishers Collins, Son & Co. to set up his own publishing and stationery company at 96 Farringdon St, by 1882 at Farringdon House, Warwick Lane, London. The firm was a distributor of Bartholomew maps in the form of branded covers: it did not produce maps of its own. In 1886 John Walker & Co. were one of the publishers of The Pocket Atlas of the World by J. Bartholomew FRGS, followed in 1887 by Pocket Atlases of England & Wales, Scotland and Ireland, with maps by Bartholomew, which went through multiple editions. In 1890 appeared the Century Atlas, again by Bartholomew.

John Walker & Co. had its own series of Bartholomew Pocket Maps, virtually map for map the same as the W. H. Smith series, which seems to have commenced in 1891.

The firm became a limited company in 1893 producing, beside maps, business and personal stationery. In the 1900s the firm moved into picture postcards, including a series showing extracts from Bartholomew maps. This seems to have been its last involvement in map publishing.

James Wyld

James Wyld (1812 – 1887) was the middle of three generations of map makers. He took over the family business on the death of his father (also James) in 1836 and in turn was appointed to the honorary title of ‘Cartographer to the Queen’. The company produced a wide range of maps of Britain and abroad, some of the former being later adapted and branded as cycling maps. Up to three addresses were generally shown on their productions: 11-12 Charing Cross; 2 Royal Exchange and 457 Strand (1852 to 1880).

James Wyld’s Bicycle (later Cycling) Map of the Roads of Great Britain, was one of the earliest maps which were targeted at cyclists, though as this merely consisted of inserting the word ‘Bicycle’ in the title of a map traceable back to 1783 this hardly deserves the accolade. The map was originally produced by William Faden, an eminent cartographer of his generation who had published the Ordnance Survey’s early maps and supplied maps for Paterson’s Roads. It subsequently formed Mogg’s New Map of the Roads (various editions). It was reissued by Wyld with branding as a cycling map by 1881 and remained in print to about 1899, after the Wyld interests had been acquired by G. W. Bacon, and published alongside Bacon’s own England & Wales map. Scale was about 16 miles to an inch. Wyld’s New Map of the Country 25 Miles round London was a periodically-updated production of what was also originally a Faden map.

James Wyld had died in 1887, but the firm produced, in 1888, a New Cycling Road Map of S. E. England: Eighty Miles Round London. It ranged north to Sheffield, west to Birmingham, Salisbury etc. This was extracted from a more extensive map, being the SE quadrant of Wyld’s four-sheet Railway Map of England, Wales & Scotland. This had first appeared in 1846, and whilst having some patchy railway revision the roads were not updated so some late turnpike-era roads are missing. Highlighted by means of a red overlay were ‘nearest’ routes from London to all places of any importance, with their distance from London, Also shown were distances between towns, not only on these roads but many others not radial to London. Both the routes and the distances were cribbed unaltered from Cary’s Itinerary, last appearing some sixty years earlier. However, on the whole this was a competent attempt at providing a map customised for cyclists. Dangerous hills were marked by a red bar and there was a good selection of minor roads and place names. The map was dedicated to A. R. Savile (‘the Father of Military Cycling’), then chairman of the Cyclists’ Touring Club, who presumably had some involvement in its production. Scale was 1:450,000, or about 7 miles to an inch. As first issued the map was accompanied by a printed list, ‘giving the names of hotels and towns where there are clubs, consuls, machine repairers and racing tracks’.

In 1891 the firm was advertising a simiarly-named map, on the larger scale of 3½ miles to an inch – New Road Map of the Midland, Eastern, and Southern Counties, or Eighty Miles round London, showing by Colour the Main and Cross Roads, with Distances, Dangerous Hills, Railways, and Stations, with full Index of Places, Hotels, Clubs, Racing Tracks, Machine Repairers etc. The most Complete Map for Cyclists and Tourists. A wonderful-sounding product, but one I’ve never come across.

Other maps that might have found their way into the hands of cyclists were a 6-sheet Map of Ireland (engraved by J & C Walker, acquired by and published by Wyld in 1840 after the original promoter became bankrupt), still advertised in the 1880s, and Wyld’s Smaller Bicycle Map of England & Wales. Around 1890 Wyld was advertising a Cycling Map of the Midland Districts of England, 1/6d and 3/- and the former Letts & Son county maps based on the 1830s Walker engravings .

The map plates, stock and goodwill of the company were acquired by G. W. Bacon in December 1893.

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History of Cycling Maps

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