John Cary
The map presented here, dated January 1, 1818 (the 15th edition), was first published by John Cary in 1787 and then updated over the years in 20 editions. John Cary was born in 1754. At age 16 (i.e., 1770) he was apprenticed to the engraver William Palmer of New Street Square, London. When Cary was aged 29 (i.e., 1783), he set up in business as an engraver and map and print seller at 188 Strand, and then at age 37 (i.e., 1791) moved to 181 Strand. Over the years he became one of the most prolific and perhaps the greatest English map-maker and publisher of the eighteenth century. On January 17, 1820 the shop and most of its contents were destroyed by fire. Thereafter Cary moved his business to 86 St. James's Street and formed a partnership with his brother George Cary. The best of the London maps published by the firm was the "New and Accurate Plan," drawn to a scale of 6 1/2 inches to the mile. The series of updated maps was started in 1787. When series ended in 1825, there were at least twenty editions published. Different from many other map-makers of his day, Cary was very intent on bringing each edition up to date. John Cary's brother George died in 1830. Five years later, when he was age 81 (i.e., 1835), John Cary died. In 1844, Cary's business and map stock was passed to George Frederick Cruchley who along with his own maps, re-published Carey's atlases and maps until 1876.
The Map
CARY'S New and Accurate Plan of LONDON AND WESTMINSTER, the Borough of SOUTHWARK and parts adjacent, viz. KENSINGTON, CHELSEA, ISLINGTON, HACKNEY, WALWORTH, NEWINGTON, &c with an Alphabetical List of upwards of 500 of the most principal Streets with references to their situation.
Size: 28 1/2" x 48 1/2" Folding map. Scale 6 1/2" to 1 mile.
Extent: Canonbury Limehouse Kennington Kensington.
Table of references to public buildings and to churches. The map is divided into squares numbered for reference. The main table of references is below the map outside the border. There is no key to the stippling or symbols used.
The Editions
(1) Printed with the inscription, 'CARY, Map & Print-seller, No. 188, corner of Arundel Street, Strand, May 1st. 1787.'
(2) Imprint date altered to 'Jan. 1st. 1790.'
(3) Imprint date altered to 'Jan. 1st. 1792.' Lambeth Road and London Roads named and development shown in Somers Town.
(4) Imprint date altered to 1795.
(5) Imprint date altered to 'Jan. 1797.'
(6) Imprint date altered to 'Jan. 1st. 1799.' New developments include the White Lead Manufactory north of the New Road (Marylebone Road) and buildings in John Street etc. south of the New Road near the 'Cricket Ground'.
(7) Year in imprint altered to 1800.
(7a) Year in imprint 1802. London Docks and proposed development west of Baker Street and north of Russell Square shown.
(8) Year in imprint altered to 1803.
(9) Imprint, address and date altered to 'No. 181 Strand near Norfolk Street, Jan. 1st. 1806.' New developments include the Philanthropic Reform and Earl Street and Amelia Roy in St. George's Fields and the Polygon in Somers Town. Paddington and Grand Surrey Canals shown.
(10) Year in imprint altered to 1808.
(11) Year in imprint altered to 1810. Some new development shown west of Upper Grosvenor Place and north of the New Road.
(11a) Year in imprint altered to 1811. Addition to title 'and Plans of the NEW LONDON & EAST & WEST INDIA DOCKS' and a section 28 1/2" x 9 1/4" added to the right of the map to show the River Lea, Isle of Dogs and docks. This section is not divided into squares and the margin below it is left blank.
(12) Date in imprint altered to 1812.
(13) Date in imprint altered to 'Nov. 1st. 1815'. Regent's Park and Regent's Canal are shown. The Greater London Council History Library has two states, of which the later shows Bloody Hill on site of Primrose Hill, Primrose Hill on site of Chalk Farm and Chalk Farm moved eastward.
(14) Year in imprint altered to 1816. Waterloo Bridge shown and named. The Guildhall Library copy shows Waterloo Bridge as 'Strand Bridge'.
(15) Imprint altered to 'Jan. 1st. 1818.' Developments shown include Waterloos Road (not named) and the Asylum for the Blind in St. George's Fields.
(16) Imprint is altered by the erasure of the date at the end of the line and the substitution of 'LONDON'. Below it is added 'Corrected to Jan. 1st. 1819.' Tomlin's Town is shown and named W. of Edgware Road and Camden Town is named.
(17) Imprint has 'Corrected to June 1 1820'. Among other changes are the naming of Waterloo Bridge Road and the inclusion of Stamford Street (not named).
(18) Imprint has 'Corrected to Jan. 1st. 1822.' Stamford Street is shown and named. Waterloo Road is named Great Waterloo Street.
(19) Imprint changed to 'Printed for Jn Cary, Nş 86 St. James's Street London. Corrected to Jan. 1st. 1824.' The lay-out of the terraces round Regent's Park has been altered considerably and developments are shown east of Sloane Square, in Paddington, St. Pancras and elsewhere.
(20) Imprint has 'Corrected to Jan. 1st. 1825'.
Source: Howgego, James. Printed Maps of London circa 1553-1850, 2nd ed., Wm. Dawson and Sons, Ltd, Kent, England, 1978 [No. 184].