51 John Cary 1787

John Cary (d.1835) was one of the finest English cartographers. Besides county maps (see also 54, 55, 69, 71 and 92) his work covered world atlases, road maps, sea charts, town and canal plans. He became Surveyor of Roads to the General Post Office, commissioned to survey the roads of England in 1794. In 1813 he published a large map of Devon based on the recent work of the Ordnance Survey (see 80).

John Cary came originally from Wiltshire, the son of a maltster. He was born in February 1755, the second son of George and Mary Cary. He had three brothers, Francis (1756-1836) also an engraver, William (1759-1825) a map publisher and globe maker with whom he collaborated, and George the elder (d.1830) who was a partner at 86 St. James Street, London (1820). His two sons, George the younger (d.1859) and John, joined the firm in 1820. The business passed to G.F.Cruchley c.1844, and later to Gall & Inglis.

John Cary’s first county atlas, Cary's New and Correct English Atlas, appeared in parts from 1787 to 1789. Originally the plan was to publish one part a month, each to include 4 counties, and Devon  appeared in issue seven with Somerset, Shrops and Northants on February 26th 1788 (although the first title page imprint was dated 1787). Later progress was slow and the final maps appeared in Spring 1789. Atlases were made up of whatever sheets were available. All maps were dated 1787 regardless of when they actually appeared and a title page was printed with the first part, Published as the Act directs Sepr 1, 1787. This atlas was extremely popular and the maps were all re-engraved for a new edition in 1809 (73).

One of Cary´s innovations was the introduction of letters of the alphabet where a main turnpike left the county. This could then be matched up with the corresponding letter on the map of the adjoining county. The map was very popular with collectors and would often be tipped in to copies of other works which lacked a map. Hence the British Library has two copies of The History of Devonshire by Rev. Richard Polwhele published by Cadell, Johnson and Dilly (1797) with Cary’s map in state 6 and a private copy is also known. 

Size 210 x 265 mm.                                                                                                            Statute Miles 69¹/₂ to a Degree (10 = 29.5 mm).

DEVONSHIRE with signature By JOHN CARY Engraver. Imprint: London: Published as the Act directs, 1st. Sepr. 1787. by J. Cary Engraver Map & Printseller the corner of Arundel Street Strand. (CeOS).