63 Charles Smith / Edward Jones / Benjamin Smith 1801

 

Charles Smith (fl.1800-52) established a London firm of engravers, stationers and mapsellers and traded as Charles Smith & Son (1827-1852). His first county atlas Smith’s New English Atlas was issued in 15 parts with an index and title page. Maps in parts 1 to 14 are dated 1801, the maps in part 15 and title page are dated 1804.

The Devn map has latitude and longitude in one degree intervals but this is the first map of Devon with Longitude West from Greenwich (between borders). The intended line of the Grand Western Canal is shown as well as the proposed Tamar Navigation between New Bridge and Tamerton.

Counties were also available dissected as folding maps c.1848 as Smith’s New Series of County Maps (c.1864), with mail roads deleted and R for railways replacing it. Dissected maps in slip cases are known for some counties with James Wyld’s name on the cover. No copy of Devon has been seen. Charles Smith published a second county atlas in 1822 (91).

The engravers Smith and Jones also engraved Sussex and Berks for this atlas; Smith was no relation to Charles Smith. Benjamin Smith (fl. 1799-1817) was born c. 1774 and apprenticed to Joseph Ellis in 1789. Smith and Edward Jones worked together 1799-1801. He was subequently in partnership with Joseph Bye. According to Worms and Baynton-Wlliams Bye and Smith were convicted for uttering forged Margate Bank notes in 1817 and sentenced to death. Mary Smith wrote a petition for clemency on behalf of her husband.1  Both Smith and Edward Jones worked for numerous publishers such as Laurie and Whittle, William Faden, Aaron Arrowsmith and James Wyld. Edward Jones was imprisoned for debt in July 1806.2

Size 445 x 492 mm.                                                                                                                       Scale (8 Furlongs + 13 miles  = 84 mm) Miles.

A NEW MAP of the COUNTY OF DEVON Divided into Hundreds with imprint: LONDON Printed for C. SMITH No 172 Strand. January 6th. 1801. Signature: Smith & Jones sc. Pentonville below compass point.

1. 1801 Smith’s New English Atlas; Issued in parts from 1801 to 1804 to complete the atlas. (DevA).
    London. C Smith. (1801).  CCCXI, BL, B, C, W, BCL 
     .
2. 1804 New date under title: January 6th. 1804.   (DevA).
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas  
    London. C Smith. 1804. W, B.
       
3. 1804 Minor road changes, eg Tawton-Hatherleigh-Holsworthy-Stratton is no longer a turnpike and Molesmead Bridge above Oare in Somerset added.   (C), (DevA).
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas  
    London. C Smith. 1804. RGS, B.
       
    May have been issued as a dissected map in slip case3 KB.
    Issued as a dissected map in book-style case4 KB.
       
4. 1808 New note below date 2nd Edition Corrected to 1808. Symbol for turnpikes used for mail roads; turnpikes gets new symbol. Great Western Canal removed. Hatherleigh-Holsworthy again a turnpike but no mileage added.  
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas 2nd Edition  
    London. C Smith. 1808.    CCCXII, BL, W, C. 
     
    Also available dissected and mounted on linen.   C, DevA, NDL. 
     
5. 1818 New note below date: 3rd Edition. Corrected to 1818. G W Canal branch shown to Tiverton. Key for Turnpike Roads changed to Great Roads. Many other changes.  
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas 3rd Edition  
    London. C Smith. 1818, 1820.    C; CCCXIII, BL. 
     
6. 1821 New note; Corrected to 1821. Plymouth Breakwater is shown. Also sold as boxed set of folding maps.  (NDL).
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas  
    London. C Smith. 1821.   CCCXIV, C, B.
       
7. 1827 New note; Corrected to 1829.  
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas  
    London. C Smith. 1827 (1830), 1828 (post-1830). CCCXV, P; B.
       
8. 1832 New note; Corrected to 1832. Parliamentary Divisions noted after hundreds. Explanation expanded to left of Hundred reference: NORTH & SOUTH DIVISIONS: with symbols, stars, Maltese Crosses etc. for Parliamentary Representation. Tavistock Canal is shown.  
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas  
    London. C Smith. 1832.      C.
       
    Also issued as a dissected map in slip case.      C.
       
9. 1834 New note; Corrected to 1835. Signature is replaced by Printed for C. Smith, Mapseller extraordinary to His Majesty. No 172 Strand, 1834.  
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas  
    London. C Smith. 1834 (1835).    CCCXVI, RGS
       
10. 1839 New note; Corrected to 1838.  
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas  
    London. C Smith. (1839). Bristol.
       
11. 1841  New note; Corrected to 1840.  
       
    Smith’s New English Atlas  
    London. C Smith. (1841). KS.
       
12. 1844 Date deleted. Bristol and Exeter Railway added to Exeter (cross-hatched) and projected (dashed line) from there to Plymouth. Extra Explanation added (De) with parliamentary information and stars, squares, circles and Maltese crosses added to map. Callington (altitude 214) added.  
       
    Linen-backed folding into green blind-stamped covers with title Devonshire  KB.
       
13. 1864 MAP OF DEVONSHIRE SHEWING ALL THE RAILWAYS AND STATIONS and the Parliamentary Divisions (Ed). Imprints: London. Smith & Son, 63 Charing Cross (CeOS) and LONDON, SMITH & SON, 63 CHARING CROSS (below title). Explanation (Ae). Railways added to Launceston via Lidford and to Dartmouth; projected (straight line) to Ilfracombe and to Moretonhampstead but not to Christow. Erroneous Kingsbridge projected line from Ivy Bridge.  
       
    Single sheet, folding but cover lost......        BL.

 

[1] See Worms and Baynton Williams British Map Engravers entry on Benjamin Smith, p. 612.

[2] See Worms and Baynton Williams ibid. entry on Edward Jones, p. 360.

[3] Slipcase is later replacement (folds to 185 x 125 mm).

[4] Set of eight folding maps in specially made book-shaped box with marbled paper and gilt title on spine. The maps cover the south coast and each with small printed paper label. Includes Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Wilts., Hants., Surrey, Essex and Middlesex. Folds to 180 x 120 mm, DEVON printed on label stuck to back of map.

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