72 Henry Cooper / Benjamin Pitts Capper 1807

Benjamin Pitts Capper produced a very popular cartographic publication: his Topographical Dictionary was published by Richard Phillips and contained 44 maps of the English counties and maps of the British Isles, all drawn and engraved by H Cooper. Phillips also published Charles Vancouver’s agricultural report on Devon (70) advertising the Topographical and Statistical Dictionary by William (sic) Capper in that work.

The Dictionary was to be available with maps for 24s or the Maps may be had done up in a separate Atlas, price 9s. half bound, or beautifully coloured, price 12s. half bound. Recently two sets of the Dictionary maps without title page have been discovered. The maps have an earlier imprint than those maps in the Dictionary, implying the maps were ready in 1807. Only one complete atlas has so far been discovered. [Text updated 2012.]

George Byrom Whittaker was a school-master prior to publishing and was also Sheriff of the City of London.¹ Originally G & W B Whittaker the company became George Byrom Whittaker in 1826, Treacher & Arnott or Whittaker, Treacher & Co. in 1830 and finally Whittaker & Co. from 1836. About 1820 he acquired William Pinnock’s History and Topography (86).

Henry Cooper (fl. 1804-1819) was an engraver and mapseller. He was apprenticed to John Warner. He was in partnership with John Purdy for a time but bankruptcy proceedings were started when this partnership ceased in 1811.²

Size 100 x 175 mm.                                                                                                                                                British Miles (10 = 16 mm).

Map panel 100 x 130 mm.   

DEVONSHIRE. Imprint: Published August 1, 1807, by R. Phillips. Bridge Street Blackfriars London (CeOS). Plate IX (EaOS). Signature: Cooper delt et sculpt. (EeOS). Statistics: houses 57,955, population 343,004.

Note new numbering: updated December 2012.