John Ackerley

07793811450

john@yorkshiremaps.co.uk 

(comments)

City of York by Francis Drake 1736

York from the air

I am the owner of one of the rare examples of Nathaniel Whittock's 'Bird's-eye view of the city of York'. This amazing pictorial view of York, probably taken from a balloon, and produced in the 1850s, is now the subject of the first facsimile production by yorkshiremaps.co.uk and available for £25,  post free in the UK. Measuring approximately two feet by three (actual size) and produced on quality paper as an art print this is a fine item for framing or just as a poster. A wonderful conversation piece, with lots of fascinating detail relating to the historical development of the city to the present day, this is a ideal present or company gift at any time of the year. Go to Facsimiles under the Theme heading for more detail.

6 inch better than 1 inch!

The Trigonometrical Survey, or the Ordnance Survey as we know it today, was founded in 1791. Based on mapping by triangulation, it was first prepared at a scale of 1 inch to 1 mile, and primarily for defence purposes, thus Kent was the first published map (1801). During the first part of the nineteenth century arguments arose as to the scales to be used for larger scale maps, six inch and twenty-five inch to the mile being the final winners. Lancashire and Yorkshire are fortunate in having been selected for mapping at the 6 inch scale before any other counties, work being completed by 1854. These maps form a link between the pre-industrial age of Yorkshire and today, recording as they do names, places, spellings and features that in 1854 reflected the past two to three hundred years of a largely pastoral and only lightly and locally urbanised countryside. Much of what was recorded then has since been changed, built over or lost, but also much remains. This yorkshiremaps.co.uk business  has many hundreds of places recorded at this scale but, just because there are so many, a search of the website may not throw up your particular quest. If this is the case please email john@yorkshiremaps.co.uk and specify the area you are interested in. These maps are not cheap, but normally at a size of 2  by 3 feet, dissected onto linen, folding and within hard covers they are of the highest quality, designed to last and having done so. Many are quite rare, all are fascinating. History in front of you.

Easy meat

The hunting season is upon us. No, not that one but the one that doesn't require you to keep a horse, stops you from having to put up with all that nasty weather and protects you from physical injury - the hunting map season, open all year and much cheaper. Maps of hunts, and for hunters, became popular in the nineteenth century,  W C Hobson's overprinting of J and C Walker's maps being by far the most common. For thirty years between 1852 and 1881 several editions of these maps were available, each edition incorporating changes and corrections, and each Riding had its own map. In 1890 Walter W Masser of the family Masser, printers of Leeds, produced a Bramham Moor Hunt map scaled at 1 inch to 1 mile, but with only the hunting area of the West Riding shown. In 1898 the firm of R Jackson published maps of both the Bramham Moor Hunt and the Badsworth Hunt, differing from Masser's in that the areas surrounding the hunt were also shown. The Ainsty Hunt followed. With the exception of Masser's map (rare) all these maps are usually available from this website - Hobson's originals come in single sheet form whilst Jackson's originals are dissected onto linen, folding and normally leather outer covers, with gold embossed title and fox. The majority have several and differing advertisements inside and it is uncommon for me to have two the same at any one time, so quite a collector's sport and without any of the danger and only a little expense of the tally-ho type!