136c. Edward Weller - Weekly Dispatch III 1869-1900

 

George Washington Bacon (fl.1869 - 1932) published a vast variety of maps (including comic war maps in the 1870s) and succeeded to the firm of John Wyld III c.1893.1 The firm still survives today with W & A K Johnston. Bacon took over some of the stock of John Cary2 after it had been used by G F Cruchley and later Gall & Inglis and produced cycling and motoring maps from the plates well into the 20th century. Bacon acquired the plates of the Dispatch Atlas c. 1869 after they had been used in Cassell's British Atlas from 1864 to c.1867 (see above).

Between 1869 and 1891 many of the county maps were also issued singly as folding maps with covers as well as appearing in the atlases. Copies of Devon issued after 1901 can be identified by the reference to adjoining maps found in the margins. There is a new imprint; Bacon’s Geographical Establishment (AeOS) and printer’s mark (e.g. 42B15) and note ADJOINING COUNTIES Somerset page 37, Dorset 14, Cornwall 8 (EaOS). The projected line from Leacross to Chagford has been added and population figures for 1891 and 1901 are included. The maps finally appeared in Bacon’s County Atlas of England and Wales, with cover title Excelsior County Atlas of England & Wales, circa 1922.

Size: 680 x 615 mm.                                                                                                                           British Statute Miles (15 = 137 mm).

5. 1869 Map on a single sheet with new title: BACON’S MAP OF DEVONSHIRE BY EDWD WELLER FRGS (Ea). New imprint: LONDON, G W BACON & Co. 337, STRAND, OPPOSITE SOMERSETHOUSE. This is an enlarged lithograph to a larger scale. Lundy is omitted and the Dorset area and Thornecombe are corrected. The previous overlap areas are redraughted. The outline letters of the county name have been filled with an ornate pattern and the map extends into the border on three sides. Signs for railways, stations, canals and roads added. Railways to Seaton, Launceston, Moreton Hampstead, Plymouth-Tavistock-Lidford-Launceston. Planned railways Taunton-Barnstaple, Tiverton-Bampton, Ottery St Mary-Budleigh-Exmouth, Torrington-North Tawton, Kingsbridge, Newtonspur to Ashton added, and stations marked by large dots. Parliamentary representation altered, with the map coloured to show the three divisions.3  
       
    Bacon's County Atlas  
    London. G W Bacon. 1869. C.
       
    Bacon's Large Print County Atlas Of England And Wales  
    London. G W Bacon. 1870. TB.
       
6. 1876 Map on two sheets, each 305 x 430 mm, at a smaller scale (15 = 115mm): BACON’S MAP OF DEVONSHIRE BY EDWD WELLER FRGS (in plainer print on both sheets). Imprint deleted. Note on use of station names added. Railways added, North Sheet: to Torrington, Ilfracombe, Barnstaple-Taunton; South Sheet: Lidford-Okehampton complete, Sidmouth and Brixham deleted. The other division is named but not drawn in. Maps extend over borders at Lundy, Exmouth, Taunton, Otterford, Prawle Point and Churchingford.4  
       
    Bacon's New Quarto County Atlas  
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (1876). TB.
       
7. 1876 Ordinary print numbers are added: 18 to south and 19 to north (AeOS). The extraneous parts of both Dorset & Devon are removed with the border made good (though erasure is still visible). The railway symbol is changed from ‘track’ to heavy ‘dot-dash’. Railways are Axmouth; through Chard; Moreton Hampstead; Ashburton; Lidford-Launceston. On the North sheet the Devonshire note is rewritten and Key added. A railway note is added (Ee) erasing the mouth of the Otter.  
       
    Bacon's New Quarto County Atlas.  
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (1876)  BL.
       
8. 1876 Map on one sheet with title BACON’S MAP OF DEVONSHIRE (Ed). Imprint:LONDON. G. W. BACON & Co. 127, STRAND (CeOS). Reference table in Lyme Bay with inset plan of Exeter (Ee, this edition only). No page number. No detail in adjoining counties.  
       
    Bacon's New Pocket Map of Devon  
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (1876).   MW.
       
9. 1882 Map on one sheet, 675 x 670 mm, with title DEVONSHIRE (Ea) and single reference table below. Imprint (AeOS). No page number. Railways added to Hemyock, Chudleigh-Ashton and Holsworthy. Adjoining counties show roads. The divisions named in red (this edition only).  
       
    Devonshire folding into green covers with gilt title DEVON   
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (1882).   KB.
       
10. 1883 a) South sheet is slightly enlarged (height 330 mm). Maps have new titles: DEVONSHIRE (NORTH DIVISION) and DEVONSHIRE (SOUTH & EAST DIVISIONS). Both with REDUCED FROM THE ORDNANCE SURVEY BY EDWD. WELLER. F.R.G.S. Divided into 5 mile squares (with A-H [&] F-N vertically and 1-13 [or] 1-14 horizontally). The other division is now drawn in in full. Border broken at Lyme Regis, Lundy and Exmouth, but is extended below Prawle and ENGLISH is completed for the Channel, IRE missing in DORSETSHIRE. Page 12 or 13.5 No imprints.  
       
    New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas Of The British Isles   
    London. George W Bacon. (1883).   BL6, PRO7.
       
    b) South sheet is slightly smaller (height 310 mm). Border is broken at Prawle Point. The Dartmoor line is drawn as a full railway. ENGLISH incomplete.  
       
    New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas Of The British Isles   W, KB; BCL; TB.
    London. George W Bacon. (1883), 1884, (1885).   
       
 11. 1884 IRE added to DORSETSHIRE.  
       
     New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas Of The British Isles   
     London. G W Bacon. 1884.  RGS.
       
12.  1884 The note Boundary of Boroughs is changed to Parliamentary Boroughs. The note: Railways in Progress - added. Shows pecked railway Holsworthy-Bude, a further line into Cornwall (Jacobstow) and the Exeter-Bampton line.  
       
    Bacon's New County Guide And Map of Devon From The Ordnance Survey- folding map.  TB.
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (1884).   
       
    New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas Of The British Isles   
    London. G W Bacon. 1884. [B].
       
    New large Scale Ordnace Atlas of the British Isles  
    London. G W Bacon. (1885). NLS, Leeds, BL.
       
13.  1885 North sheet only seen: Map is similar to previous state but a label with a new explanation to Parliamentary Divisions has been pasted below title (obscuring Railways in Progress note).  
       
    Bacon’s New Tourist’s Map of North Devon in card covers  
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (1885).  KB.
       
14. 1885 Enlarged to original scale (15 = 130 mm). Titles are now DEVONSHIRE (NORTH SHEET) 425 x 610 mm and DEVONSHIRE (SOUTH SHEET) 450 x 650 mm. Line referring to Edward Weller in the title deleted. IRE (Dorsetsh) is omitted. Explanation panel redrawn (South Sheet). Railways: Exeter-Bampton. Linen-backed and folded into soft cover.  
       
    Bacon's County Guide Map North Devon from the Ordnance Survey   
    London. G W Bacon & Co Ltd. (1885).   BL, KB.
       
    Bacon's County Guide Map South Devon from the Ordnance Survey   
     London. G W Bacon & Co Ltd. (1885).  BL, W, E8.
       
15.  1886 Size and scale as state 14. Separate boxes for colouring of divisions.  
       
    New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas of the British Isles   
    London. G W Bacon. (1886).     TB.
       
16. 1886 Instead of separate boxes for colours the boxes have been drawn together.  
       
    a) Two maps in cover. No page numbers.  
       
    Bacon's New County Guide And Map of Devon From The Ordnance Survey  
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (1887).  WM.
       
    Bacon's County Guide And Map of Devon From The Ordnance Survey  
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (1887).  KB.
       
    b) In atlas with page numbers.  
       
    New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas of the British Isles   
    London. G W Bacon. 1888.   TB.
       
17. 1889    New page numbers DEVON. N. 12 and DEVON. S. 13 (both EaOS). The Jacobstow railway into Cornwall is erased. South Sheet has the border broken below Prawle Point and ENGLISH CHANNEL is incomplete. Where Exmouth extends into the border the inner border line has been redrawn to enclose it (previously no border here).  
       
    New Large Scale Atlas of the British Isles from the Ordnance Survey   
    London. G W Bacon & Co. (18899). BL, NLS, CB.
       
    New Large Scale Atlas of the British Isles from the Ordnance Survey   
    London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 1890.   TB.
       
18. 1890 Both borders redrawn to include projections of Prawle Point and Exmouth. ENGLISH CHANNEL in full.  
       
    New Large Scale Atlas of the British Isles from the Ordnance Survey  
    London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 1890, 1891.   Hull; PRO.
       
    New Large Scale Atlas of the British Isles ... Census of 1891   
     London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 1891, 1892.     Liv, BL; TB.
       
19. 1893 Break in borders at Exmouth and Prawle Point. All pecked lines erased with exception of Totnes-Ashprington. (Page Nos added: DEVON.N.12 and DEVON.S.13 on map reverse.)  
       
    New Large Scale Atlas of the British Isles ... Census of 1891   
    London. G W Bacon & Co. Ltd. 1893. TB.
       
20. 1895 The Parliamentary Division information replaced by new REFERENCE table. Reference to colours added on both maps, (Aa, North) and (De, South) together with population figures for 1881 and 1891. The grid on the South Sheet is changed, through Borough Island (EW) and the b of Bigbury Bay (NS). The Kingsbridge line and Plymouth-Plymstock lines are added. (Note also the pecked line down the centre of the Dart from Totnes to Dartmouth). North Sheet and South Sheet pecked lines Torrington-Brightly Bridge removed and south sheet has no pecked lines at Holsworthy. The extended border by Exmouth is altered - now shows 20’.  
       
    Commercial And Library Atlas Of The British Isles.  
    London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 1895. BL, C.
       
     Commercial And Library Atlas Of The British Isles.   
     London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 189610, 1897.    W, BL; RGS, TB.
       
21. 1898      South sheet has pecked railway Plymstock-Turnchapel11 and proposed railway Budleigh Salterton (very faint).  
       
    Commercial And Library Atlas Of The British Isles.  
    London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 1898. W, TB.
       
22. 1899 The proposed railway line Torrington-Hatherleigh to Brightley Bridge north of Okehampton.  
       
    Commercial and Library Atlas of the British Isles ... Ordnance Survey  
    London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 1899.  TB, BL.
       
23. 1899          Budleigh Salterton line complete.  
       
    Commercial and Library Atlas of the British Isles... Ordnance Survey  
    London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 1899. KB.
       
24. 1900          Plymstock-Yealmpton and Turnchapel lines complete.  
       
    Commercial and Library Atlas of the British Isles... Ordnance Survey   
    London. G W Bacon & Co., Ltd. 1900. PRO, Liv.
       

[1] For an account of the Wyld family see D Smith; The Wyld Family firm; The Map Collector; Issue 55; 1991.

[2] For an account of the Carys see D Smith; The Cary Family; The Map Collector; Issue 43; 1988.

[3] Other counties, e.g. Berks are extant in this state with new address, 127 Strand and dated (1870) or with W C as folding maps with titles such as Bacon's New Tourist’s Map. The first map of Devon seen in this form is state 13, 1885.

[4] Other counties were available in this state as Bacon's New Pocket Map mounted and folded.

[5] The page numbers are simply 12 and 13 (EaOS) and were added by stamp (two different type formats were used).

[6]  The BL copy was delivered in 1883.

[7] Lacks title page.

[8] Library date of 1895 is too late, the railway network suggests a date of 1890 (Tavistock line).

[9] BL copy has receipt stamp, 11 Nov. 1899.

[10] Maps of most other counties now have the note on ADJOINING COUNTIESand most of these have the new imprint Bacon’s Geographical Establishment(AeOS). This was added in 1902 to Devon.

[11] The line from Plymouth to Turnchapel is very unclear as though it has been engraved and then removed.

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