[Ordnance Survey Map of London and the Thames River]

The lifeblood of London during the 19th century.

This wonderfully detailed topographic map shows the course of the Thames River from its estuary near Southend-on-Sea to the East End of London and the Isle of Dogs. Issued at a scale of 1 to 1 statute mile, the image provides a meticulous snapshot of the primary commercial avenue to the world’s largest city and port during the 19th century. Toponyms identify a fascinating variety of elements, including geographic features, country estates, small hamlets, industrial operations, parks (highlighted in green), transportation infrastructure, and much more.

According to text along the bottom of the page, the maps were originally designed by members of the Ordnance Survey under the leadership of Thomas Colby in 1843 (right) and 1844 (left). A further note indicates this example is ‘printed from an electrotype taken in 1880’ and 1878, respectively. The railways in operation (highlighted in red) and the completion of the Royal Albert Dock support the latter date. An advertisement on the verso presents information about British Geological Survey maps, published by the firm of Letts & Son. The BGS was established in 1835 as a branch of the Ordnance Survey – the world’s first national geological survey.