British Magazine Maps

18th Century British Magazine Maps

Pirates, Industry and War: 18th Century British Magazine Maps

Monthly topical and current events magazines evolved as a popular publication style in 18th century Great Britain. The most prominent and among the earliest was Gentleman’s Magazine, which began as a digest reprinting the best articles from the slew of dailies and weeklies available in London. Over time it and its many competitors began to offer original content. Maps illustrating articles about military engagements and other current events enhanced sales and became regular features in magazines.

This website reproduces a variety of maps from the MSU Map Library Collection which appeared in British magazines in the 18th century. From them you can see what places and events were of interest to the readership, which was primarily educated males in a growing Empire.

These maps were gifts to the MSU Map Library from Ronald Dietz.

Britain

Image Title Call Number Description
Map of the Countries adjacent to Carlisle A Map of the Countries adjacent to Carlisle, Shewing the Route of the Rebels with their Principal Fords over ye R.r Eden 621 c-B-1746 George Smith. Gentleman's Magazine.
Map of the Black Lead Mines Map of the Black Lead Mines &c in Cumberland 621 c-A-1751 Gentleman's Magazine, June 1751.
New Map of England and Wales A New Map of England and Wales 621 c-A-1757 Gentleman's Magazine, 1757.
No. 1 Plan of the Old Streets about London Bridge; No. 2 Plan of a New Street No. 1 Plan of the Old Streets about London Bridge; No. 2 Plan of a New Street, Proposed to be Built from the Royal Exchange to London Bridge 621 d-E-1760 Gentleman's Magazine.
Map of the Roads from London thro Oxford, Worcester, & c. to Aberistwith A Map of the Roads from London thro Oxford, Worcester, & c. to Aberistwith/The Road from Bristol to Exeter 621 c-D-1765 Gentleman's Magazine.
Road from London to York The Road from London to York 621 c-D-1766 Drawn & Engraved by John Gibson. Gentleman's Magazine, June 1766, opp 249.
Map of the Surrey Side the Thames from Westminster Bridge to the Borough A Map of the Surrey Side the Thames from Westminster Bridge to the Borough With a Plan for Laying out the Roads to Blackfyars Bridge 621 d-A-1766 Gentleman's Magazine.

 

Europe

Image Title Call Number Description
Region along the Rivers Dnipro and Donets Region along the Rivers Dnipro and Donets, showing Old Limits between the Russian and Turkish Empires 686 c-B-1739 Emanuel Bowen. Gentleman's Magazine.
Chart of the Baltic Sea A Chart of the Baltic Sea, Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia, with the Sound, drawn from the Best Maps & Charts 714 A-1748 Thomas Jeffreys. Gentleman's Magazine, March 1748.
Seat of War in the Circle of Westphalia The Seat of War in the Circle of Westphalia 600.3 B-1757 West Gentleman's Magazine, 1757 opp 331.
Map of Upper Saxony Map of Upper Saxony Comprehending that part of Germany which is the Present Seat of War 600.3 B-1757 Sax Gentleman's Magazine.
Complete Map of Germany A Compleat Map of Germany Comprehending in One View the Different Seats of the Present War 1759 640 B-1759 Gentleman's Magazine EG8.
Map of all his Majesty's Dominions in Germany Accurate Map of all his Majesty's Dominions in Germany, with the Adjacent Countries 640 A-1761 Gentleman's Magazine, January 1761, opp 654.
Map of his R.H. the Duke of York's Journey thro Italy Accurate Map of his R.H. the Duke of York's Journey thro Italy in 1763 & 1764 655 c-D-1764 John Gibson. Gentleman's Magazine.

 

Americas

Image Title Call Number Description
New Chart of the Coast of New England, Nova Scotia, New France or Canada A New Chart of the Coast of New England, Nova Scotia, New France or Canada. with the Islands of New Foundld, Cape Breton, St. John's &c 100 c-A-1746 Gentleman's Magazine, 1746.
Plan of the New Town of Halifax Plan of the New Town of Halifax in Nova Scotia 132 d-A-1749 Gentleman's Magazine.
South America upon the Globular Projection South America upon the Globular Projection 250 A-1763 Emanuel Bowen. General Magazine of Arts & Sciences.
British Governments in North America The British Governments in Nth America 100 c-B-1763 Gentleman's Magazine.
Map of the West Indies An Accurate Map of the West Indies containing the Bahama & Caribbe Islands 230 A-1763 Emanuel Bowen. General Magazine of Arts & Sciences.
North America upon the Globular Projection North America upon the Globular Projection 100 A-1763 Emanuel Bowen. General Magazine of Arts & Sciences, vol. 2 1764.
Plan for Settling New Colonies Plan for Settling New Colonies 990 E-1769 Gentleman's Magazine 1769.
Plan of an American Country Town Plan of an American Country Town 990 A-1770 New Plan for an American Town, Gentleman's Magazine, page 62.
Plan of the Redoubt on Bunker Hill Plan of the Redoubt on Bunker Hill 842 d-B-1775 Gentleman's Magazine, 1775.
Old Pt. Royal Old Pt. Royal 237 d-A-1785 Gentleman's Magazine, November 1785 opp p. 879.

 

Asia

Images Title Call Number Description
North Coast of Russia

The North Coast of Russia, from the Latest Discoveries

 490 A-1749

Gentleman's Magazine, June 1749, opp 249.
Plan of the Town & Fortress A Plan of the Town & Fortress of Gariah Belonging to Angria the Admiral to the Sahou Rajah on the Coast of Mallabar 430 d-E-1756 Gentleman's Magazine, 1756.
Moguls Empire The Moguls Empire Divided into its Principal Governments 430 A-1767 Gentleman's Magazine, 1767.

World

Image Title Call Number Description
Map of the Old World A Map of the Old World as it Appeared before God Destroy'd it wth the Waters of the Flood 050 B-2348BC/1736 Gentleman's Magazine, December 1736.
Map of the Garden of Eden A Map of the Garden of Eden before God Destroy'd it with the Flood

990 B-4122BC/1738

Gentleman's Magazine, February 1738.
Shield of Achilles Shield of Achilles 050 M-1749 Gentleman's Magazine.

 

Sources:

  • Maps in British Periodicals. By David C. Jolly. Published by David C. Jolly in Brookline, MA in 1990.
  • Maps in Eighteenth-Century British Magazines: A Checklist. By Christopher M. Klein. Published as the 3rd Occasional Publication of the Hermon Dunlap Smith Center for the History of Cartography. Published in Chicago by the Newberry Library in 1989.
  • Maps of America in Periodicals Before 1800. By David C. Jolly. Published by David C. Jolly in Brookline, MA in 1989

The MSU Map Library extends special thanks to Erika Dietz for her assistance with this online exhibit.

 

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