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- George Frederick Cruchley 1796-1880
George Frederick Cruchley 1796-1880
- By The Map Collector
- Published 1 November 1989
- Maps
- Unrated
The Map Collector
The Map Collector, initiated by Peter Scott and Valerie G. Newby, was a journal on historical cartography published every quarter. The first issue appeared in 1997 and continued for nearly 20 years. After 74 issues the last copy appeared in Spring 1996. Mrs. Valerie G. Newby, is presently editor of the IMCoS Journal.
www.imcos.org
by David Smith
GEORGE FREDERICK CRUCHLEY learned his trade as an apprentice with the Arrowsmith firm and after setting up in business for himself in 1823 proudly advertised himself as 'From Arrowsmith's'. In due course he was to reissue some of Arrowsmith's maps. His first premises were at 349 Oxford Street, London, where the Post Office London Directory recorded him as an 'Engraver, Etc.' In 1825 he moved to 38 Ludgate Street as a ‘Mapseller & Publisher, Engraver & Printer', and in 1833 he transferred to 81 Fleet Street which was to remain his premises until his business was wound up in 1877. Cruchley died three and a half years later in 1880, aged 84, at his home in the Grand Parade, Brighton.
The best opportunity for Cruchley in his early business days lay in the production of maps of the London area for by the mid-1820s new surveys and new maps of the capital were urgently needed. Indeed, Cruchley produced some of the clearest and most attractive London plans as would be expected from a mapmaker who had trained under Aaron Arrowsmith. In 1823 Cruchley apparently published his 'Improved Environs of London, [1] and in 1824 his 'Environs of London Extending Thirty Miles from the Metropolis' appeared with roads and footpaths graded. This latter map was reissued until 1843. In 1826 the 'New Plan of London' was published at nearly 5-inches to the mile; it was to be republished a great many times with revisions, additions, and extensions until 1846. Over the years Cruchley was to produce a fine series of London plans at the 5-inch scale, one of which was exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 illustrating the environs 'to the extent of six miles round St. Paul's'. This was the largest of the series and had first appeared in 1828. Cruchley also published a number of maps of its environs at the small scales of Y2 or 3f4 inch to the mile which are in some ways superior to the 1-inch Ordnance Survey sheets.[2]
John Findlay's view of the 'CRUTCHLEY' shop at 81, Fleet Street, London, where his business as a 'Mapseller Globemaker & Publisher' operated from 1833 until it was wound up in 1876. In the shop window, where Cruchley's numerous publications are prominently and attractively displayed, his map of the 'Seat of War' in Sardinia, published about 1859, is offered at a price of one shilling. Cruchley's premises occupy only about two-thirds of No. 81, Fleet Street, the remaining shop frontage of the property being occupied by H. Lazarus. (By courtesy of the Guildhall Library, London)
The popularity of Cruchley's London plans is attested by the frequency of new editions and the longevity of many maps. Cruchley was concerned in his early days to ensure that each new map or edition was revised and updated as far as was practicable. Thus, the new East and West India Docks were added to 'Cruchley's New Plan' in 1826 and the new 'New Plan' of about 1827 showed 'All The New And Intended Improve¬ments To The Present Time'. However, this eagerness to make his maps more competitive by being as up to date as possible sometimes backfired on Cruchley. His delineation, for example, of 'the projected improvement at Charing Cross and others not yet completed' on the 'New Plan of London in Miniature' (1830) showed a proposed layout of Trafalgar Square with a building labelled the Royal Academy where Nelson's Column stands. Special versions of Cruchley's large-scale London plans were also sometimes produced with improvement information, both suggested and sanctioned, superimposed on them. Various innovations were introduced to add variety to plans and increase their appeal; 'Cruchley's Twelve Miles Round London' (1839), for example, listed fairs, markets, and watermen's fares, and his 'Improved Environs of London' (c.1840?) incorporated circles showing the extent of the twopenny and threepenny post. Cruchley also published or sold other plans of London; John Waiter Froggett's maps, for instance, of the country 30 miles (1831) and 15 miles (c. 1842) around the capital appeared over Cruchley's publishing imprint, as did Charles Smith's map of the surrounding 12 miles (1830).
Inevitably, in time Cruchley realised the limitations of concentrating on the production of London plans and as the firm expanded he sought new map making opportunities, eventually branching out from map engraving, publishing and selling into printing and globe-making.
By the late 1820s, Cruchley was engraving plans for official reports on railway proposals; he produced the plan and section, for example, for James Walker's Report to the Committee of the proposed railway from Leeds to Selby (1829). Similarly, he began to develop private estate work and to forge strong links with the commercial world in order to tap the rapidly expanding demand from that sector: 'Maps, charts, plans of estates, &c. Accurately drawn, copied, reduced, or enlarged, and engraved in a superior manner. .. Merchants, Captains, and Dealers, supplied with Maps on advantageous terms'. Special formats were devised for use in market, office, and elsewhere: 'Maps mounted on linen, to fold in cases, for the convenience of trading - mounted on common rollers and varnished - or with springs, and fitted in mahogany cabinet cases, for public offices, libraries, &c. Maps & drawings framed, varnished, etc'. And by the early 1840s Cruchley was moving rapidly into more general cartographic publication with the production of world atlases and educational works.
This change of direction perhaps originated in Cruchley's acquisition of the plates of Christopher Greenwood's large-scale six-sheet map of Lancashire (1818) which were sold off, along with much else of Greenwood's stock in piecemeal fashion, in an attempt to save his failing business. Cruchley published a revised version of the map, re-engraved by J. H. Franks, in 1 S36. The ease of this process of acquiring old stock, revising it, and publishing it, usually as a supposedly new work under a new title and imprint, was apparently so attractive and profitable to Cruchley that he began assiduously to buy up or acquire for issue the stock of firms such as Bowles & Carver and J. & C. Walker.
Cruchley seized every possible opportunity of projecting a favourable image of himself and his publications, regularly engaging in the marketing 'puff' so typical of the map maker throughout the centuries. In particular, he sought to attract 'the attention of Principals of Colleges, Public Schools, Private Seminaries, Governesses, Teachers, &c.' in order to tap the growing educational market. These potential bulk purchasers were invited to inspect Cruchley's 'improved large Educational School Maps, Atlases, Globes, and Series of Progressive Maps ... the whole of which comprise an entire new, easy, and instructive method of teaching Geography.' These maps were obviously presented in the best possible light, being 'compiled from the best and most recent authorities extant, drawn on such a large scale and bold outline, purposely to assist the young Pupils in the study of Geography'; 'Drawn from the most authentic sources and latest authorities; combining accuracy of delineation ... with boldness and clearness of engraving'; and 'constructed from the best British and Foreign documents and authorities, engraved with the greatest care and attention.' Cruchley reinforced the desirability of his educational maps by stressing their popularity not only amongst 'numerous public and private Scholastic Establishments, Private Families, and Teachers' who provided 'extensive and unceasing demand', but also 'His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the junior branches of the Royal Family' who were instructed with his publications due to 'their acknowledged superiority to any other scholastic Maps or Atlases hitherto published'. Cruchley could thus solicit 'the patronage of all who are engaged in the important work of Tuition, flattering himself that they will be found, on inspection, superior to any others hitherto offered to their notice, and at such a moderate price as will enable them to be extensively introduced to their Pupils.' (By courtesy of the Royal Geographical Society, London).
Cruchley's most significant acquisition was the plates of George and John Cary. [3] Henceforth, Cruchley steadily moved away from his early practice of producing reliable maps of quality (mainly of London and its environs) to a policy of issuing poor quality maps, usually of doubtful reliability, created from earlier plates using cheap lithographic transfer techniques. From the mid-century Cruchley's ever-expanding output became more and more general and less and less satisfactory. Thus, Cary's New and Correct English Atlas (1787) was adapted to become Cruchley's County Atlas of England & Wales (1863) and later Cruchley's New Pocket Companion, or, Handmaid to Bradshaw and All Other Railway Timetables for England and Wales (c. 1872); Cary's Traveller's Companion (first issued 1790, re¬engraved 1806 and 1822) became Cruchley's Railroad Compan¬ion to England & Wales (c. 1852); and Cary's New English Atlas (1809) was transformed into Cruchley's Railway and Telegraphic County Atlas of England and Wales (c.1858). Cruchley even had the temerity to boast that the maps in the latter atlas were: 'projected on the Largest Scale yet adopted for any similar purpose'; contained 'all the Latest Information, of general utility or interest'; and had been 'Carefully Revised from the recent Ordnance Surveys of England and Wales'. These maps from Cary's New English Atlas were also sold separately under a variety of titles; the geologically adapted maps were advertised as being available 'geologically coloured price 3/6 in sheet', but seem never to have appeared in this form.[4]
In truth, as his atlas titles suggest, Cruchley's only significant up-dating of Cary's maps was the addition of railways and telegraphs to Cary's out-dated landscape, thus satisfying the principal preoccupation of map purchasers of the day. Despite the unreliability of his railway delineation, Cruchley claimed that on these reissued maps: 'the Lines of all the Railways are drawn, showing the Company to which each line belongs'; 'the Names of all the Stations are engraved in clear and bold characters'; 'the Telegraphic Lines and Stations are especially marked on these Maps'; and 'the Continuation of each Railway into adjoining Counties is accurately delineated, Exhibiting At A Glance Facilities Of Intercommunication, and thus supplying an impor¬tant desideratum to Commercialists'. In this way Cary's out¬dated maps appeared with railway and telegraph information crudely superimposed on Cary's delicately engraved topography as 'Cruchley's Railway & Telegraphic' maps, 'Railway And Station' maps, and so on, 'showing all the Railways & Names of Stations, Also the Telegraph Lines & Stations, Improved from the Ordnance Surveys'. More often than not stations were inexactly located and lines not yet opened were shown as in operation. On occasion, even railways merely projected but never constructed actually appeared in existence on the map. Hence, railway and communication information on Cruchley's maps should always be distrusted despite the suggestion of a specialist map in the title.
GEORGE FREDERICK CRUCHLEY learned his trade as an apprentice with the Arrowsmith firm and after setting up in business for himself in 1823 proudly advertised himself as 'From Arrowsmith's'. In due course he was to reissue some of Arrowsmith's maps. His first premises were at 349 Oxford Street, London, where the Post Office London Directory recorded him as an 'Engraver, Etc.' In 1825 he moved to 38 Ludgate Street as a ‘Mapseller & Publisher, Engraver & Printer', and in 1833 he transferred to 81 Fleet Street which was to remain his premises until his business was wound up in 1877. Cruchley died three and a half years later in 1880, aged 84, at his home in the Grand Parade, Brighton.
The best opportunity for Cruchley in his early business days lay in the production of maps of the London area for by the mid-1820s new surveys and new maps of the capital were urgently needed. Indeed, Cruchley produced some of the clearest and most attractive London plans as would be expected from a mapmaker who had trained under Aaron Arrowsmith. In 1823 Cruchley apparently published his 'Improved Environs of London, [1] and in 1824 his 'Environs of London Extending Thirty Miles from the Metropolis' appeared with roads and footpaths graded. This latter map was reissued until 1843. In 1826 the 'New Plan of London' was published at nearly 5-inches to the mile; it was to be republished a great many times with revisions, additions, and extensions until 1846. Over the years Cruchley was to produce a fine series of London plans at the 5-inch scale, one of which was exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 illustrating the environs 'to the extent of six miles round St. Paul's'. This was the largest of the series and had first appeared in 1828. Cruchley also published a number of maps of its environs at the small scales of Y2 or 3f4 inch to the mile which are in some ways superior to the 1-inch Ordnance Survey sheets.[2]
John Findlay's view of the 'CRUTCHLEY' shop at 81, Fleet Street, London, where his business as a 'Mapseller Globemaker & Publisher' operated from 1833 until it was wound up in 1876. In the shop window, where Cruchley's numerous publications are prominently and attractively displayed, his map of the 'Seat of War' in Sardinia, published about 1859, is offered at a price of one shilling. Cruchley's premises occupy only about two-thirds of No. 81, Fleet Street, the remaining shop frontage of the property being occupied by H. Lazarus. (By courtesy of the Guildhall Library, London)
The popularity of Cruchley's London plans is attested by the frequency of new editions and the longevity of many maps. Cruchley was concerned in his early days to ensure that each new map or edition was revised and updated as far as was practicable. Thus, the new East and West India Docks were added to 'Cruchley's New Plan' in 1826 and the new 'New Plan' of about 1827 showed 'All The New And Intended Improve¬ments To The Present Time'. However, this eagerness to make his maps more competitive by being as up to date as possible sometimes backfired on Cruchley. His delineation, for example, of 'the projected improvement at Charing Cross and others not yet completed' on the 'New Plan of London in Miniature' (1830) showed a proposed layout of Trafalgar Square with a building labelled the Royal Academy where Nelson's Column stands. Special versions of Cruchley's large-scale London plans were also sometimes produced with improvement information, both suggested and sanctioned, superimposed on them. Various innovations were introduced to add variety to plans and increase their appeal; 'Cruchley's Twelve Miles Round London' (1839), for example, listed fairs, markets, and watermen's fares, and his 'Improved Environs of London' (c.1840?) incorporated circles showing the extent of the twopenny and threepenny post. Cruchley also published or sold other plans of London; John Waiter Froggett's maps, for instance, of the country 30 miles (1831) and 15 miles (c. 1842) around the capital appeared over Cruchley's publishing imprint, as did Charles Smith's map of the surrounding 12 miles (1830).
Inevitably, in time Cruchley realised the limitations of concentrating on the production of London plans and as the firm expanded he sought new map making opportunities, eventually branching out from map engraving, publishing and selling into printing and globe-making.
By the late 1820s, Cruchley was engraving plans for official reports on railway proposals; he produced the plan and section, for example, for James Walker's Report to the Committee of the proposed railway from Leeds to Selby (1829). Similarly, he began to develop private estate work and to forge strong links with the commercial world in order to tap the rapidly expanding demand from that sector: 'Maps, charts, plans of estates, &c. Accurately drawn, copied, reduced, or enlarged, and engraved in a superior manner. .. Merchants, Captains, and Dealers, supplied with Maps on advantageous terms'. Special formats were devised for use in market, office, and elsewhere: 'Maps mounted on linen, to fold in cases, for the convenience of trading - mounted on common rollers and varnished - or with springs, and fitted in mahogany cabinet cases, for public offices, libraries, &c. Maps & drawings framed, varnished, etc'. And by the early 1840s Cruchley was moving rapidly into more general cartographic publication with the production of world atlases and educational works.
This change of direction perhaps originated in Cruchley's acquisition of the plates of Christopher Greenwood's large-scale six-sheet map of Lancashire (1818) which were sold off, along with much else of Greenwood's stock in piecemeal fashion, in an attempt to save his failing business. Cruchley published a revised version of the map, re-engraved by J. H. Franks, in 1 S36. The ease of this process of acquiring old stock, revising it, and publishing it, usually as a supposedly new work under a new title and imprint, was apparently so attractive and profitable to Cruchley that he began assiduously to buy up or acquire for issue the stock of firms such as Bowles & Carver and J. & C. Walker.
Cruchley seized every possible opportunity of projecting a favourable image of himself and his publications, regularly engaging in the marketing 'puff' so typical of the map maker throughout the centuries. In particular, he sought to attract 'the attention of Principals of Colleges, Public Schools, Private Seminaries, Governesses, Teachers, &c.' in order to tap the growing educational market. These potential bulk purchasers were invited to inspect Cruchley's 'improved large Educational School Maps, Atlases, Globes, and Series of Progressive Maps ... the whole of which comprise an entire new, easy, and instructive method of teaching Geography.' These maps were obviously presented in the best possible light, being 'compiled from the best and most recent authorities extant, drawn on such a large scale and bold outline, purposely to assist the young Pupils in the study of Geography'; 'Drawn from the most authentic sources and latest authorities; combining accuracy of delineation ... with boldness and clearness of engraving'; and 'constructed from the best British and Foreign documents and authorities, engraved with the greatest care and attention.' Cruchley reinforced the desirability of his educational maps by stressing their popularity not only amongst 'numerous public and private Scholastic Establishments, Private Families, and Teachers' who provided 'extensive and unceasing demand', but also 'His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the junior branches of the Royal Family' who were instructed with his publications due to 'their acknowledged superiority to any other scholastic Maps or Atlases hitherto published'. Cruchley could thus solicit 'the patronage of all who are engaged in the important work of Tuition, flattering himself that they will be found, on inspection, superior to any others hitherto offered to their notice, and at such a moderate price as will enable them to be extensively introduced to their Pupils.' (By courtesy of the Royal Geographical Society, London).
Cruchley's most significant acquisition was the plates of George and John Cary. [3] Henceforth, Cruchley steadily moved away from his early practice of producing reliable maps of quality (mainly of London and its environs) to a policy of issuing poor quality maps, usually of doubtful reliability, created from earlier plates using cheap lithographic transfer techniques. From the mid-century Cruchley's ever-expanding output became more and more general and less and less satisfactory. Thus, Cary's New and Correct English Atlas (1787) was adapted to become Cruchley's County Atlas of England & Wales (1863) and later Cruchley's New Pocket Companion, or, Handmaid to Bradshaw and All Other Railway Timetables for England and Wales (c. 1872); Cary's Traveller's Companion (first issued 1790, re¬engraved 1806 and 1822) became Cruchley's Railroad Compan¬ion to England & Wales (c. 1852); and Cary's New English Atlas (1809) was transformed into Cruchley's Railway and Telegraphic County Atlas of England and Wales (c.1858). Cruchley even had the temerity to boast that the maps in the latter atlas were: 'projected on the Largest Scale yet adopted for any similar purpose'; contained 'all the Latest Information, of general utility or interest'; and had been 'Carefully Revised from the recent Ordnance Surveys of England and Wales'. These maps from Cary's New English Atlas were also sold separately under a variety of titles; the geologically adapted maps were advertised as being available 'geologically coloured price 3/6 in sheet', but seem never to have appeared in this form.[4]
In truth, as his atlas titles suggest, Cruchley's only significant up-dating of Cary's maps was the addition of railways and telegraphs to Cary's out-dated landscape, thus satisfying the principal preoccupation of map purchasers of the day. Despite the unreliability of his railway delineation, Cruchley claimed that on these reissued maps: 'the Lines of all the Railways are drawn, showing the Company to which each line belongs'; 'the Names of all the Stations are engraved in clear and bold characters'; 'the Telegraphic Lines and Stations are especially marked on these Maps'; and 'the Continuation of each Railway into adjoining Counties is accurately delineated, Exhibiting At A Glance Facilities Of Intercommunication, and thus supplying an impor¬tant desideratum to Commercialists'. In this way Cary's out¬dated maps appeared with railway and telegraph information crudely superimposed on Cary's delicately engraved topography as 'Cruchley's Railway & Telegraphic' maps, 'Railway And Station' maps, and so on, 'showing all the Railways & Names of Stations, Also the Telegraph Lines & Stations, Improved from the Ordnance Surveys'. More often than not stations were inexactly located and lines not yet opened were shown as in operation. On occasion, even railways merely projected but never constructed actually appeared in existence on the map. Hence, railway and communication information on Cruchley's maps should always be distrusted despite the suggestion of a specialist map in the title.
