-
31. Chart of Plymouth Sound with the Three Towns

Title: Cooke’s Chart of Plymouth Sound, and General Guide to Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse  in panel slightly right of top centre.
Date: 1824.
Size: 540 x 420 mm.
Imprint(s): Published Octr 25, 1824 by JOHN COOKE ENGRAVER & GEOGRAR and there is the added information that Cooke was (late engraver to the Admiralty) 48, Union St., Stonehouse Plymo.
Signature(s): see above.
Location(s): BL, NMM, WDRO, KB.[1]


Comments: There is a note above top border: UNDER THE patronage OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, PLYMOUTH. Further imprint (right of title): Entered at Stationer´s Hall, London. Price 3s 6d. Border on three sides, no border at bottom.
This is a fairly large and detailed chart covering an area from the entrance of the Lynher (Aa) to just east of Efford (Ea) with Rame Head (Ae) and the Mewstone in border (Ee). The breakwater appears virtually central. On the one hand, it is a mariner´s chart with much information that would be beneficial to sailors entering the port, but on the other hand, the three towns are presented in enough detail to see their respective sizes and orientation. Even some buildings and streets clearly shown, e.g. The Athenaeum and Theatre.
This chart is very similar in style to the Chart ... Taken 1817 (see Cooke 22). Top right is a vignette of Tor House which would be a good aid in guiding a vessel through the dangerous rocks and a sight line is drawn The Eastern or Sedley´s Channel (approach). The Western Channel has a sight line marked as far as an obelisk to the left of the Citadel. The Panel of Leading Marks (Ad) has comprehensive instructions for sailors entering the harbour. What looks like the names of ships at anchor (e.g. Vanguard, Mallard or Asia) are in fact the names of buoys and each had a specific colour or colour combination. The coastal shading is the most comprehensive and detailed of all Cooke´s work.
Joseph Whidbey was the chief engineer of the breakwater building under Sir John Rennie and Mr Whidbey´s House is marked at Bovisand Bay. 








[1] BL Maps 2140.(3.) and G.20269; NMM (G 233:2/146); WDRO.  KB copy in a slipcase with James Wyld imprint and label.


Link to Map 32.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

-
Image
  John Cooke                  Engraver and Publisher: 1765 - 1845                         JOHN COOKE – of London and Plymouth THIRD EDITION Newly Revised 2024  INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION to The Third Edition 2024   I am an avid collector of Devon guidebooks and soon became aware that a certain John Cooke had either engraved, or engraved and published, plans of the Plymouth area or of its breakwater which expanded in to an article about Plymouth Breakwater. [1] Over the years I managed to acquire a number of maps and plans depicting this monumental enterprise and Cooke´s name appeared several times. The name John Cooke is certainly not rare. However, there appeared to be two or even three engravers of that name around this time, with two operating from London, the other from Stonehouse, Plymouth, not counting the other Cookes active in the book and printing trades at the turn of the nineteenth century. According to Tooley´s Dictionary of Mapmakers (the most reliable source at that time
Read more
-
Image
  London Confusion Towards the end of the 18 th century and the dawn of the 19 th there were literally thousands engaged in the printing and allied trades in London. Many printers were also publishers, many engravers worked for multiple employers and the book printing, binding and retail trades were rapidly expanding. The area between Holborn in the north and the Strand in the south was littered with businesses engaged in publishing in one form or another. It is not surprising then that many people shared the same family name, but the number of Cookes, and specifically J Cook(e) made it difficult to identify a single person. The BBTI [1] has almost 65 entries for Cook or Cooke, with 9 entries for J (or I) Cook/e in London and one each in Plymouth and Exeter for this period. These included printers, booksellers, publishers, compositors, bookbinders, engraver/etcher, even paper-hanger and rag merchant. Ian Maxted [2] , well-known and respected for his work on the printing trades in bo
Read more
-
Image
  John Cooke of Union Street, Stonehouse (1823-1845)   When, in 1823, another plan of the breakwater was published ( 30 ), Cookes Plymouth Breakwater with the transverse section of the completed section , Cooke´s address is 48 Union Street for the first time. There is no mention of the Copper-Plate Engraving and Printing Office or of Mrs Nile.     Fig. 35. Print of the Royal Hotel and Plymouth Theatre.   Apart from his maps and charts, not many other engraved works by Cooke have been discovered. Besides the dedication and the heraldic arms for Gilbert already mentioned, Somers Cocks [1] lists a J Cooke for only two topographical prints; the first is of the Royal Hotel and Plymouth Theatre designed by John Foulston and completed 1818 (80 x 310 mm). This was published and sold separately, has Cooke´s address as 48 Union Street (Mrs Nile’s address) and is tentatively dated to 1820 ( Fig. 35 ), although according to a newspaper advertisement John Whitten took over management of
Read more