If you thought the animosity between North London and South London was a recent concept, then have a look at this map of London from 1787 which barely even notices that South London exists!

OK, actually a map of Middlesex – as what we call “South London” was at the time part of Surrey and Kent and not part of London at all. Then the Local Government Act came along in 1888 and merged parts of each County to create the newly formed County of London.

The map below is by John Cary and taken from his New and Correct English Atlas originally printed in 1787. This map was itself based on the slightly earlier Dury & Andrews map of 1766, although several minor changes were made to the plate.

It was re-engraved in 1793 and published in later editions of the atlas until 1843 – the 1840 and 1843 versions showing the first railway lines. With the imprint information removed, extra railways added, etc, lithographic transfer prints from the plate were issued in Cruchley’s County Atlas of England and Wales between 1863 and 1876.

Sadly, I am not currently able to say which reprint my version is – although the lack of railway lines puts it firmly in a pre-1840 edition.

Click here for medium, large or  very large versions.

An interesting article from a copy of the Illustrated London News of October 1856 that I recently acquired – on a mobile elevating platform that would have been used to peer over the walls of a city being besieged by an army.

However, I am still somewhat at a loss as to why the besiegers were unable to put up a ladder that was just below line-of-sight and climb up that to peer over the walls of the city.

Anyhow, as with many inventions, the initial motivation was military with civilian uses a later potential benefit, and although we see mechanical lifting platforms used in some situations, the enthusiasm that the invention would effectively render the humble ladder redundant proved hopelessly optimistic.

THE PATENT ELEVATOR AND OBSERVATORY

Illustrated London News, October 11, 1856

During the siege of Sebastopol a good deal of natural anxiety was felt to obtain a view of the interior of the enemy’s works, and several plans to this effect were suggested, none of which were feasible. Two or three months before the town yielded to the Allied armies, Mr. Stocqueler, the military writer, conceived that a machine constructed upon the principle of the “lazy tongs,” with a vertical action, might be made available for carrying a person up a considerable height, and at a safe distance, so as to afford a perfect view of the interior of the fortifications.

He communicated his idea to Mr. W.B. Saunders; and the father of that gentleman, Mr. W. Saunders, formerly of Jersey, a remarkably ingenious person, hit upon expedient of applying the “lazy tongs” principle in the manner shown in the accompanying engraving. It will be observed that a series of tiers of expanding laths, each lath six feet in length, worked by a wheel acting on a spindle, rises from the three sides of a triangular base, carrying up an individual, secured by a circular railing, to a height of fifty or even one hundred feet, according to the dimensions of the base.

A model of the machine having been shown to Lord Panmure, that nobleman, after taking the opinion of scientific officers, encouraged Messrs. Stocqueler and Saunders to construct a machine properly reserving his undertaking to become a purchaser on behalf of the Government until the promise of the model should be realised in the elevator itself.

No time was lost by the projectors in commencing the construction of the machine. Several difficulties and obstacles presented themselves, but they were all surmounted by the energy of Mr. Saunders and the skill of Mr. Burley, the engineer – not, however, until Sebastopol had fallen. In the mean, while Messrs. Stocqueler and Saunders patented their invention in England, France, Belgium, &c.; and it is now offered to the public for the various purposes to which it is applicable.

Its utility in superseding scaffolding to a great degree is obvious. For cleaning the inside of the roods of churches, chapels, halls, and museums; painting and repairing the fronts of houses; assisting firemen to direct the jets of water upon burning houses; facilitating reconnaissances and observations; rendering ladders and climbing unnecessary in gathering fruit; lopping the branches of tall trees, and watering conservatories; painting and caulking the sides of ships – in face, for all purposes in which a certain elevation, without the expense and incumbrance of scaffolding, is requisite, this invention will prove of much value.

We understand that it is viewed with much favour on the other side of the Channel.

Another small map to add to my collection – this time a reprint of a map by John Norden for Queen Elizabeth.

Published originally in Speculum Britanniae in 1593 are considered to be the best representations known of the English metropolis under the Tudors. My copy was taken from “Old and New London” a series of illustrated topographical studies which were first published c.1883.

Interesting points to note:

The spelling of “Wes(t)minster” in the map itself.

The “way to St Giles” – although by then it had already adopted the suffix of “in the fields” by the time the map was made. Today, a church is still there, next to the CenterPoint tower.

Charing Cross on what is today the site of Trafalgar Square.

The area marked “Scotlande”, which was land ceded to Scotland for the use by the Ambassador and Royal Family prior to King James taking the English Throne. It later was the site of Scotland Yard.

The Great Hall at Whitehall, which is still standing as part of the Palace of Westminster.

Topical for today’s politicians might be Thieving Lane, so called, for that criminals were led that Way to the Gatehouse by Tuthil Street. Through the gatehouse, and in the very large version you can just make out the hangman’s gibbet in the new Palace yard, the criminal’s terminal destination.

Medium Sized Version (1024 x 698)

Very Big Version (2565 x 1749)

Whenever a new energy or force was discovered in the past, it wasn’t long before someone tried to see if it could be used as a medical treatment.

As most things can treat something though, it wouldn’t be long before “this might work in some cases on a few illnesses” is turned into CURES EVERYTHING!

Just as the discovery of radiation initially lead to the use of radioactive elements as treatments – and indeed still are in more controlled conditions, the discovery of controllable electricity spurred an entire industry in dubious cures for all manner of ailments.

As regular readers may recall, I have a growing collection of old newspapers, from which I have learnt that rheumatism and gout seemed to be the greatest medical concern of the age.

Today I acquired a collection of prints from various newspapers and this advert from October 1882 jumped out at me.

What I like most about these adverts is the improbable list of the things the device will cure: Nervous headaches; bilious headaches; neuralgia; dandruff – not to mention preventing grey hairs and baldness.

Click on the image for a larger version.

Considering the quackery of the claims made about the brush, even more amusing to my mind is the dire warning that there are fakes around that wont work as promised, and that people simply must make sure they buy only from Dr Scott.

Note also how they push the address of the shop quite strongly – as it would have been just a few doors down from the first electricity generator for public use in London, which powered street lighting in the Holborn area. Hanging onto the coattails of its more legitimate neighbour!

If, like me, you are rather keen on heritage, you might have come across The Georgian Group – a charity that works to preserve Britain’s heritage.

The Georgian Group is the national charity dedicated to preserving Georgian buildings and gardens. Every year we are consulted on over 6,000 planning applications involving demolition or alterations.

In addition to the worthy stuff you would expect of such an organisation, they also organise a wide range of events, which is partly how I became aware of them – as I keep an eye on them for my own events calendar. However, many of their events are for members only, which does mean that a) I rarely list their events on the calendar, and b) most of the interesting events are not open to me.

For various reasons, I am a bit twitchy about joining organisations, mainly as I know I would end up with TONS of memberships all over the place. I have also been a bit burnt in the past by organisations who are happy to take my money but offer very little in return.

Yes, I know I should have joined the organisation to help fund their activities – and I do – but I do feel that I want to get something in return as well – even if just an occasional newsletter. It would also help if organisations would use Direct Debits more often – letters asking for cheques in the post will end up being lost in my (ignored) pile of paperwork.

Anyhow – The Georgian Group are offering free membership for one year to anyone who follows them on Twitter during the month of February, and I thought, “why not”.

Not expecting much more than a Thank You and a chance to attend members-only events, I was delightfully surprised to get quite a large envelope in the post with a hefty 160 page journal and a 70 page magazine. The current issue, in addition to glossy adverts for restoration services and opportunities to buy expensive houses, also has some interesting articles, including quite a detailed article on threats to the historic flavour of London’s Spitalfields.

To claim your free year’s membership, please email ‘FF claim’ to office@georgiangroup.org.uk giving your Twitter username and your name and address. Offer runs until 28 February.

If you want to have a look at a Georgian era building before deciding if you want to join, then I can recommend either Dr Johnson’s House or Benjamin Franklin House as good examples.