The ‘Illustrated London News’ began publication in May 1842. There were to become the Newspaper of the day. For the next few decades they produced special folding illustrations that were “Given with the Illustrated London News” which are hard to come by and nearly always damaged in some way. The first of these was published in 1845 and was this two part panorama of London taken from south of the River Thames. It extends from Vauxhall Bridge in the west to the Woolwich Docks in the east. This example has been bound into its own folder for protection.

This is a great panoramic work with what appears to be a pageant in the river on the western sheet and a clear indication of the importance of merchant trade to the city on the east with the river full of ocean going ships. Seven bridges across the river are depicted as is the Greenwich Railway ending at London Bridge, this was the first steam railway opened in London in 1836.