The first edition of this atlas was published in 1829 and the title page of this issue states that the ‘whole [is] carefully revised & corrected to the year, 1842.’ In fact, the first true use of the plates was in Robert Rowe’s ‘English Atlas’ published in 1816. Only two examples of that atlas survive. Rowe (c.1775-1843) was a publisher and engraver but it is as the latter that he is most noted. It is possible that he both drew and engraved the maps in ‘The English Atlas’. Amongst his earliest works are the engraving of two sets of playing cards of the English Counties. Both are exceedingly rare; those of John Fairburn, 1798, and Joseph Allen, 1811.

Rowe continued selling the county maps until at least 1825. The date of their acquisition by Henry Teesdale (1776-1855) is not known. Born in London, his first known publication was a reissue of Christopher Greenwood’s large-scale map of Yorkshire in 1828. Teesdale was elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society shortly after its foundation in 1830. The earliest known edition is 1829, the date of issue is derived from the wording of the title ‘the whole carefully revised & corrected to the year, 1829.’ It was published in partnership with John Jordan and William Colling Hobson as Henry Teesdale & Co. All reference to Rowe is removed and Teesdale’s imprint added to each map. A new larger general map of England and Wales replaces the earlier one and two matching maps of Scotland and Ireland are added. The oval titles to each of the maps are replaced with a simple county name. There were further editions through this final one under Teesdale’s name dated 1842. This example contains an additional ‘Railway Map of England & Scotland’ by Cruchley not called for in the Index. Provenance: Donald Hodson collection (1933-2016), carto-bibliographer. Beresiner (1983) pp. 190 & 227-9; Carroll (1996) 71; not in Chubb (1927); Smith (1982); Tooley’s Dictionary (1999-2004); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).