This large scale map of Derby is by Christopher Greenwood (1786-1855) and his brother John Greenwood (1791-1867). They were both surveyors. Christopher Greenwood was from Yorkshire who settled in Wakefield by about 1815 before moving to London in 1818. His first large-scale survey was of Yorkshire published in 1817. His brother John was also a surveyor and in 1821 they joined forces. Along with the distribution capabilities of George Pringle and Son, they made an immediate impact with their series of large scale surveys of many English counties. This is one of four published in 1825.

It is on a large scale of one inch to the mile and differentiates between woods and plantations, heaths and commons, different types of waterway and roads. Watermills, windmills, toll booths, coal mines and railways are identified indicating their significance to the local economy. The Little Eaton Tramway opened in 1795 was specifically built for the collieries. It was built by James Outram and was a horsedrawn line. It remained open until 1908. The early 1800s was a time of rapid change in the landscape with the burgeoning industrial revolution.

A large vignette of Chatsworth House occupies the lower left corner. Their surveys utilised the latest system of triangulation adopted by Colonel Mudge and his surveyors for the Ordnance Survey. Indeed, they were in open competition with them. The Greenwood maps were coloured as opposed to the more functional black and white Ordnance Surveys of the period. Rodger (1972) 80; Tooley ‘Large Scale’ Map Collector 27 p. 37 D16; Tooley’s Dictionary; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).