Daniel Paterson (1738-1825) was born at Duddingston, Edinburgh in 1738. He was commissioned in the army in 1765 and served in the Quartermaster General’s department until 1812. He made Assistant Quartermaster General for the last eight years before his retirement. He then became Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec until his death in 1825. According to the ODNB it seems unlikely that he ever went there. ‘Paterson’s Roads’ was first published in 1771 and it proved to be a popular work being published into the nineteenth century. It only contained one general map. In 1785, this rarer profusely illustrated work was published by Carington Bowles (1724-93) running to only five editions. There are two road strips per page, each individually numbered. It is notable for including some of the first road maps of many parts of Scotland. Paterson made no significant cartographic contribution but did however compile useful works containing much information on the roads.

This second edition of 1796 is by Bowles’ successors, Henry Carington Bowles (his son, 1763-1830) in partnership with Samuel Carver. In this issue there is a change of format, the direct roads are all consecutive in the first volume. The cross roads are in the second volume. All plates and text pages are numbered consecutively throughout the two volumes. The general map has had the engraved dividing line marking the two volumes erased. This example is the publisher Henry Carington Bowles’s own copy, complete with his bookplate. There are several notations by hand within which no doubt are in his own hand. Provenance: Henry Carington Bowles (publisher) with bookplate; Donald Hodson collection. Carroll (1996) Appendix 15; Fordham (1924) p. 37; Fordham (1925b) ‘Paterson’s Roads’ pp. 344-55; ODNB; Shirley BL T.Pat 1c (lacking the second volume).