This extremely long map of the entire length of the river Thames is drawn to the scale of one inch to a mile. It records all the nearby towns, villages, roads, and railway lines. Many with descriptive legends. It details the locks, weirs, water mills, paths, and ferries. The accompanying text describes the byelaws of the river, the various charges for boat registration and locks and the various forms of angling available. Stanford were the agents for charts etc. for the Lord of the Admiralty.

Edward Stanford (1827-1904) is a name many are familiar with, not least because the business he began still exists. He began his career working with various stationers and went into a short-lived partnership as Saunders & Stanford 1852-53. He began his own business in 1857 which grew rapidly. By 1861 he was employing 41 people and 71 by 1871. He acquired the stock of John Arrowsmith in 1874. Edward Stanford Junior (1856-1917) was working with him by 1881 and on 1 January 1882 he passed control to him. Stanford Ltd were at the Long Acre premised from 1873-82. The pasted mapsellers label of George Philip records an address of 32 Fleet Street at which he operated from 1856-79. The booklet is dated 1927 Tooley’s Dictionary (1999-2004); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).