John Senex (c.1678-1740) was geographer to Queen Anne and a Fellow of the Royal Society. He began his career as a bookseller, later becoming an engraver and publisher. In 1714, he published the large folio ‘English Atlas’ which was followed by the folio ‘New General Atlas’ of 1721. In 1719 Senex published a pocket version of John Ogilby’s ‘Britannia’ road book, just two days after that of Thomas Gardner’s ‘Pocket-Guide’. It contained reductions of the originals suitable for carrying.

Senex died 30 December 1740 and his widow continued the business, re-publishing the work in 1742. A further issue introduced a general map dated 1744. At an unknown date the publication was sold to John Bowles and Son. They reissued it as ‘The Roads Through England Delineated’ in 1757 for which the plates were reworked quite heavily. The most noticeable alteration is the plate numbers are now in both the upper corners. This particular example is the 1762 edition with the imprint of John Bowles alone. A further general map now states below that ‘The figures on these Roads refer to the Page where they are shown’. There were several ensuing editions through c.1792. Provenance: private English collection. Bennett (1996) pp. 37-9; not in Chubb; Fordham (1924) p. 18; Smith (1991 a & b); Shirley (2004) T.Sen 3e.