ChatterBank28 mins ago
1940's maps
7 Answers
Can anyone please advise where I can get a map of a certain area from back in the 1940/50's? It's for a gift so any help would be much appreciated.
Answers
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It all depends on the area Ginny. Some local libraries and archives post stuff online. Some rural areas changed hardly at all since early 20th century, so you could find these on www.old-maps.co.uk. You can also search for auction sites that sell old maps - could get the 'real thing' that way. Plus, it depends whethe you want an OS-type map - some areas have privately-commissioned maps such as estate maps. Local council planning depts can also be helpful if you get th right person.
There is a sort of antiques and collectibles fair every month where I live and there are two or three stalls which have old maps (1920s to 1950s).
Two main types of map to look for:
The old Ordnance Survey 'one-inch' maps (like the modern Landranger series). Exactly the same as modern, except scale is 1:63360 instead of 1:50000 (so slightly smaller but mapping looks very similar)
Bartholomew's "county" series (now discontinued): these have coloured contours (like a schoolbook atlas) and the scale was half-inch to the mile. As their title suggested, they mainly covered a single county each (though depends on the type of the county!) Very popular with walkers and cyclists.
If you have boot- or other fairs in your area, try these.
Charity shops often have a few of these old maps in among the books.
I wouldn't recommend old road maps because they tend to show roads but not much else. (Though some are better than others.)
Two main types of map to look for:
The old Ordnance Survey 'one-inch' maps (like the modern Landranger series). Exactly the same as modern, except scale is 1:63360 instead of 1:50000 (so slightly smaller but mapping looks very similar)
Bartholomew's "county" series (now discontinued): these have coloured contours (like a schoolbook atlas) and the scale was half-inch to the mile. As their title suggested, they mainly covered a single county each (though depends on the type of the county!) Very popular with walkers and cyclists.
If you have boot- or other fairs in your area, try these.
Charity shops often have a few of these old maps in among the books.
I wouldn't recommend old road maps because they tend to show roads but not much else. (Though some are better than others.)
These chaps are pretty good, I have sent a few as presents in the past...
http://www.francisfrith.com/
http://www.francisfrith.com/
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