AARON ARROWSMITH 1750 -
xxxxxThe English map maker Aaron
Arrowsmith established his reputation with the publication of a
large map of the world in 1790. Known for the accuracy of his work, he produced a
large number of excellent maps, including ones of North America,
Africa, Southern India and the Pacific Ocean. After his death his
business became a family concern. It published a four-
xxxxxAaron Arrowsmith was born at Winston, Durham, England. He had no formal education but after working as a surveyor in London, began to produce and publish maps. Taking most of his data from the records of explorers and travellers to ensure their accuracy, he became the leading British cartographer of his day.
xxxxxHe established his reputation with a large world map, published in 1790, and went on to produce outstanding maps of North America, Southern India and the Pacific Ocean. His map of Africa, shown here and dated 1802, shows how little of the continent had been explored by that date.
xxxxxAfter his death, his
business became a family concern, and many more maps were produced.
Among these was a first-
xxxxxIncidentally, it was around
this time, 1791 in fact, that the British
Ordnance Survey was founded and began to
make maps of the British Isles for defence purposes. The first
sheet, covering the county of Kent on a scale of one inch to the
mile, was completed ten years later -
Acknowledgement
Arrowsmith:
stipple engraving by the British artist Thomas Anthony Dean (1801-
G3b-