A big hello and welcome to my new followers this week. With the current flurry around #THEGenealogyShow2021 it's been a busy time.
One of my favourite resources to use in #genealogy research is MAPS. So here's a little thread of #maps to get your weekend off to a good start...
The previous map (& here) is taken from the first ever Ordnance Survey (OS) map, produced in 1801 for the Kent.
And why Kent? The clue's in the name: ORDNANCE refers to artillery or weaponry; these maps were made with military defence in mind, just prior to the Napoleonic Wars.
Of course OS #maps are but a relatively recent development in the long history of mapping. Here's a copy of Morgan's famous 1682 map of London.
Beautiful - but not without its biases: prisons, WHs and signs of poverty were "judiciously" omitted from the final version...
Even earlier, John SPEED had produced a famous series of maps of English counties. Here's his drafting of Lancashire circa 1610: #maps
With so many maps available, you might feel a little overwhelmed when you need a map to use in your #FamilyHistory research.
👉TIP: Find a contemporary map - one that matches up as closely as poss with the time period you're studying. Towns and placenames change over time.
Researching the 19th century onwards? You'll probably want OS maps. Access these here:
👉 National Library of Scotland maps.nls.uk
👉 British Library bl.uk/collection-gui…
👉 Alan Godfrey Maps (paper versions) alangodfreymaps.co.uk
📷 c/o NLS, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
If you're looking to use lots of Ordnance Survey maps for personal #genealogy research, you might want to follow @natlibscotmaps.
They're also holding a *FREE* online #maps seminar this Wednesday, aimed at family and local historians:
Later on in the 19thC, maps took a turn towards social matters & public health. Charles Booth's series of London maps, chronicling poverty in the capital, are amongst the best known.
London ancestors, late 19thC? Visit booth.lse.ac.uk to explore Booth maps & notebooks...
If you're looking to get started with genealogical mapping, here's an overview of possible approaches over on my personal blog at The Parchment Rustler #FamilyHistory #twitterstorians
parchmentrustler.com/family-history…
You can also catch a video I produced for @InspireArchives in 2020, demonstrating my Outlier Method for genealogical mapping #maps
My take-home message? Maps are *far* more than just decorative; they can revolutionise your research. If you'd like to explore ancestors' stories through the amazing medium of #maps, I'm speaking today at #THEGenealogyShow2021 - tickets available here:
thegenealogyshow.uk
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