William White and his Directory Maps
Lacks map (as usual)
Introduction
As an ardent collector of Devon maps, my interest in directories
was sparked by finding many contained maps of the counties, and especially
those of the Eyre Brothers who published a directory of Plymouth, and a guide
to the Watering Places and issued a number of county maps.[1]
Other individuals and companies producing directories also began to include
maps from the 1820s and some of these are included in my earlier works.[2]
When reading dealer´s catalogues and online descriptions of copies of William
White´s directories, I was struck by how often the words “lacks map (as usual)”
appeared. This was also true for most of the White directories of Devon on sale;
however, quite early in my collecting I was able to acquire an 1850 Devon
directory with the map. When I decided to delve deeper into the William White
directory company, I was surprised to find a family feud at the heart of it.
This monograph is essentially composed of three parts:
William White´s early years working with Edward Baines of Leeds; the
establishment of his own firm in the 1830s and its steady development until it
was acquired by Kelly in the 1890s; and the family feud with his brother,
Francis White, who established a rival directory business. I have restricted
myself to concentrating on the county maps of William White (with the exception
of the maps issued by Edward Baines), but I have added notes on both William´s
other maps, and the maps of Francis White.
Foreword
This monograph attempts to list all the institutions which contribute to
the JISC catalogue which possess a county map (or maps) of either William White
or his brother, Francis White, which was either included in the county
directory or separately issued in whichever form – and describe each map.
When attempting to compile such a work with no, or at best limited,
access to actual libraries, I am indebted to the librarians, archivists and the
teams at work within the various institutions where the books are situated,
from which I need information. Without their help and assistance this monograph
could never have been completed.
The JISC Catalogue or Library Hub Discover holds the records of
countless institutions both public and private including most, if not all,
university libraries, the four national libraries, and many semi-public
libraries (e.g. the National Trust libraries). Unfortunately, it has some major
deficiencies for researchers such as myself. It lists nearly all the on-line
books such as those which are freely available through institutions such as
University of Leicester Special Collections and the Hathi Trust, but also those
which are only accessible to University Students. It also lists later
facsimiles. For outside researchers this means much time wasted following up
false leads. In addition, library records are copied without verification; many
libraries do not have what they claim. This may be that books have gone missing
(“We cannot locate this work at the moment”) or, in the case of the White
directories, blindly copying information from the title page. Both White
brothers claimed “with a map of the county”, and this was often directly copied
into the catalogue entry. However, both are known to have published the map
separately, these have been seen as loose maps and as folding maps in covers.
Therefore, I have attempted to contact each of those libraries which
contribute to JISC in order to double check their holdings. This has meant
countless library staff supporting me with their own findings, after checking
volumes and maps for me. The list is long and I hope those staff will not be
upset if I have not named each one separately, however, if their institution is
named as possessing a map, you can be sure that staff in that library or
archive have assisted me.
The main emphasis has been on William White and his county directories,
but as his story began in Leeds with Edward Baines, you will find details of
these maps too. Francis White, possibly a black sheep of the family, also
produced maps and I have included what I have been able to find. Future
researchers may find this short monograph helpful. I hope so.
William White and his Directory Maps
Lacks map (as usual)
NOTE: To access individual counties, scroll to the end.
1.
The Early Years
To anyone looking for information today about a place, a
person or an event in past time, it is easy to delve one´s hand into one´s
pocket, extract the smart phone and use a search engine. We do not require the
words “history”, “gazetteer”, and “directory”; but these words would have been
familiar to any person seeking this kind of information two hundred years ago.
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the educated middle class took
an increasing interest in the historical development of their particular
county. Many of these turned to the latest editions of William Camden´s Britannia (originally
in Latin 1586), a monumental work which became something of a best seller after
its translation in 1610 into English.
England's Gazetteer, or, an accurate description of all the
cities, towns, and villages of the kingdom[3] is credited as lending its name
to that genre. This was a list of towns and cities throughout England with a
short description of each, and this also included an Index Villaris,
noting the locations of lesser noted villages and hamlets.
Compiled by Stephen Whatley and originally published in 1751 (3 vols), two
further editions appeared. The American equivalent followed in 1791[4].
There were many other works on the market at that time which
included elements of the gazetteer, even if they were not quite as
comprehensive as the Index. After Britannia´s translation, the
county atlases of Britain, increasingly began to include copious notes on the
more important towns and cities of each county, providing gazetteer writers
with another prime source of geographical information. More and more writers
included both historical and geographical information on their own particular
city or county.[5]
However, some authors began to realise that certain
information was missing and began to include lists of the residents of a
location. Lists of the gentry, or members of parliament had been a popular
inclusion even in the popular chapbooks and penny almanacks of the day, and
many of these included long Lists of the Fairs, identifying traders as a
valuable target audience. As a result, lists of merchants, and later, all
residents increasingly began to be included in these county works. This was a
good boost for traders and from that the trade directory was born. The first
specialised directory for London was compiled by Samuel Lee as early as 1677,
as a Collection of the Names of the Merchants, with the names
and addresses of nearly 2,000 tradespeople and goldsmiths involved in the
wholesale trade. Slow to catch on, the next directory did not appear until
almost 60 years later. Nevertheless, by the second half of the eighteenth
century, directories for important trading centres began to appear: Liverpool
from 1766, Manchester from 1772, Sheffield from 1774, and Bristol from
1775. The first county directory was that of Hampshire in 1784.[6]
The first real attempt at a national directory was produced by John Wilkes. The Universal British Directory was begun in 1790 but was not “completed” until 1798. Peter Barfoot, a Southampton country gentleman seems to have financed the project which was undertaken by Wilkes. The Royal Patent protecting the work was issued in 1789 implying original endeavours but the work was a rather patchwork affair. Published in parts at irregular intervals it was periodically sold in collections as bound volumes, so that five volumes are known. The directory covered a large number of places and there was a haphazard mix of historical and descriptive information, alphabetical lists of names, court, professional and commercial, fairs and conveyances. However, much of the information was pirated from other local directories, and very often out of date.
By the end of the nineteenth century the gazetteer-directory, combining historical background with the geographical information and lists of residents and traders of towns, became a popular purchase for gentry, gentleman and trader alike. These remained a vital source of information until the end of the twentieth century. Today these city or county directories are an important resource of material for social and historical aspects of the areas they covered, and most of those interested in their family history will have delved into the pages of one or more as they provide a useful source of information for genealogists to supplement census returns etc.
White´s History, Directory and Gazetteer became a popular source of reference
for many people, shopkeepers and private individuals alike, from the 1820s
until the beginnings of the twentieth century. In common with other directories
of the time, it combined an historical account of the district covered, a
gazetteer of most villages and towns, together with local information useful to
traders and gentry. Considering the large number of directories produced by
William White and his son (and the maps they distributed) very little is known
about the father and son partnership as such[7].
We know that William White was born and died in Sheffield, and although born in
that city on 3rd January 1799, he appears to have been in Leeds
at age 18, where he is reported as having ‘joined the late Mr Edward Baines of
Leeds in the preparation of county histories and directories’[8].
In 1822, William White was engaged by Edward Baines as a compiler[9]
just when Baines published his History, Directory & Gazetteer, of
the County of York.
Thus, William´s story, and that of his directories, really
begins in Leeds. Edward Baines (1774-1848) was a well-known figure in
Yorkshire´s largest city by the time William arrived there. Baines, with
financial help from many prominent Whigs, became the owner and editor of
the Leeds Mercury, which ultimately became the leading provincial
newspaper in England. He was also a somewhat controversial figure: on the one
hand, he was described by one of his most prominent rivals as "one
who has earned for himself an indisputable title to be numbered among the
notable men of Leeds”; while he was also labelled by Cobbett as "The
Great Liar of the North".[10]
Born in Preston in Lancashire, Edward Baines moved to Leeds
in 1795 where he completed the last two years of an apprenticeship at a local
newspaper, the Mercury before setting himself up independently. In
1801, with the backing of a number of supporters, he was able to purchase
the Mercury and swiftly increased sales of that publication
from 700-800 (1801) to 5,500 (1840s)[11].
As editor, he was a strong supporter of many Whig reforms and
used the newspaper to spread his beliefs. He was sympathetic to the poor,
identifying their poverty as a major source of dissatisfaction. Both his older
sons joined the newspaper business: Edward´s eldest son, Thomas, took
employment at the Liverpool Echo; but it would be the younger
son, also Edward, who would take over much of the running of the Leeds
newspaper. He was present and taking shorthand notes at the giant Reform
meeting at Manchester which became the Peterloo massacre, when 400-700
yeomanry charged a demonstration promoting reform in 1819, at which 19
died. Edward junior joined the paper in 1815 and, after prolonged visits
to Europe, by 1827 he had become a partner at Baines & Son. Politically
they did not always agree: while Edward Baines spoke up against child slavery,
Edward junior advocated against education for all.
Edward Baines (1774–1848)[12]
Edward Senior may well have aspired to being an author. The newspaper gave him scope for short articles, but he was an avid reader, politically astute and greatly interested in the events of the day. The Napoleonic wars had left a great impression on him and he decided to prepare a history of that period. His History of the Wars of the French Revolution appeared first in parts, then in a two-volume work. The first edition appeared in 1817 with 6 maps and was available, even translated into Spanish, in America only two years later[13]. Baines had, however, plagiarised an earlier work, a fact he only admitted in a later, revised edition[14].
History, Directory & Gazetteer of
the County of York by Edward Baines
This was a model for other
directories to follow.
History, Directory & Gazetteer of the County of
York
If William White was at the Baines company at age 18, he
would have been in the Leeds offices at the time that the History,
Directory & Gazetteer of the County of York; with select lists of the
merchants & traders of London and the principal commercial and
manufacturing towns of England ... also a copious list of the seats of the
nobility and gentry of Yorkshire was being compiled, this first
appeared in 1822. This was not Baines´ first venture into this kind of work but
the combination of history with gazetteer and directory employed here was a
novel approach which would influence other directory compilers throughout the
century. Volume I, covering the West Riding of Yorkshire was written by
Edward Baines (senior). As compiler of that work, W(illiam) Parson is named on
the title page as of the directory department,
indicating he was head of the numerous canvassers and compilers involved. The
directory of the East and North Ridings of that county followed a year later
with the same attributions. William White would later refer to 1822 as the
year in which his directory business was established.
In 1817, Baines had hired Parson, who had already established
a reputation for this type of work, In order to insure the utmost
accuracy for his Directory of Leeds. Hence, Mr W
Parson of Manchester is explicitly mentioned in the
Preface and has assisted in the compilation of several extensive
publications of a similar description. This is presumably the same
William Parson, who with T Bradshaw, would compile and publish a Staffordshire
General & Commercial Directory for 1818, printed by J Leigh for
the Proprietors[15].
Listed in a directory for Manchester of 1811, Parson is bookseller and
stationer at 35 Market Street Lane. He is thought to have written some
entries for Pigot´s Commercial Directory 1816-17.
Although directories for cities such as Leeds already existed,
for example, Wright´s Leeds Directory of 1797 and an earlier
Baines directory for Leeds in 1809 (and 1817 mentioned above), this directory
of Yorkshire was far more ambitious, with a complete history of the county, every
habitable spot listed and a trade register. The combination of quite a detailed
historical account of the county with gazetteer and directory was, to a large
extent, a completely novel approach.
To provide some sort of perspective on the
scope of Baines´ achievement, we need look no further than the first county
directory published by Sadler in 1784. The Hampshire Directory … to which is
added, abstracts of the Acts of Parliament lately passed was published by J
Sadler of Winchester and stretched to 170 pages with an 8 page Abstract. The
title page indicated its breadth and scope:
I.
Names of Lord
Lieutenant and High Sheriff
II.
Members of
Parliament
III.
Acting
magistrates
IV.
Church
dignitaries etc
V.
Mayor and
corporation members
VI.
VI. List of
Gentlemen of the Law and Physics, principal tradespeople
VII.
VII Post
services, and conveyances.
The
eight page Abstract mainly dealt with a New Act of Parliament concerning stamp
duty on Receipts, Promissory Notes and Drafts. Although there was one more attempt to produce a
county directory for Hampshire some 6 years later, it was not until 1852, with
Hunt´s Directory, that the county was given a true directory.
The first volume of Edward Baines´ Yorkshire directory alone
(West Riding, 1822) ran to 806 pages. The Index of Places was essentially the
index to the volume and listed not only the page reference where information on
that town or village could be found, but also the populations of 1811 and 1821
and totalled for the parish. This ran to ten pages to be followed by a three-and-a-half-page
Index of Subjects. An introductory chapter covered history, religion, county
divisions, nobles etc (i-xii). Nineteen pages covered the history and important
facts about Leeds, to be followed by an alphabetical list of all possible
streets in the city. The Leeds Directory occupied pages 55 to 91 before the
various transports were listed. Three tables plotted distances between
prominent features of the canals. The Alphabetical Classification of the
Professions and Trades of Leeds began on page 100 and was completed at page 180
and was followed by the General and Commercial Directory and Gazetteer of
the West Riding.
The volume on the North and East Ridings was equally as
comprehensive. The second volume finished with a list of the main fairs held in
Wales on page 654. Followed by two pages of additions and alterations. After
fifteen pages of preliminaries including an index of places followed by
additions and alterations to Leeds, the work began with a short historical
overview of this area of Yorkshire. After a two-page index to the city, York
was the first location covered (pages 13 to 149).
The outline above gives some indication of the painstaking
efforts carried out in order to compile all the information. The established
lists of Nobility, Clergy, Members of Parliament etc., were soon collected, but
these needed to be checked for accuracy and current status. But the trades
directory could only be carried out by door-to-door enquiry. One of the trades
listed in later directories is “Traveller” and these were often the people who
went door-to-door checking residents and traders, but also procuring orders for
the next edition of a directory.
Baines´ Yorkshire was extensive in scope and certainly
interesting not just from the historical, but also from a cartographic point of
view. Edward Baines was obviously interested in maps and the Yorkshire volumes
were accompanied not simply by a map, but with an “atlas”. This was a booklet
with a Table of Computed Distances of the Towns of Yorkshire From The
Metropolis, And From Each Other and a set of six maps which were
designed to accompany the History and Directory, and all of which appear to be
newly surveyed (see Appendix I).[16]
The six Yorkshire maps were by Alfred Smith (4) and Charles
Fowler (2). Alfred Smith seems to have been a local surveyor. His Map of the
West Riding and Ainsty of the County of York, was one of the maps of
the Ridings, his other plans were three of the four cities, namely Sheffield,
Kingston-upon-Hull and York.
We know quite a bit more about the second surveyor, Charles
Fowler who produced two maps for inclusion in Baines’ Yorkshire. One of
the two maps of the ridings, Map of The East and North Ridings of the
County of York, and
a city map of Leeds. The city map was relatively small, but some six years
later he executed a much larger and impressive map of the same city. His Plan
of the Town of Leeds and the Environs Woodhouse Carr, Knostrop, Hunslet,
Holbeck, and New Wortley was 57 x 80 cm., dissected, laid on linen and sold
in a slipcase.
Charles Fowler is variously described as civil engineer,
architect, Valuer & Agent, or surveyor. Probably
born in London, he was listed as architect, in Gordon Square, London, and in Tottenham, 1841, with
wife Sarah Ann
(née Mountain) and seven children, including Charles junior (1827-1907)[17]. He moved to
Leeds where he died on 24th July 1845.[18]
He is said to have: long been known as the projector of many local
improvements, and as the author of several useful and elaborate plans and maps
of Leeds and its vicinity, and other works connected with his profession.
Very few of his maps and plans are to be found, but he did
carry out estate surveying[19]
and may have designed a new bridge for Leeds. Ken Burton wrote: The origins of
Crown Point Bridge [Leeds] go back to October 1836 when Charles Fowler, the
indefatigable Engineer and Surveyor of Leeds, acting on his own initiative,
prepared a scheme for a bridge and was supported by others along with the Leeds
Mercury which was totally behind Fowler.[20]
C Fowler´s map of Leeds from
Directory of Yorkshire (1822-1823).
There is no mention of William White at this time as he would
have been one of a team of compilers. Fifteen years later, in the Preface to
the second edition of the Yorkshire volumes (1837) when referring to the first
edition of 1822, White mentions that he “was an assistant compiler, and he has
since been engaged in publications of a similar nature for all the Northern
Counties”. This second edition was written and published by White from his
business in Sheffield, but also sold by Baines and Newsome in Leeds.
History, directory, and gazetteer, of
the county Palatine of Lancaster
Over the next two years, following
the initial publication of Yorkshire in 1822, Edward Baines Snr. was extremely
industrious, producing his next directory; this time for the county of his
birth. The History, directory, and gazetteer, of the county palatine of
Lancaster; with a variety of commercial & statistical information ...
Illustrated by maps and plans. By Edward Baines. The directory department
was again headed by W Parson and it was published in1824 (Vol. 1) and 1825
(Vol. 2).
For this publication, Baines chose to use a local
Lancashire publisher, William Wales & Co. in Liverpool. In London his
directory would be handled by the well-known company Longman, Hurst, & Co.
Paternoster Row. Once again, although White was possibly involved, it is Parson
who is heading the research department. And once again the work is almost
monumental in style and content. The two volumes were so split up that
Liverpool was transferred to Volume I in order to install some balance. Hence,
this volume, after a short Preface (7 pages) begins with the History of the
county which extends over four chapters to 148 of the 660 pages. Liverpool is
the first city covered with pages 149-203 and includes all the relevant
material as well as four comprehensive lists of residents, tradespeople, street
names with residents door-to-door, as well as street names and locations on the
map that was included. The first volume then covered Ashton-under-Line to
Kirkham.
Volume II, after a short Preface begins with the city of
Lancaster. Manchester extends from page 57 to page 425 of the 744 pages and is
dealt with in a similar format to Liverpool and also has the four comprehensive
lists of residents, tradespeople, street names and map gazetteer. One of the
larger sections for both cities is the various lists of carriers (both by road
and by sea) and their destinations. Not only are the coaches named, but also
most ships and their particular routes and destinations noted.
The directory was again published with maps separate, all newly
surveyed by local experts: eight single page uncoloured engraved maps of cities
and towns, large maps of navigable waterways, Lancashire, Manchester and
Liverpool, a population chart and a distance table, all issued separately in a
booklet (see Appendix II).
Like the vast majority of nineteenth-century surveyors, little
is known about the author of Bolton surveyed by George Piggot of that city; of James Gillies who surveyed Blackburn; or
T Wilson, who surveyed the county map. George
Piggot carried out a Survey of land in Great Bolton Township circa 1827
and may have been an agent or overseer for the Bolton Estate from 1843.
Richard Thornton is a little more well-known. For this volume he
executed two relatively small city plans, of Stockport and Preston, but he was responsible for Bancks & Co.'s plan of
Manchester & Salford, with their environs: shewing the division of property
& the length of each street. This huge map (composite map on 2 sheets;
maps: 1180 x 1780 mm; sheets: 1260 x 1880 mm.) was printed "from an actual
survey by Richard Thornton, commenced under the auspices of his late majesty
and now dedicated by permission to his Most Gracious Majesty, William the Fourth."
His survey being completed in 1831. He was supported by Thomas Bancks, a local
bookseller. His other large project was the 24 plans finally published as Adshead's
twenty four illustrated maps of the township of Manchester: divided into
municipal wards: corrected to the 1st. May, 1851. This was a collection of 24
simple ward maps showing all public buildings, warehouses and places of
business and private houses. Joseph Adshead was an estate agent, social
campaigner and local politician.
However, both the larger plans in the Lancashire directory,
those of Manchester and of Liverpool, were surveyed by William Swire, who also
executed the city plan of Rochdale and the plan of the inland waterways. A
surveyor of Little Preston, Leeds, he would execute a very impressive map of Chester (-shire) together with Hutchings in
1831.
Ashton under Line, Oldham and Lancaster were surveyed by J
Atkinson. Ian James Saunders[21]
has pointed out that Atkinson probably copied his Lancaster from an
earlier map by Mackreth but with some updating. He also goes into some detail
to point out that this map is extant in two versions. Not only is the castle
view now seen from a different perspective, but the reference table is in one
or two columns and there is even some difference in design of gardens and open
spaces. It is not known why this map was produced twice.
Map of LANCASTER with one
column Reference
Copyright Gillmark Gallery. Antique Maps and Antique
Prints, Gillmark Gallery, Leyburn, Yorks.
From Baines to
White
Possibly as a derivative of the
Yorkshire directory, The Directory, Guide, and Annals, of Kingston-upon-Hull, and the Parish
of Sculcoates; Together with the Neighbouring Towns and Villages in
Lincolnshire and Yorkshire was published in 1826. The
development of this directory is significant, as it traces the beginnings of
the later White series of directories. More modest at 275 pages, it was still published
in Leeds and printed by Edward Baines. The publisher was now William White
& Co., with William Parson as the editor. When the second edition was
issued (in 1831) as Directory, Guide, and Annals of Kingston-upon-Hull, Scarborough,
Bridlington, Flambro', Filey, Hornsea, and the Towns and Ports Connected with
the Rivers Humber, Ouse, and Trent, Etc., it was published by William White in Sheffield.
The printer was now R Leader. The work was very popular and there were
frequent reprints with changes to the layout and by 1882, White's Directory of Hull, was in its seventh edition.
In 1827 the next county directory appeared linking White,
Parson and Baines, but the partnership had undergone a further change.
The History, directory, and gazetteer, of the counties of
Durham and Northumberland, and the towns and counties of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
and Berwick-upon-Tweed was published in two volumes by Wm
Parson and Wm White (1827 and 1828). Printed for W White & Co., by Edward
Baines and Son, it was sold by the publishers at their new offices at Bell´s
Court in Newcastle. This, together with the next directory of Cumberland
and Westmoreland (see below), are the only two directories reported
that were published in Newcastle. This may have been a sign that Edward Baines
was interested in establishing a new office there, or that White had actually
begun to take this branch of the business away from Baines. As Baines had used
a local publisher for his Lancashire directory (William Wales of Liverpool), it
may have been a marketing ploy of Baines to use a local publisher for the
Durham and Northumberland work.
Durham and Northumberland: One
of two covers of map section.
Courtesy Michael Kemp,
Booksellers, Sheerness.
While the directory for Kingston-upon-Hull had not included any maps at all, Durham and Northumberland was illustrated with maps and tables, on fine paper, 1s 6d each extra (see Appendix III) or the maps were to be had in an extra Atlas with coloured maps extra 3s.
Although, White was branching
away from Edward Baines in Leeds, he followed the original format by keeping
maps and tables separate. There was a major difference, however, as the main
maps included were not specially prepared. There were two county maps, but
these were maps that John Cary had first published in 1807 but revised for
William Smith, the geologist. Still containing his added notes, they are the
only Cary-Smith maps found adapted and used in a directory. The tables follow
the Baines´ tradition: a population table for England; a table of the distances
between towns in the four northern counties; and a table of distances between
towns in Great Britain and Ireland.
Norton[22] writes
that Edward Baines and William Parson published a combined history,
directory and gazetteer of Yorkshire in 1822, and this type of volume was
commonly followed by them and by their successor, William White. We know
that Edward Baines (junior) was following in his father´s footsteps at the
newspaper offices and became a partner at this time (Baines & Son) but that
it was White who took over the directory side of the business. In the 1826 Hull
directory William announces that “the task of preparing directories such as
have for some years been issued from the Press of the Mercury Office at Leeds,
has been devolved on the Present Proprietors,” i.e. White and Parson. The obituary is probably near the
mark: when, about four years afterwards, Mr. Baines gave up
that department of literature, Mr. White succeeded him, and prosecuted his
labours with remarkable energy and success.[23] This
marks the real birth of the White series of directories, even if he regularly
mentioned 1822 as the year of establishment, and once noted it as 1818.
The Leeds Mercury continued until 1939.[24]
William White and his Directory Maps:
Click the entry below to access relevant page.
1. Early Years - William White and Edward Baines
2. William White & Co.
3. Rivalry and Family Feud
4. Francis White & Co.
5. The County Maps of William White
6. William White Co. - Later Years
Appendix 1 - The County Directories of Edward Baines
1.1. Yorkshire
1.2. Lancashire
Appendix 2 - The County Directories of William White
2.1 - Durham and Northumberland
2.2 - Cumberland & Westmorland
2.3 - Nottinghamshire
2.4 - Staffordshire
2.5 - Norfolk
2.6 - Yorkshire (later edition)
2.7 - Lincoln
2.8 - Suffolk
2.9 - Leicestershire with Rutland
2.10 - Essex
2.11 - Devonshire
2.12 - Hampshire with Isle of Wight
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