Thomas Jefferys was one of the most important English map publishers of the 18th century. His work included prints and maps of locations around the world, but his most notable maps are of North America and the West Indies. He began his career in the map trade in the early 1730s, working as an engraver for a variety of London publishers, and eventually setting up his own shop. In 1746, he was appointed Geographer to the Prince of Wales, and in 1760 he became Geographer to the King. These titles granted access to manuscripts and cartographic information held by the government. In the early 1760s he embarked on an ambitious project to produce a series of English county maps based on new surveys, but ran out of money and filed for bankruptcy in 1766. He then partnered with London publisher Robert Sayer, who reissued many of Jefferys plates and continued to issue new editions after Jefferys' death in 1771. Jefferys' American Atlas and the accompanying West-India Atlas, published post posthumously, are considered his most important cartographic works.

Handsome and hard to find map of the island shows the topography by use of hachure along with roads, towns, hospitals, and plantations. A nota bene to the bottom left describes the attributes of the land and notes the fifty paces along the coast belonging to the King of England. Grenada had passed back and forth between the British and French colonial powers during the 18th century, with France ceding the island to Britain in the 1763 Treaty of Paris. The French regained control during the American battle for independence, and won the island during the 1779 Battle of Grenada. In 1783, the island was ceded back to the British with the Treaty of Versailles. The coastlines are well delineated and include the locations of safe harbor and soundings in the bays. The map has a striking compass rose orienting the map with north to the left. This is the first edition.

References: Shirley (BL Atlases) M.JEF-4a #36; Tooley (MCC-62) #25.

Condition: A

Clean, crisp impression on paper with a large fleur-de-lis coat of arms. There is some paper weakness and light extraneous creasing in the bottom corners, with a couple of repaired tears in the margins.