The beginning of the nineteenth century saw a period of rapid market growth and innovation in the map publishing world. Increased literacy and public interest in new frontiers and colonies overwhelmed the market because it was oriented toward the small, affluent market of the previous century. With the intent to fill this void, The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (SDUK) was founded in 1828 in London, by Lord Brougham and a group of men dedicated to the education of the aspiring working class and the Utilitarian ideal of 'Knowledge is Power.' The society produced an array of education materials, but the series of maps was one of their most successful ventures. A number of engravers and printers were used to produce the maps, which eventually exceed 200 sheets, and continued to be published after the Society as a whole ceased to function.

This six sheet steel-engraved map shows all of England and Wales in great detail. Hundreds of tiny towns, roads, railroads, canals, and political boundaries are depicted. Sheet I includes a list of all shires with their populations in 1841. Each map stands on its own with a keyboard-style border. Published by Charles Knight and engraved by J. & C. Walker. This six-sheet set is rarely offered complete.

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Condition: A

Contemporary outline color on bright sheets with a bit of marginal soiling. There are a few short tears and minor toning confined to the edges of the sheets. Sheet I has a narrow top margin, as issued. The first image is a composite image - the map is in six separate sheets.