135. William & Alexander Keith Johnston 1858

William Johnston (1802-1888) opened his printing business in 1825 after training with two well-respected companies including W & D Lizars (a company he and his brother would acquire in 1862). The following year his brother, Alexander Keith Johnston (1804-1871), joined the flourishing company. They produced their first maps in 1830. The firm is also known for its connection with G W Bacon & Co.; its present publishing activities are carried out in partnership with Bacon.

The Johnstons produced a map of the whole country, Modern Map of England and Wales constructed by W & A K Johnston (BL 1175) and transfers of Devon with Cornwall together were used for Murray’s Handbook Devon, Cornwall 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th editions¹; a folding map of Devon and Cornwall being slipped into a pocket in the inside back cover.² The handbooks were all printed by W Clowes and Sons.

Sectional maps covering the county were taken from the same (virtually unchanged) plates of the whole country and used in Cassell's Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland. This was published by Cassell and Co. in parts from 1893 - 1898 and Devon is found mainly on sheets XIX, XX and XXV in Volumes II and III. The Johnston brothers produced a series of maps as advertising for Dexter’s Weatherproof Clothing: this contained one map of the complete southwest peninsula with slogan Dexter Proofing is proof against time as well as tempest and As British As The Weather - But Reliable. The W & A K Johnston plates were also used to prepare maps for two Sidmouth guides by Day Brothers and by Macvean and Williams.

In 1889 W & A K Johnston published their county atlas The Modern County Atlas of England & Wales. Each county map was a transfer taken from their earlier map of the whole country. These maps show the county in detail, the surrounding areas are left plain.

In 1892 the transfers were also used to provide a set of maps for Deacon’s Devon and Cornwall Court Guide. These contained four maps of Devon and Cornwall: Political; Geological showing rock strata etc.; Climatological, the weather; Hydrographical, depicting rainfall and run-off areas. This was probably the first hydrographical map of the county excluding De la Beche’s small map (118).

Size: 335 x 485 mm.                                                                                                                    SCALE 7 Miles to one INCH (20 = 75 mm).

HANDBOOK MAP OF DEVON AND CORNWALL (CaOS) (length 100 mm). Signature: Engraved by W. & A. K. Johnston. Edinburgh. (EeOS). Imprint: Published by John Murray, Albemarle Street, London, 1858. (CeOS). Inset map of the SCILLY ISLANDS (Ad) 12 mm from border. Railways to Bideford, Tor Mohan, Tiverton and Penzance.