140. Walter McLeod 1861

Walter McLeod (or M’Leod) was a geographer and headmaster of the Modern School in Chelsea. He prepared several educational atlases between 1858 and 1869 which though interesting  do not contain county maps. His one work which did contain maps of the counties was the Physical Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland published in 1861 (8vo) by Longman with maps engraved by Edward Weller who had engraved many of the maps in McLeod’s other works.

This atlas, published in Gleig's School Series Physical Atlas Of Great Britain & Ireland (cover title, price 7/6) was aimed especially at schoolchildren "specifically illustrating the Physical Features of Great Britain and Ireland  ... invaluable to those who are directly engaged in the education of youth, whether they are Teachers in Public or Private Schools". The first page consists of adverts for McLeod’s other school works on geography, reading and spelling, maths and even a grammar for beginners.

The atlas consisted of thirty engravings with several counties on one plate all lithographed at a uniform-scale. The maps include relief geological cross-sections (Devon has a line from just south of Plymouth to the Blackdown Hills and a panorama cross-section view along the east border). This curious little atlas is interesting for its thematic maps. The atlas is comparatively rare, however, the Bodleian copy is now on-line; and various companies offer the atlas as facsimile.

Size: 131 x 155 mm.                                                                                                                                                  No scale [Scale 1M = 2 mm].

Title on map DEVONSHIRE (Ea): Signature: E. Weller. (EeOS). Plate number - 19 - (EaOS). The map has a relief illustration at page top (East) with Scale of Feet to show height (1800 ft = 21 mm) below (Ee).