165A. George Washington Bacon & Co. Ltd / W Weighell 1889

Although G W Bacon published a large number of county maps, the majority were transfers taken from plates that he had bought up from auctions rather than maps that he had specially engraved. However, in 1889 a small pocket tourist guide to North Cornwall appeared which included a map of all of Cornwall together with all of Devon. This guide to Cornwall was published by a local printer, Walter Weighell, who had published a guide to Launceston written by Alfred Robbins a few years previously.¹ The North Cornwall guide must have been popular being in its sixth edition by the early 1900s. Walter Weighell (aged 68, born in Leathe, Yorkshire) is listed in the 1911 census as living in Launceston with Walter Weighell (grand/son, born Launceston) aged 19.²

The guide, with printed printers boards, contains (viii) + 61 pp. followed by index and 20 unnumbered pages of adverts. The text may have been written by the author of the opening and closing poems (both attributed to W.L. P. of Launceston), the latter being dated July 21^st, 1881. Although a guide to North Cornwall (referring to the coast as far south as Newquay), many places in Devon are included such as Bideford, Barnstaple etc.

Ten illustrations, some in the style of wood engravings from original photographs, and other head and tail pieces.

Size: 275 mm x 400 mm.                                                                                                                SCALE OF ENGLISH MILES (5 + 15 = 58 mm).

MAP TO ACCOMPANY WEIGHELL`S GUIDE TO CORNWALL(Aa). Imprint: G W BACON & Co. LTD, 127, Strand, London, W C.. Railways to Holsworthy (with projected extension to Bude) and Sidmouth (with projection to Budleigh Salterton). main roads coloured yellow and railway lines in characteristic black/white check.

[1] Copies listed under COPAC are all dated 1888; however, a dealer on ABE Books has an edition clearly dated 1884 (July 2013).