170A. Edward Weller / Samuel Rawson Gardiner 1893

Samuel Rawson Gardiner was born in Hampshire on 4th March 1829 and went first to Winchester College and later to Christ Church, Oxford. He became an influential historian and was the professor for modern history at King’s College in London. He died 24^th February 1902.

According to Wikipedia (English edition 2013) he was regarded as “the foremost historian of the Puritan revolution”. He wrote numerous works recounting the history of the age and these were published under various title. The series was mainly composed of History of England from the Accession of James I to the Outbreak of the Civil War, 1603–1642 (10 vols. 1883-4); History of the Great Civil War, 1642–1649 (3 vols. 1893); and History of the Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649–1660 (4 vol. 1903). "Gardiner's treatment of the subject is exhaustive and philosophical, taking in political and constitutional history, the changes in religion, thought and sentiment, their causes and their tendencies. Of his original sources, many exist only in manuscript, and his researches in public and private collections of manuscripts at home, and in the archives of Simancas, Venice, Rome, Brussels and Paris, were tireless and productive."¹

The History of the Great Civil War was published as a set in 1893 by Longmans, Green, and Co. in four volumes. The first three volumes each include a map covering the westcountry: Volume One has a map of The Operations of Hopton’s Army in Cornwall & Devon (embedded in the text on page 85); Volume Two has The Western Campaign (on page 9); and Volume Three has The Last Campaign in the West (on page 61). All maps have the engraver’s signature of Edward Weller who produced a large number of maps of Devon. All three maps show substantial areas of Devonshire: the former has all of Devon below and west of Exmoor Forest (with both Barnstaple and Exeter toward the borders); The Western Campaign shows the area between Bodmin and Fowey as far as Chard and South Petherton; while the latter has all of Cornwall and Devon south and west of Torrington and Tiverton and the mouth of the Axe.

The first three volumes contain a total of 45 maps and plans (19 + 24 + 2). All of these are signed Edward Weller. However Edward (born 1819) died in 1884 (before the original first volume was published) with probate being granted to his wife Mary Ann Weller on June 16^th. Volume Four has 8 maps, all of which are signed F S Weller. This is Francis Sidney Weller (1849-1910), Edward’s son, who succeeded to the business. One of these is an attractive plan of The Siege of Colchester. Obviously Edward bagan the map series and died before all volumes were issued (see also footnote 1 below) and Francis took over.

The complete work was reissued with editions in 1897/1898 and in 1901.

Map 1: Size: 72 mm x 90 mm.                                                                                                                                English Miles (50 = 63 mm).

The Operations of HOPTONS ARMY in CORNWALL & DEVON (Aa). Engraver’s signature: E Weller. (EeOS). Scale bar below title.  Map embedded within text page.

Map 2: Size: 80 mm x 145 mm.                                                                                                                              English Miles (30 = 48 mm).

THE WESTERN CAMPAIGN (Aa). Engraver’s signature: E Weller Litho. (EeOS). Scale bar below title. Lines show the routes of the King and of Essex. As map is printed to face edge, top of page has year 1644, chapter title THE WESTERN CAMPAIGN and page number 9.

Map 3: Size: 80 mm x 147 mm.                                                                                                                              English Miles (30 = 40 mm).

THE LAST CAMPAIGN IN THE WEST (Aa). Engraver’s signature: Edwd Weller. (EeOS). Scale bar below title.  Lines show the route of Fairfax and his troops. As map is printed to face edge, top of page has year 1646, chapter title THE WESTERN CAMPAIGN and page number 61.