Mapping London from Daniel Crouch Rare Books

Item 57 is a 1786 map by James Cary with some useful information for city travelers: London, Westminster and Southwark... Along with the map are hackney coach fares for around the city. There are 350 of them laid down by distance. Hackney drivers could either charge by distance or time, but there were strict rates, and anyone charging more could be fined. For one shilling, you could ride either a mile and a quarter, or for 45 minutes. £650 (US $1,015).

Item 95 is a map produced by the social reformer and investigator of poverty in London, Charles Booth. Booth did research into the economic conditions of the poor and determined that the socialists' claim that 25% of the population lived in abject poverty was incorrect. He concluded it was 35%. He wrote a couple of books on the subject, and prodded the government to do more to help those living below a standard he created – the poverty line. Booth's map fits in with his concerns. It is titled Descriptive Map of London Poverty, and was published in 1889. He has gone through and marked neighborhoods according to their economic status. For example, they are described as, “The Lowest Class. Vicious semi-criminal,” “Very Poor, casual. Chronic Want,” “Poor. 18s to 21s a week for a moderate family,” “Mixed. Some comfortable, others poor,” up to “Upper-middle and Upper classes. Wealthy.” £14,000 (US $21,869).

Daniel Crouch Rare Books may be reached at +44 (0)20 7042 0240 or info@crouchrarebooks.com. Their website is found at www.crouchrarebooks.com.