Second Time Around
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| L: Geological colouring by Greenough [1814-1830s] on basemap 'North Wales', published by J & E Furnival, Llanymynech (1814). Greenough collection, ref: LDGSL/947/6/E/3 R: Geological colouring by Greenough, [?1813-1830s] on base map 'A New Map of Shropshire divided into hundreds' by John Cary (1811). Greenough collection, ref: LDGSL/947/6/D/9/3 Both of these maps contain multiple notes and overlaid colouring indicating that they probably derived from the first edition but were reworked for the second. Click to enlarge. |
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A few years after the publication of the first edition, Greenough began asking his geological friends for their opinion. Knowledge of the geology of Britain had developed much since work had first begun in 1812. William Daniel Conybeare (1787-1857) pointed out errors in the Oolite, Purbeck and Oxford Clay and Adam Sedgwick (1785-1873) took issue with how the geology of Yorkshire was depicted. A helpful Fellow even suggested that Greenough might like to seek out the advice of William Smith!
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| W D Conybeare's critique on the errors Greenough's Geological Map and England and Wales in the hand of William Buckland, 9 Jan 1825. Greenough collection, ref: LDGSL/947/1/BUCKLAND/1. Click to enlarge. |
Adam Sedgwick's list of errors in the depiction of strata in Yorkshire, [c.1825]. Greenough collection, ref: LDGSL/947/4/3/5/1. Click to enlarge. |
Work seems to have started on a second edition around 1831, with Greenough employing the same drafting techniques as before. In some cases he reworked maps compiled for the first edition such as those for North Wales and Shropshire above.
The path to production was smoother this time as the base map had already been created. Only the upper part of sheet 5 (South Wales) and all of sheet 6 (SE England) were substantially re-engraved in order to facilitate the inclusion of new geological researches, such as those by Adam Sedgwick and Roderick Murchison (1792-1871). Old roads were left in as it would be too costly to remove them, but the new railways were added to modernise the map. By the time that the new Map Committee, comprising William Buckland, Greenough, Henry Warburton, John Taylor (1779-1863) with William Lonsdale (1794-1871) as secretary, convened on 20 November 1839, the map was all but ready.
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| Greenough’s ‘Geological Map of England & Wales (2nd edition), [1839-1840]. This is one of two pattern copies which were nos 2 & 3 produced by Gardner before his sudden retirement. The pattern copy is the version from which the colouring for all the other maps should follow. Archive ref: LDGSL/979A/2. Click to enlarge. |
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| Colour key for the 2nd edition of Greenough’s map showing the new colour palette. Archive ref: LDGSL/979A/2. Click to enlarge |
The legend on all the maps state that it was published in 1839, but it wasn’t issued until March 1840.
COLOURING
The colour scheme for the map was revised by Greenough for the second edition, notably the use of stronger hues which allowed him to play with how dull and bright colours interacted with each other. For instance he would emphasise smaller, but important geological units, by using a brighter tone in amongst more muted, coloured surroundings to make them stand out. Hand patterning which relied very much on the consistency of the colourist and the quality of paint in question was also reduced, replaced with engraved lines or dots on the underlying plate.
SALES