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This 1850 map, Tallis's Railway Map of Great Britain, by John Rapkin, serves as a historical testament to the burgeoning railway networks that spanned across Great Britain in the middle of the 19th century. The map delineates railways that were operational at the time and pinpoints the stations along each line. Additionally, it charts the steamboat tracks between significant British and continental seaports.
John Rapkin constructed this detailed account from government documents and the most up-to-date railway information, ensuring an accurate representation of the period's transportation infrastructure. The map boasts decorative borders, a typical feature of John Tallis's works, enhancing its visual appeal.
In the broader context of the industrial revolution, this map captures the expansion of Britain's railways, reflecting the country's swift socio-economic evolution and increased mobility. It offers an insightful glimpse into the changing landscape of Great Britain, providing a valuable resource for historical research and appreciation of the nation's industrial heritage.
John Tallis (1817-1876) was a British map publisher. Born in the Midlands, Tallis came to London in the 1840s. Tallis began his London career with a series of remarkable London street views. He began a partnership with a Frederick Tallis, possibly his brother, but their collaboration ended in 1849. For the Great Exhibition of 1851, Tallis published the Illustrated World Atlas, one of the last series of decorative world maps ever produced. The maps were engraved by John Rapkin, a skilled artisan. The maps were later reissued by the London Printing & Publishing Company, who left the Tallis imprint intact, thus ensuring his enduring fame. In 1858, he began publication of the popular Illustrated News of the World and National Portrait Gallery of Eminent Personages, selling it in 1861 (it ceased publication in 1863).
