The Quince Tree Press - Illustrated Maps

Illustrated Maps

Carr drew his first map in 1943, of England and Wales, while stationed in west Africa during the Second World War. Carr reported that the first four maps he published were of Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Kent and Norfolk and initially sold for £1 each. The first five maps given ISBNs were Hampshire (December 1968; ISBN 900847034), Wales (March 1969, ISBN 900847042), Sussex (June 1969; ISBN 900847050), Kent (September 1969; ISBN 900847018) and Yorkshire (September 1969; ISBN 900847026). The last map to be given an ISBN was issued in December 1976 (Westmoreland, ISBN 900847751); thereafter no ISBNs were given.

The different versions of most county maps were not numbered or identified sequentially and only a few were dated, so it is hard to tell in which order they were published. Versions may be distinguished by the number of sheets printed, which was usually recorded on later maps, and assuming that the number was different for each version. The first versions of maps seem to have been issued in editions of 250, 350 or 500 sheets. Robert Carr has reported that some of the maps had editions related to the year in which they were printed. For example, an edition of 978 sheets was probably first published in 1978. The number of sheets of the versions recorded with an ISBN and seen or held in private or public collections are given below and range from 250 to 982 with an average of about 750. If the number of sheets issued was recorded on the version then each individual map was usually numbered by hand, although unnumbered copies are known. The number of different versions published before August 1987, the date of Carr's history of the Press, is shown in parentheses below and at least three new maps (Buckinghamshire, Westmoreland and Wiltshire) were added after 1987. There may be more maps and more versions. A new map of Northamptonshire was produced in 2005 by Robert and Jane Carr.

Carr's illustrated maps were printed on single sheets of thick paper of various types and range in size from 50 to 65 cm high and 35 to 55 cm wide, depending on the shape of each county. The early maps were printed in monochrome but some were hand coloured by Sally Carr. Later maps were printed in colour. Most of the maps were numbered by hand and signed by Carr. Carr often sent proof copies of new maps to retailers. These were printed on thin, poor quality paper, and were marked PROOF. The maps were chiefly printed by Messrs Richardson or Seddon, local printers in Kettering.

The list below gives details where known of: the number of different maps of each county, shown in parentheses, as recorded by Carr in 1987 in his history of the Quince Tree Press; the date of publication with the ISBN, although such numbers seem only to have been applied to maps published between 1968 and 1976 and were not noted on the maps themselves; and the number of sheets, if known, which are not necessarily given in the order of publication.

• England and Wales. Editions in July 1972 of 750 sheets (written by hand)(ISBN 090084731X) and May 1973, numbering unknown, (ISBN 0900847344).
• Wales. Edition in March 1969 of 569 sheets (ISBN 0900847042).
• Bedfordshire. Edition in September 1975 of 574 sheets (ISBN 0900847522).
• Berkshire. Edition in December 1974 of 773 sheets (ISBN 0900847816).
• Buckinghamshire. Edition in September 1975 of 574 sheets, (ISBN 0900847530).
• Cambridgeshire. Edition in 1974 of 743 sheets (ISBN 0900847824).
• Cheshire (2). Edition in May 1974 of 774 sheets? (ISBN 0900847409) and 1982 of 982 sheets?.
• Cornwall. Edition in September 1975 of 775 sheets (ISBN 0900847514).
• Cumberland. Edition in March 1977 of 777 sheets (ISBN 0900847778).
• Derbyshire (3). Edition in September 1975 of 773 sheets (ISBN 0900847549) and 1980? of 980 sheets; other version, unknown.
• Devon (2). Edition in May 1970 of 503 sheets (ISBN 0900847263) and 1978? of 978 sheets.
• Dorset. Edition in 1974 of 773 sheets (ISBN 0900847263).
• Durham (2). Edition in 1974 of 773 sheets (ISBN 0900847840), and 1982? of 982 sheets.
• Essex (3). Edition in September 1971 of 503 sheets? (ISBN 0900847212); September 1975 of 775 sheets? (ISBN 0900847425); and other unknown.
• Gloucestershire (3). Editions in May 1972 of 250 sheets? (ISBN 0900847166); September 1975 of 774 sheets? (ISBN 0900847433); and unknown date of 300 sheets.
• Hampshire (3). Editions in December 1968 of 524? sheets (ISBN 0900847034); September 1975 of 574? sheets (ISBN 0900847441); and 1981 of 981 sheets?.
• Herefordshire (2). Edition in September 1972 (ISBN 0900847328) and 1981?, 572 and 981 sheets.
• Hertfordshire. Edition in September 1975 of 773 sheets (ISBN 0900847557).
• Huntingdonshire (2). Edition in August 1971 of 350 sheets (ISBN 0900847220); and in 1980? of 980 sheets.
• Kent (4). Editions in September 1969 of 507? sheets(ISBN 0900847018); September 1975, unknown sheets (ISBN 090084745X); and 1980 of 980 sheets.
• Lancashire or County Palatine of Lancashire (2). Editions in April 1971 of 777 sheets (ISBN 090084728X); and in 1980? of 980 sheets.
• County Palatine of Lancaster Edition of 572 sheets.
• Leicestershire (3). Editions in April 1972 503 sheets (ISBN 0900847298); in 1982? of 982 sheets; other unknown date of 572 sheets.
• Lincolnshire (3). Editions in October 1970 of 503 sheets (ISBN 0900647107); 1981? of 981 sheets; other edition unknown.
• Middlesex. Edition in September 1975 of 775 sheets (ISBN 0900847506).
• Norfolk (3). Editions in December 1969 of 500? sheets (ISBN 0900847085) and September 1975 of 705? sheets (ISBN 0900747476); and other edition unknown.
• Northamptonshire (3). Editions in November 1970 of 550? sheets (ISBN 0900847123); September 1975 of unknown sheets (ISBN 0900847468); 1978 of 978 sheets; and 1980? of 980 sheets. New edition in 2005.
• Northumberland (2). Edition in September 1971 of 502 sheets (ISBN 0900847204); and 1980? of 980 sheets.
• Nottinghamshire. Edition in September 1975 of 774 sheets (ISBN 0900847565).
• Oxfordshire. Edition in December 1969 of 350 sheets (ISBN 0900847077).
• Rutland (3). Editions in April 1972 of 500? sheets (ISBN 0900847271); 1974 of unknown sheets (ISBN 0900847859); and 1978? of 978 sheets.
• Shropshire. Edition in October 1974 of 750 sheets.
• Somerset (2). Editions in May 1971 of 502? sheets(ISBN 0900847158) and September 1975 of unknown sheets (ISBN 0900847484).
• Staffordshire (2). Editions of September 1975 of 750 sheets (ISBN 0900847573); and 1982? of 982 sheets.
• Suffolk (4). Editions in Winter, 1968 of 250 sheets? (ISBN 090084700X); May 1971 of sheets unknown (ISBN 0900847174); September 1975 of 775 sheets (ISBN 0900847492); other map unknown.
• Surrey (2). Editions in September 1975 of 774 sheets (ISBN 0900847581); and 1980 of 980 sheets.
• Sussex (2). Editions in June 1969, not numbered (ISBN 0900847050); and 1978 of 978 sheets.
• Warwickshire (3). Editions in November 1970 of 526 or 574 sheets (ISBN 0900847115); in 1980? of 980 sheets; and other unknown
• Westmorland. Edition in December 1976 of 776 sheets (ISBN 0900847751)
• Wiltshire (2). Editions in October 1969 of 250 sheets (ISBN 0900847069); and May 1971 of 981 sheets (ISBN 0900847182).
• Worcestershire (2). Edition in September 1972 of 572 sheets (ISBN 0900847336); and 1976? of 776 sheets.
• Yorkshire (6). Editions in September 1969 (ISBN 0900847026), May 1971 (ISBN 0900847190), September 1975 (ISBN 0900847417) and 1982?, 571, 572, 573, 773, 776 and 982 sheets.