64   W J SOUTHWOOD & CO.                                                           1899 


Towards the end of the century many flimsy guides must have been produced which have not survived. Many would have been similar to the guide presented here published and distributed by the owners of Cole's Bazaar, a shop selling toys and presents of every description. Officially Gardner's Guide to Exeter it is in many regards a vehicle for mass advertising. Even the front cover is more an advert for H E Randall, Limited, a boot seller trading under the name The London Boot Makers than a real guidebook.

The guide, with printed paper covers, is advertised With 13 Illustrations from Photographs, and a Street Map of the City and has 24 pages with adverts on both covers and the first and last double pages. The text may have been written by either Gardner or by the owners of Cole's Bazaar but was put together in 1899: a reference to the current member of parliament, Hon. Sir Henry Stafford Northcote states that he is now (1899) fifty-three years of age.

The illustrations embedded in the text are indeed from original photographs, although not of high quality. The map was printed by W J Southwood who also has an advert on the same page showing they were the Inventors, Designers & Makers of the NOVELTY BRASS WINDOW TABLET. They had premises, The Dynamo Works (Engraving and Printing) at Stephen's Bow, 11, 12 and 13 Catherine Street, Exeter. This would have been the same person who printed a map of Devon for E H Pidsley to accompany his work The Birds of Devonshire (B&B 168) in 1891.

Other adverts of note are those for Robert Veitch & Son, a leading nursery, and those of the Rougemont Hotel, Milton (chemists), Ross (tailors) and Colson & Company as all the shops are illustrated.

THE CITY OF EXETER (CaOS). Imprint: W J SOUTHWOOD & Co. EXETER. Simple sketch map of the city with important buildings shown as well as the location of Cole's Bazaar. Below map there is an advert for the shop: FOR TOYS AND PRESENTS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION GO TO COLE'S BAZAAR; HIGH STREET; EXETER.

Size: 130 mm x 285 mm (page 155 x 500 mm). SCALE OF ENGLISH MILES (5 + 15 = 58 mm).

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