24.     Robert Dawson I                                                                               1832

 


Lieutenant, later Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Kearsley Dawson, RE (1798-1861) was the son of Robert Dawson, a Devonian, who had been active during the first Ordnance Survey of Devon of 1809 (B&B 74). R K Dawson entered the Royal Engineers in 1818 and worked in Scotland under Thomas Colby, Superintendent of the Ordnance Survey. Dawson prepared the boundary surveys for 277 county maps and city plans of England and Wales which were printed as a result of the Reform Bill of 1831 and related to the Boundaries Act passed in July 1832. The maps and plans were subsequently published in two volumes in 1832. This map was number 38 in Vol I of the Plans of the Cities & Boroughs of England & Wales, shewing their boundaries as established by the Boundaries Act passed 11th July 1832. This was printed by James & Luke G. Hansard & Son at their premises near Lincoln’s Inn Fields, 1832. 

Title: EXETER  from the Ordnance Survey

Size: 250 x185 mm with Scale of 2 inches to a Mile (or 1 Mile = 51 mm).

Signature: Robt. K Dawson Lieut R.E.

Imprint:  G. E. Madeley  Lith 3 Wellington St., Strand . 

A simplified and enlarged portion of the Ordnance Survey to show the City and the old and new borough boundaries. There is no border, the title is top right and the North point top left. Under the plan are the scale bar, Dawson’s handwritten signature and the lithographer’s imprint. There is also a list, Explanations, showing in colour the various borough and parish boundaries. The map covers the area from Alphington to Pynes House and from St. John’s Cross to East Wonford with the new developments in St. Leonard’s parish along the roads to Heavitree. There are letters A to K identifying the new boundary markers. The wards are better shown in Dawson’s map of 1837 (27).

Very soon after publication the local printer Thomas Hackett produced an almost identical copy with a new title and references, new compass, and with scale bar moved (illustrated above). All references to Dawson and Madeley were removed. Hackett did not always use the same engraving letters used by Madeley.

 Title: Boundary of Exeter (centrally at top).

Size: 340 x 210 mm with a Scale 2 Inches to a Mile (100 mm = 2) (below text section).

Imprint: HACKETT, LITHOG: EXETER under the scale bar.        

A two line border is added and the Goal (sic) is named. The definition of the boundary included in Dawson’s report has now been introduced and written out in full at the bottom of the map.

 From the Turnpike Gate A on the Moreton road Southward along Cowick lane to the point B at which the same meets Stone lane thence along Stone lane to the point C at which the same meets the Road from Exeter to Alphington thence Southward along the Road from Exeter to Alphington to the point D at which the same is joined by Marsh Barton lane thence along Marsh Barton lane to the point E at which the same reaches the Western branch of the River Exe thence in a straight line to the point F at which Abbey lane reaches the Eastern branch of the River Exe, thence southward along the Leat to the point G at which the same is joined by the Brook which runs down through East Wonford, thence along the said Brook to the point H at which the same crosses the old Stoke & Tiverton Road near the Road to Mincing Lake Farm, thence along the Old Stoke & Tiverton Road to the point I at which the same meets the Old City Boundary thence Northward along the Old City Boundary to the point K near Foxhay’s at which a Branch of the River Exe flowing through Exwick joins the main Stream thereof thence in a straight line to the point L at which the Road from Exwick to the Turnpike Gate on the Moreton Road is joined by a Road leading from Foxhays to Cleave thence along the said Road from Exwick to the Turnpike Gate on the Moreton Road to the point A at which the same reaches such Turnpike Gate.

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