LATEST NEWS & INFORMATION BY EMAIL

If you wish to receive the latest Society news and information by email, please contact the Membership Secretary (memsec@charlesclosesociety.org) and provide your email address. This service is for Members only. Details of any Zoom meetings mentioned below will appear in this Members Newsletter.

Also use this address if you wish to unsubscribe to this service, or in the footer of the emails themselves, and we will remove all your details from our mailing list. 

UPDATED 18th November 2024 

JANUARY ZOOM TALK: RAILWAY MAPS SHOW-AND-TELL MEETING by Stuart Dennison.

Tuesday 14th January 2025, 7.30pm. Zoom.

Carrying on with our yuletide transport maps theme, Stuart Dennison will be hosting our New Year’s Zoom meeting, featuring maps that are railway-related, in any way you choose. 

If you are a Member, please send your choice of material with a short resumé to Stuart at dennison.stuart@gmail.com before Christmas if possible. The maps can be Ordnance Survey or any other mapping company, for any period and for broad, standard or narrow gauge railways. Gives a fair bit of scope to cover!

NEXT MIDLAND GROUP MEETING

Tuesday 21st January 2025, 7:30pm. Wall, Lichfield.

The venue details are the same (Watling Street, Wall, Lichfield, Staffs. WS14 0AW). It will a "Bring & Tell" evening, so please have a think of what you could bring along. For more information please email Lez Watson
 

PAST NEWS & EVENTS

THE RISE AND DEMISE OF THE BUS MAP: CHARTING 70 YEARS OF SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE by John Davies.

Tuesday 12th November, 7.30pm. Zoom.

Designing a bus map presents a particular challenge: how to convey the complexities of frequency, stopping patterns and route variations of the network in an easily-understood and attractive format to promote to potential passengers the travel opportunities available.

Over the past 70 years, from the peak of bus usage of the 1950s (fewer cars, little in-home entertainment) to the 2020s (Covid and ‘it’s all online’), the bus industry has been hugely affected by political decisions (such as deregulation and privatisation) and declining patronage.

In this talk we looked at how bus operators and local authorities throughout mainland Britain, outside London, have responded, showing the many and varied ways of dealing with these challenges. You can view the talk here.

THE ORDNANCE SURVEY COUNTY SURVEY AND THE HISTORICAL BOUNDARIES OF WALES, by Scott Lloyd.

Tuesday 8th October, 7.30pm. Zoom.

The administrative boundaries depicted on the first edition county survey mapping undertaken by Ordnance Survey were the result of detailed investigations in the field. This talk will explore the process of how the boundaries were recorded what type of boundaries were printed on the maps and how the OS changed its policy during the survey of Wales. Some of the earlier mapping that informed the OS will be discussed and the digital outputs of this research will be demonstrated.

Scott Lloyd is the Research Manager at the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and is currently recreating the historic administrative boundaries of Wales and working on a digital Historical Atlas of Wales. He has worked on the AHRC Funded Deep Mapping Estate Archives project which won the 2022 BCS Ordnance Survey Award and is currently involved with the Mapping the March project with Bristol University which will produce detailed maps of the medieval Marcher Lordships. He is also author of The Arthurian Place Names of Wales, published by the University of Wales Press in 2017.

NEXT MIDLAND GROUP MEETING

Tuesday 24th September 2024, 7:30pm. Wall, Lichfield.

The venue details are the same (Watling Street, Wall, Lichfield, Staffs. WS14 0AW). The topic for the evening will be "Pencil and Ink: the joy of annotated maps". For more information please email Lez Watson

SCOTTISH ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, by Nevis Hulme.

Tuesday 17th September, 7.30pm. Zoom.

This talk gave a brief overview of how the OSNBs are presented online followed by an examination of methods used to record names. This will include a look at the varied layout of OSNBs, the paper forms used by the OS for this work and how people of the areas being surveyed contributed to the collection of names. This could probably be the most detailed examination of the structure of OSNBs given to date.

DEFENCE SURVEYORS' ASSOCIATION SEMINAR, Planning and Logistics for D-Day.

Thursday 19th September, 10am to 5pm. Southsea, Portsmouth. PO5 3NT.

The Defence Surveyors' Association (DSA) has another seminar planned for mid-September. The programme, speakers and further details can be seen here.

The cost of the Seminar is £40 per person, DSA Members have a £5 reduction. For non-members, there is an offer of the Seminar and membership of the DSA (including Ranger) for 2024 for £50. Booking and payment are via the following link: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/defence-surveyors-association should you be interested.

Details of the Museum including location, parking and other facts, can be accessed online here: The D-Day Story, Portsmouth.

BRITISH CARTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY (BCS) CONFERENCE.

4th to 5th September, University College, London.

The BCS has their annual conference in early September, the programme this year is quite varied. It includes speakers from the Financial Times, Ordnance Survey, Office for National Statistics, Mott MacDonald, EDINA and GeoPlace as well as internationally recognised consultants with the World Bank and some of the latest PhD research. 

They will present on subjects ranging from AI, media mapping and building information management (BIM) through to the future challenges for cartography from remote sensing to mapping in local authorities and the influence of cartography in the work of a ceramics artist. They will also be announcing the winners of the BCS Design Awards 2024.

For more information visit the website page here, to register your attendance please visit Eventbrite page here. For more information, please contact the BCS specifically Catherine Colley by email.

As the Society is partnered to the BCS, we can register for the Conference day on the 5th at the reduced member rates, these being £90 if paid for by your employer; or £75 if self-funded. The Hack Day on the 4th is open to all.

ONLINE TALK by Peter Vujakovič, Emeritus Professor of Geography, Canterbury Christ Church University

Tuesday 20th August, 7.30pm. Zoom.

Peter spoke on the subject ‘Catch Them Young! Introducing children to meaningful mapwork’.  This talk discusses recent work in partnership with the Historic Towns Trust, the British Cartographic Society, and Canterbury Christ Church University to support teachers in the developing meaningful map and fieldwork for history and geography at Primary level, using OS maps, both contemporary and historical, as well as other maps sources and remote sensing imagery.

ANOTHER LONDON SHOW-AND-TELL MEETING

Saturday 10th August, 10:30am, Highgate, London.

Enjoy another sociable CCS members’ map meeting at the excellent Woodman pub, 414 Archway Road, Highgate N6 5UA, see here.

Regulars will know it’s easy to reach, right next door to Highgate Underground (Northern line, High Barnet branch).  To avoid a lot of stairs, take the ‘Exit 3’ escalator up to Archway Road, turn right and the pub entrance is just around the corner in Muswell Hill Road.  For early arrivals, there’s even a small car park at the back, off Wood Lane which has plenty of free street parking lower down.
 
There’s no charge but please reserve a place – see below – and food and drink will as usual be at your own expense.  The Woodman’s prices are very reasonable for London and the menu, drink and service is excellent.  If it’s a warm day we could even have lunch outside.  We’ll begin at 10.30 (with hot and cold drinks available) and maps shown and discussed from about 11.00, lunch from 1pm (choose your own food and drinks – see their website), continuing after lunch until we run out of maps or steam!  
 
The theme this time will be 'Sporting London', to be run with any way you wish!   But don’t worry – it can be any topic you like if you can talk about it.  It doesn’t even have to be OS material, but of course please bring it if you have it.  If you have surplus maps for sale, or swaps, bring them along and you’ll be extra popular!

ONLINE TALK by Giles Darkes, Cartographic Editor, Historic Towns Trust

Tuesday 16th July, 7.30pm. Zoom.

Giles will talk on the subject 'Turning an OS into history: publishing a Town & City Historical Map'. This map is available to CCS members post free from the CCS website.

VISIT TO DENNIS MAPS LTD

Tuesday 25th June, 11:30am. Frome, Somerset.

Thanks to Steve Burry, CEO and CCS member, we were invited to pay another visit to Frome to see Dennis Maps in action, printing not only Ordnance Survey maps but also those of many other British and Irish surveys.

CENTRAL LONDON WALK with John King

Wednesday 29th May, 11am. London.

A circular walk that lasted just over 2 hours in the area around St James’s Park station, just over 2 miles in length. It included reference to the actual station, 55 Broadway (London’s first skyscraper), two garages, C19 apartment blocks, the Blewcoat School, Caxton Hall, Victoria Street, the Devil’s Acre, a mosaic Peabody Trust buildings, a cock fighting site, early C18 grand housing, C20 spies and lots more. It is not specifically a cartographic walk but it does reveal many rich layers of history. As usual on these walks a map will be provided at the end, and donations will be requested to the Maggie’s Centres charity.

2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Saturday 11th May 2024, Grantham, Lincolnshire.

The Society's AGM was held in Grantham this year on Saturday 11th May. Details on this are in the April edition of Sheetlines.

ONLINE TALK BY KEITH LILLEY, Beneath the lines: mapping medieval townscapes using large scale OS maps

Tuesday 23rd April, 7.30pm. Zoom.

What lies beneath the lines on the map? The larger scale OS maps of Great Britain and Ireland show features of the historic urban landscape in great detail. In this talk, Keith Lilley explained the importance and significance of these cartographic features for mapping out the origins and evolution of our towns and cities. The lines on the map are a 'window' onto a much more distant medieval past, helping us to see how urban landscapes took shape on the ground so many centuries ago. Available to view from the CCS website here.

FURTHER ONLINE EVENT PLANNED FOR CCS MEMBERS  

Thursday 14th March, 5pm, Zoom.

by A. Crispin Jewitt, author of Maps for Empire, 2nd edition.

Crispin Jewitt gives an illustrated talk about his brand new CCS publication, available next week.  First published in 1992 by the British Library, this new edition contains much new information and colour illustrations, describing the first 2000 sequentially numbered maps or map series issued by IDWO, TSGS, AND GSGS.  Available to buy from the CCS website here.

LATEST LONDON SOCIETY SHOW-AND-TELL MEETING

Saturday 23rd March, 10:30am.

Enjoy another sociable members’ map meeting at the excellent Woodman pub, 414 Archway Road, Highgate N6 5UA.

Regulars will know it’s easy to reach, right next door to Highgate Underground (Northern line, High Barnet branch):  to avoid stairs, take the exit 3 escalator up to top street level, turn right and the pub entrance is just around the corner in Muswell Hill Road.  For early arrivals, there’s even a small car park at the back, off Wood Lane which has free street parking lower down.

There’s no charge but reserve a place below.  We’ll begin at 10:30am (hot drinks available) with maps shown from 11am, lunch from 1pm (choose your own meals and drinks), continuing till about 4pm or we run out of maps or voices (unlikely!).  You can pay your own way with the wide variety of drinks and good food.

The theme this time is 'Expanding London', to be interpreted in any way you wish!  Perhaps old maps showing greenery before the bricks took over, new maps with historical interpretations of geology, rivers or the old city – Londinium or Lundenwic perhaps, the ever-expanding railways and other transport systems, housing and new road developments, etc, etc.  Doesn’t have to be OS material, but of course please bring it if you have it.  If you have some surplus maps for sale or gifts, bring them along and announce them – you’ll be popular!

If you are a member and wish to reserve a place, please email Gerry Zierler as soon as possible and no later than 21st March.

DEFENCE SURVEYORS ASSOCIATION (DSA) HUGHENDEN MANOR 'HILLSIDE' VISIT

Thursday 28th March.

Hughenden, Buckinghamshire, is a Victorian mansion with earlier origins that served as the Prime Minister's country house, Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield. It is owned by the National Trust and open to the public. It sits on the brow of the hill west of the main A4128 road that links Hughenden to High Wycombe. HP14 4LA

At the start of WW2 there were few accurate Allied maps of Germany, and early RAF bombing raids were ineffective, leading to the need to set up a map-making operation. Hughenden was requisitioned by the Air Ministry from 1941-46 and, code-named "Hillside", the home of Air Intelligence 1b, the Air Ministry branch responsible for producing the target maps to plan and carry out every mission During the war, it was equipped with small-format Roland printing machines responsible for producing foolscap size RAF Target Maps. It also produced lattice overlays for aeronautical charts. "Hillside" moved to Bushy Park shortly after the war and became No. 2 SPC.

For more information on the day's programme of events, lunch and how to book, please see the flyer here.

ONLINE TALK, The Ordnance surveys of Kent of 1788 and 1795

Tuesday 23rd January 2024, 7:30pm. Zoom

Dr. Rob Wheeler presented what started off as a ramble through the OSDs but developed a focus on two rather beautiful maps of Kent, drawn at a time when the engraved one-inch was at most a bright idea that might or might not come to pass.

There will still be a few digressions en route, including what might be claimed as the earliest OS map that can be viewed online and an intriguing series of Specials that never happened.

View the recording here, streaming length: 1h 20m

ONLINE TALK, The Rise & Mapping of the Signpost.

Tuesday 5th December, 7:30pm. Zoom.

Richard Oliver explores how signposts came to be erected, and what we can learn about their numbers and distribution from early OS mapping. View the recording here, streaming length: 1h 05m.

MAPPING MONUMENTS CONFERENCE
Friday 17th November, 5pm. Drummond Hotel, Ballykelly, N. Ireland.

This is a one-day conference in November which will explore the local legacy of the Ordnance Survey around Lough Foyle.

The conference organised by the Binevenagh and Coastal Lowlands Landscape Partnership and Queens University Belfast will celebrate the end of the ‘Mapping Monuments’ community heritage project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Since November 2021, volunteers have been working on the Mapping Monuments project, carrying out fieldwork and local research to find traces of the Ordnance Survey in the landscape. The conference will explore the project's findings, as well as see the launch of a new travelling exhibition about the Lough Foyle Baseline and its heritage.

Aimed at a wide audience, the conference will be opened by Joe Mahon and the day will be filled with hugely knowledgeable speakers - both academics and volunteers who have been working on the project.

SOCIETY MEETING, London in Rails & Rivers
Saturday 4th November, 10:30am. Highgate, London.

Bring along one or two maps of any of London’s railways or waterways, and tell us what you know about them, or ask others present to tell you!  All interesting maps are welcome, whether OS origin or not.

ONLINE TALK, The rise of Hagstrom's cartographic empire: early subway maps of New York City.
Wednesday 25th October

Peter Lloyd spoke to us live with many map illustrations. Showing how the new subway lines were integrated into the street map. Comparison with London's early Metropoltan Railway maps, which likewise had to show cut-and-cover underground lines within a dense city. Early New York mapmakers such as Hammond and Ohman followed the Metropolitan style of overprinting. It was Hagstrom that revolutionised the cartography by re-drawing the street map around the subway. And this is surely part of the reason that Hagstrom dominated New York street maps for a half a century, and remained a strong but waning force into the 1990s.
 
Peter Lloyd is a professional software engineer with a long-standing passion for collecting and studying maps of underground railway systems. He has embarked on a project to document the history of the New York City subway map.  In this project he has published Vignelli: Transit Maps (RIT Press 2012) and is now working on further volumes.

View the recording here, streaming length: 1h 03m

NEW, IN PERSON, SHOW & TELL MEETINGS! 

Saturday 8th July, 11am. Highgate London   

In what we hope will be the first of a series of live London meetings, CCS will be meeting at 'The Woodman' pub, right next to Highgate Underground station on the Northern Line. Bring a map (or two) and briefly talk about it, or just bring yourself and listen to others. The theme, appropriately enough, will be: London!  We will have our own area in the pub, starting at 11am.  A large screen is available via wi-fi if required. A good range of lunches and drinks will be available at reasonable London pub prices. There is no entry charge provided you pre-register.  Details of hope to reserve a place can be found in the electronic Newsletter that is sent to Members.

CARTO/CYMRU, The Wales Map Symposium 2023 Friday 12th May

 Presented by The National Library of Wales and The Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historic Monuments of Wales, in association with The Charles Close Society, this should be a great event, and a fine introduction to our AGM the next day. The theme is 'Mapping the Nation' – exploring the work of the Ordnance Survey, how approaches to mapping the landscape have changed over time and how historical OS maps can help us to understand our physical environment both past and present, so very much aligned to our Society aims and existance. The planned presentations are below:

• 10:00 - Welcome by Pedr ap Llwyd, Librarian & Chief Executive, The National Library of Wales.
• 10:15 - 'Excavating' the Map: Landscapes of the Early Ordnance Survey in Great Britain and Ireland – Keith Lilley, Professor of Historical Geography, Queen’s University, Belfast.
• 11:00 - The Blue & Black MS Drawings for the 1:2500 – Dr Rob Wheeler, Honorary Secretary, Charles Close Society.
• 11:45 - Mapping the milestones in Ordnance Survey’s history – Jess Baker, Technical Relationship Consultant, Ordnance Survey.
• 12:30 - Lunch
• 14:00 - The Meresmen and the Parish Boundaries of Wales – Scott Lloyd, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.
• 14:45 - Not just maps of Wales: OS mapping at the National Library – Huw Thomas, Map Curator, The National Library of Wales.
• 15:25 - Afternoon break
• 15:45 - Wales on the Map – Mike Parker.
• 16:30 - Closing address by Christopher Catling, Secretary and Chief Executive, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2023 

Saturday 13th May The first physical Annual General Meeting and map market for a few years, this is not to be missed. It is also the day after the Carto/Cymru Conference, see above, so another reason to attend. More details are in April's Sheetlines, please reply to Committee member Anne Taylor to confirm your attendance. We'd love to see as many attend as possible, to catch up with all things Ordnance Survey maps, and see some old friends too. 

A WALK AROUND VAUXHALL & NINE ELMS, LONDON Saturday 22nd April, 11am

• This was led by CCS member John King, who promised a free map at the end of the walk!
• Distance just over 2 miles, mainly on the flat but stairs will be involved, taking about 2 to 3 hours in total.
• Maximum group size will be a maximum of 20, so please book in as soon as you can.
• This is for Members only

The area of Vauxhall and Nine Elms developed in the 19th century with the coming of the railways into what had been a largely rural area. Alongside the railways there was also much industry. Significant changes occurred in the late 1960s and 1970s with the disappearance of the railway works and much of the heavy industry. What replaced these activities were light industrial units and warehousing including New Covent Garden Market. Another change began in the second decade of the 21st Century with the arrival of large scale apartment and flat buildings. The walk will reflect these changes and include the site of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, 19th century housing developments with a 20th century twist, Vauxhall Park, the sites of two Royal Stations, the new Nine Elms underground station, the Sky Pool, the new United States embassy (technically we will actually be in the USA), the present day Nine Elms, a surviving country house and much, much more. 

BRITISH MILITARY MAP-MAKERS IN THE PENINSULA, A TALK Tuesday 28th March, 7:30pm 

This will be a talk by Dr John Peaty about Wellington’s army in the early 19th century 'Peninsular' war. Below is his abstract regarding the talk and context for reference. One of the major contributions to the liberation of Portugal and Spain from the French was the superb intelligence service developed by the British Army which enabled Wellington to know to a remarkable degree what was on the other side of the hill. In recent years British military historians have transformed our understanding of Wellington’s intelligence service in the Peninsular War. Urban, Davies and Romans have illuminated the work of code-breakers, agents and exploring officers. However, the contribution of British surveyors and map-makers to discovering and then depicting what was on the other side of the hill remains unappreciated - as does their contribution to recording Wellington’s campaigns and battles for posterity. This paper will examine the neglected work of Wellington’s surveyors and map-makers during and in the aftermath of the Peninsular War. It will show that men such as Broke, Sturgeon, Bell, Colleton, Staveley, Bainbrigge, Freeth and Mitchell made a major contribution to the success of Wellington’s operations and the winning of his victories by not only finding out what was on the other side of the hill but also by depicting it accurately and usefully. It will further show that such men made a major contribution to the study of the war by recording for history Wellington’s operations and victories accurately and usefully afterwards. Finally, it will show that such men rendered distinguished service in many fields and that, ironically, they are remembered today for things other than surveying and map-making in the Peninsula. 

DECEMBER ONLINE TALK Zoom Meeting #19, 12th December, 7:30pm 

The online talk before Christmas will be entitled 'Adding Railways to the Old Series' and will be by Dr. Rob Wheeler. The addition of railways was the principal cause of substantive revision to the one-inch Old Series. The manner in which it was done was far from uniform. This talk will explore some of the variation and consider whether it is appropriate to try to identify distinct styles. View the recording here, streaming length: 1hr 12m 

MAP SALE, DEALERS WELCOME! 

For those of us who have sorely missed the CCS annual map fairs, here’s an opportunity to buy yourself a mappy Christmas present! 

On Saturday 3 December from 10am to 5pm, part of our founder chairman Peter K Clark’s collection will be on sale, at Unit 8, The Stables, Goblands Farm Business Centre, Cemetery Lane, Hadlow, Kent. TN11 0LT. Grid Ref: TQ 6431 4982. No need to book, just turn up! Plenty of parking available. Or book a lift from Tonbridge railway station (frequent fast trains from London). To arrange, call Ann Couldrey with your expected time of arrival: 07804 466377 or 01732 851736 the day before, or email Ann Couldrey any time. Prices from only £1 each, with deep discounts for bulk purchases! Payment in cash only please. Please bring your own containers. Tea and coffee will be available. Here’s a taste of what to expect:

• Folded maps: Popular, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh editions, tourist and district maps, plus 4th ed, ¼ inch.
• Some Irish sheets.
• Flat maps in drawers and rolls: 1” 7th series: an almost complete run, Military Survey o/ps, and other scales.
• Scottish six-inch engraved sheets: mostly 1st & 2nd eds. Indexes to the various series. Some Irish sheets.
• 1:50 000 proofs: an almost complete run (catch copies with Ms comments), a mix of M726 and civilian series.
• Old Series reproductions: a good number.
• Stacks of: OS ephemera, publication lists, newsletters, etc.
• Survey and map reading manuals, atlases.
• Other books and non-OS maps inc Bartholomew ¼” & ½”.

For enquiries about sale items please email Chris Couldrey Come to Kent on December 3rd - and have a mappy Christmas! 

Zoom Meeting #18, 14th November 2022, 7:30pm 

The Society's next talk will be online by Dr Richard Oliver and will be entitled  'The first 25 years of the Ordnance Survey coloured one-inch maps, 1897-1922: how the "Mudge Map" turned into the Landranger'. View the recording here, streaming length: 1hr 17m 

WILLIAM ROY AND THE MILITARY SURVEY OF SCOTLAND, Thursday 1st September at 17.00pm 

The Scottish Maps Forum is hosting a free talk by Humphrey Welfare which is entitled: William Roy and the Military Survey of Scotland. The talk is in connection with Humphrey’s new biography - General William Roy, 1726-1790: Father of the Ordnance Survey. This is being published by Edinburgh University Press: https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-general-william-roy-1726-1790.html Humphrey’s talk will be held on Zoom – if you would like to join, please sign up at: https://forms.office.com/r/NPTEtPCkNy and you will be sent joining details. 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2022, Saturday 20th August 2022 This occurred on Saturday 20th August, starting at 10:30am and finishing roughly an hour later. It was attended by just over 50 members. The minutes from the meeting will be collated and will appear in the December copy of Sheetlines. There wasn't a guest speaker this year, so no relavant recording is available.

 Zoom Meeting #17, Monday 6th June 2022 

Entitled "LOOK, THEY GAVE ME A MAP" by Ian Byrne. Not all maps were designed to be sold; some were given away for promotional reasons, by organisations as diverse as tourist boards, estate agents, bus companies, hotels, petrol stations and even tonic wine! Some were carefully designed to tempt the traveller to explore, while others look as if they were thrown together in 5 minutes. A few even used recognisable Ordnance Survey base mapping. At this Show & Tell we are inviting CCS members to bring along some favourites - good and bad - with the only restriction being that the first owner was not required to pay for them. They could date from any time in the past 150 years as, unlike many commercial maps with a cover price, these still seem to be produced in large quantities. 

NEXT MIDLAND GROUP MEETING, Tuesday 31st May 2022 

The next meeting will be on the subject of 'Tourist Maps' on Tuesday 31st May at 7:30pm at the Wall Village Hall in Staffordshire (Watling St, Lichfield WS14 0AW). Please contact Lez Watson if you'd like to attend, so he can monitor numbers. 

LINCOLNSHIRE LOCAL MEETING, Monday 25th April 2022 

A local meeting will take place at Harmston, just south of Lincoln, on 25th April from 1:30 to 3:15pm, with tea and coffee from 1pm. The timing has been arranged to suit the arrival of the No 1 bus service both from Lincoln and from Grantham. Location will be Harmston Memorial Hall in School Lane (SK 970624). The format of the meeting will be a 'Show and Tell': those attending are invited to bring a map or two that they are prepared to show and to say a few words about. Those Members that are interested are asked to contact the Society Secretary (or telephone 01522 720692) indicating whether they plan to bring a map to talk about. It would be extremely helpful if as many responses as possible were received by 21st March so that the Hall booking can be confirmed. There will be a charge of £3 to cover Hall hire and coffee. There is no theme as such, but one of the maps will be a state of a Yorkshire 1st edition six-inch on which the contours were yet to be engraved; another will be one or more of the 1:500 sheets of Grantham. 

ZOOM MEETING #16, Tuesday 12th April 2022 

Rob Wheeler held a talk on Tuesday 12th April entitled "The Military Editions of the Six-inch Map". The War Department (WD) maintained plates for six-inch sheets which included detail which had been ordered not to be shown on sales editions. The WD also undertook revision of these sheets to standards rather different from those followed by the OS. The results can be highly informative, but they need to be used with caution. Visit the Zoom Meeting page for more details and the recording. 

NEW MEMORIAL TO MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM ROY The Charles Close Society are proud to be associated with this new memorial to Major General William Roy (1726 – 1790), whose work & leadership led to the creation of the Ordnance Survey in 1791. Led by Paul Doe and funded by London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and Civic Pride, the memorial marks the end point of the surveyed 'baseline' that Roy undertook in 1784. This forming the basis of triangulation in Britain and the backbone of Ordnance Survey maps today. According to Roy, the baseline measured 27,404.7 feet. In 1858 the Ordnance Survey re-calculated it at 27,406.4 feet on the basis of newer base measurements elsewhere in the country. This showed that Roy's original measurement was impressively accurate. It is located here for reference: https://goo.gl/maps/KHHErRkscBDqchkB6, so maybe pay a visit if you're in the area.

 ZOOM MEETING #14, Monday 22nd November 2021 The subject was 'Milemarkers, sign boards & boundary posts and OS maps' and Dr. Richard Oliver did a talk, followed by a Q&A session. It was similar talk to ones previous that Richard has given to the 'Milestone Society' and new ground for those CCS members who aren't Milestone Society members, and probably new lights even for those who are. See the recording here.

 ZOOM MEETING #13, Monday 8th November 2021 The subject was 'Publication of the 25" by parishes: was Scotland treated differently?' and Rob Wheeler will do a talk, followed by a Q&A session. See the recording here. 

RETURN OF THE SOCIETY WALKS! Saturday 2nd October 2021 We're pleased to announce 'A walk around Waterloo and the South Bank' by John King. The walk will not be a cartographic meander but will include Waterloo Station, and some of its memorials, look down into the Waterloo and City line, the Necropolis Railway and the South Bank, particularly the remains of the Festival of Britain, plus many other points of interest. The meeting place is opposite Platforms 1 & 2 and the walk will take about 2 hours. We would ask for a maximum of 20 people on the walk, so if you'd like to attend, please mail the Visits Co-ordinator to book a place. There is no charge for the walk, just the good company of like minded people. 

NEXT MIDLAND GROUP MEETING, Tuesday 28th September 2021 The next meeting will be a 'Bring & Tell' evening on Tuesday 28th September at the Wall Village Hall in Staffordshire (Watling St, Lichfield WS14 0AW). Please contact Lez Watson if you'd like to attend, so he can monitor numbers. 

DISCOUNTED ENTRY TO THE BRITISH CARTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY (BCS) ANNUAL CONFERENCE, 8th to 9th September 2021. Registration is open for this year's BCS Annual Conference, supported by the British Geological Survey. Held virtually, the two-day event will feature a range of fascinating speakers from leading organisations involved in cartography and GIS. Due to a new colloboration with the BCS (further on this in the near future), The Charles Close Society Members can register for events at discounted prices. Details on the event are on the new British Cartographic Society page, the promo codes to book will come in the next Member eNewsletter. 

Wednesday May 19th 2021. Midland Group Meetings Januarys meeting in Wall has been cancelled due the current Covid-19 lockdown. However, the next meeting was held on Wednesday May 19th at the Wall Village Hall in Staffordshire (Watling St, Lichfield WS14 0AW) commencing at 7:30pm. Future meetings are to be held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month in January, May & September.

 Monday 19th April 2021. Zoom meeting #11 'Aviation Maps Show & Tell' This was an open Show-and-Tell session hosted by Ian Byrne. See the recording here. 

Monday 22nd March 2021. Zoom meeting #10 'The OS Half-Inch Map' This lecture by Richard Oliver with a Q&A afterwards is an introduction to the Ordnance Survey half-inch map series, which several CCS members have been working on since even before CCS was formed! In Britain the series was introduced in 1902-3 in response to pressure from the army, and for the next 20 years they regarded it as the primary topographic map of the country. It went through several rethinks and redesigns, and arguably never achieved a ‘definitive’ form. In 1922 the army decided they liked the one-inch instead, and the half-inch had to survive or fall as a civil map. Efforts after 1930 at restyling and redrawing were frustrated first by the war and then by a lack of money, and the series came effectively to an end in Britain in the 1960s. In Ireland it had a different career: in the Republic it came to be the standard map of the country by the 1950s, and lasted, with some interesting changes of detail, until replaced by the 1:50,000 in the 1990s. 

Monday 22nd February 2021. Zoom meeting #9, 'Railway Line Plans & their use of OS Material' We have another Zoom meeting planned for the evening of Monday 22nd February at 7:30pm. This will be by CCS member Gavin Johns for an hour on 'Railway line plans and their use of Ordnance Survey materials'. It will contain some railway history; a major accident and railway operations and a ramble along the Teign valley and the Cambrian coast. See the recording here. 

Tuesday 8 December 2020. Zoom meeting #8, 'Uncle Max Gill and his use of OS maps' We welcome new CCS member Caroline Walker, author of newly-published biography 'MacDonald Gill: Charting a Life'. Caroline will give us a talk entitled 'Uncle Max Gill and his use of OS maps', with time for Q&As. Gerry Zierler will also add to the public transport aspect of Caroline’s talk with examples of use of OS mapping by London’s transport operators in the C20th. Members wishing to attend please email chairman@charlesclosesociety.org and Zoom invitations will be sent to you soon.

 Wednesday 25 November 2020. Zoom Meeting #7, 'Quarter Inch Ordnance Survey Maps' Richard Oliver will run a Zoom session on the OS quarter-inch map. He intends to give a talk of half an hour or so on the basic development of the maps, but encourages questions from participants, and particularly any oddities that they may have found and know about. If you want to contribute, please contact Richard on flookcarto@gmail.com 

Wednesday 11 November 2020. Zoom Meeting #6 'Errors & Omissions' This 6th meeting is to be chaired by Dave Watt on Wednesday 11th November at 7.30pm GMT on Zoom.   Those interested in participating should email Dave Watt at david-watt@outlook.com. Dave invites all CCS members to attend whether as presenter or observer, and those presenting to email him with no more than five maps in either jpeg or .png formats. 

Tuesday 27 October 2020. Zoom Meeting #5 'Lakes & Reservoirs' The 5th online 'Zoom' meeting has now been scheduled and will take place at 8pm on Tuesday 27 October. See details of previous meetings and how to join on the dedicated Zoom Meetings page. 

The subject this time is 'Lakes & Reservoirs', so if you'd like to 'moor up', please contact the Chairperson Ian Byrne at ian@roadmaps.org for details. You can just sit and watch, or join in with examples of your own if you like. Wednesday 9 September 2020. Wall, Staffordshire. Midland Group local meeting This is a thematic evening, the subject being 'Antiquities on Larger Scale OS Maps (25-inch to Quarter-inch)'. Everyone interested in Ordnance Survey maps is welcome. Admission is free to guests. Bring along any Ordnance Survey maps or products that you feel are of interest for discussion. The hall is large and will be laid out for social distancing at 2m. Please bring face covering, sanitizer and refreshments. Hot water will be available, along with disposable cups and plates. For more information, please email the organizer Lez Watson at watsonlv1954@gmail.com

 Zoom Meeting #4 Tuesday 18 August 2020. 'Rivers & Canals' This will be the 4th such online meeting, with numbers attending increasing all the time. See details of previous meetings and how to join on the dedicated Zoom Meetings page.  The subject this time is rivers and canals, so if you'd like to join in, please contact the Chairperson Ian Byrne at ian@roadmaps.org for details. You can just sit and watch, or join in with examples of your own if you like. See the recording here. 

Saturday 8 August 2020. Annual General Meeting When we were obliged to cancel our plans for 9 May, we expressed the hope that it would be possible to hold an AGM in London on 8 August. As of mid-June, it appears doubtful that this will be permitted. Even were a physical gathering to be possible, many members may consider the risk of attending so large an indoor assembly, and of getting there by public transport, to be unacceptable. Accordingly, we have decided to follow the practice of most local authorities and to hold the meeting on-line, using Zoom, on 8 August at 1200. The necessary link to join this meeting will be sent out by email to those members who have signed up for email alerts and in hard copy to all members with the next Sheetlines, which will come out somewhat in advance of its usual date and will include full AGM papers. 

Tuesday 28 July 2020. Items at a Sotheby’s auction An interesting couple of lots in a forthcoming Sotheby’s auction has been highlighted that might be of interest to the group. A partial set of 1 inch Old Series maps in 6 lovely cases, and a Survey of Jerusalem in 3 volumes, see the links below. Fair prices, but lovely things they are....

Don't Lose Your Way campaign from The Ramblers www.ramblers.org.uk/dontloseyourway and then click on the box ‘JOIN THE SEARCH’. Over 10,000 miles of paths across England and Wales could soon be lost forever, unless we come together to save them. Shaped by our ancestors over centuries, our path network tells the stories of our history and our heritage and connects us to the landscape. But many paths are not recorded on the definitive map of rights of way, and if they're not found and added by the cut-off date of 2026 when the final map must be completed, they could be lost forever. To meet the deadline, this will be a huge undertaking and we need thousands of people to help. That's why The Ramblers have launched Don't Lose Your Way to build a growing movement of people across the country to uncover and save generations of lost paths and hidden ways before it's too late. They are also launching an exciting new tool. The Don't Lose Your Way online mapping tool splits the country into 150,000 1km squares and makes it easy to compare current and historic maps (from the NLS) side by side and find lost paths. They need your help to get as many people as possible mapping! 

Friday 14 February 2020 Milton Heritage Society have an interesting event on 'The Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey Maps'. A talk by Geraldine Beech, at The New Milton Memorial Centre, Whitefiled Road, New Milton. BH25 6DE. Free to Milton Hertigate Society Members, £5 to everyone else.

 Saturday 8 February 2020, 11:00-16:30 Notting Hill Gate, London London Group meeting (all welcome, please contact John Davies John@Jomidav.com) Show and Tell on theme of London. 

Saturday 12 October 2019, Redbourn, Hertfordshire Local Group meeting (all welcome, please contact David Watt david-watt@outlook.com) Show and Tell on theme Military Maps post WWII.

 Wednesday 11 September 2019, Wall, Staffordshire Midland Group local meeting (all welcome, please contact Leslie Watson lez@watsonlv.net) Illustrated talk by John Davies on Secret Soviet mapping of the Midlands. 

Tuesday 9 July 2019, Frome Visit to Dennis Maps, printers of OS and other maps, hosted by CCS member Steve Burry. 

Friday 21 June 2019, Glasgow Glasgow University map library to view selection of maps and items of cartographical interest with library staff and former librarian John Moore. 

Friday 21 June 2019, Glasgow Conducted visit to Scottish Canal Archive. 

Thursday 20 June 2019, Perth, Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Itinerary includes welcome talk by Chief Executive Mike Robertson in the Shackleton Room (named for former RSGS secretary Sir Ernest Shackleton and which houses the Polar Collection); talk and tour of the building and the collections of maps and memorabilia, led by Margaret Wilkes; opportunity to browse the collections and chat with Margaret Wilkes and Andrew Cook; opportunity to inspect and purchase for modest sums various maps and items surplus to RSGS requirements. 

Saturday 16 March 2019, Redbourn, Herts. Road and Canals. For more information contact david-watt@outlook.com 

Saturday 30 March 2019, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton, 12:00 noon to 16:30. Uncovering Soviet Maps, talk, workshop and walk looking at the Soviet mapping of Southampton with John Davies and Alex Kent, in conjunction with the exhibition Stefan Gec: The Shepherd's Whistle, 16 February 2019 - 27 April 2019. More details and booking here 

Monday 8 April 2019.National Army Museum, Chelsea. They have a large collection of maps and charts connected to military history and campaigns. 

Wednesday 9 May 2019, Village Hall, Wall, Staffs, Midland Group 'Show & Tell' meeting - canal maps. More information from Lez Watson lez@watsonlv.net 

Saturday, 11 May 2019, AGM in Alnwick, Northumberland. With events on the Friday afternoon and Sunday. 

Thursday 20 June 2019, Royal Scottish Geographical Society (Perth) . They have a large collection of maps and charts connected to military history and campaigns.

 Friday 21 June, Glasgow University Library map collection. Wednesday 9 January 2019, 7:30 pm, Village Hall, Wall, Staffs (SK 0972 0651). Midland Group 'Show & Tell' meeting. More information from Lez Watson lez@watsonlv.net 

Saturday 16 March 2019, 11:30 am, Redbourn, Herts. Road and Canals. For more information contact david-watt@outlook.com 

2019 AGM will be in Alnwick, Northumberland, on Saturday 11 May Monday 10 December, 2018, Highgate, London. Talk by John Davies: 'Secret Cold War maps of London', exploring comparisons between Ordnance Survey maps and Soviet Military maps. For information and booking contact editor@charlesclosesociety.org 

Wednesday 12 September 2018, Village Hall, Wall, Staffs (SK 0972 0651). Illustrated talk on ‘The Contoured Map of the Thames Basin’ (1870) by Bill Henwood. More information from Lez Watson on 07812144675 (text is better) or via his website contact form at https://www.watsonlv.net. 

Saturday 15 September 2018 - Local Hertfordshire meeting, Redbourn. organised by David Watt contact david-watt@outlook.com 

Saturday 13 October 2018, Cambridge University Library, The Great Lines Project: Charles Hutton’s contribution to the invention of contours. Talk by Karen Rann. The talk will focus on mathematician Charles Hutton who – whilst working for the Greenwich Royal Observatory – was tasked with computing the data collected by surveyors working on the mountain Schiehallion during an experiment to “weigh the world”. Hutton’s description of his subsequent map, and its calculations, were published by the Royal Society in 1778. Although this manuscript map is missing, from his calculations Karen – working with a present-day mathematician – has been able to recreate a version of the missing map as well as ‘compare and contrast’ models of Hutton’s contours compared with modern OS altitudes. The talk will also touch on some of the earliest manuscript maps to include isobaths, and cartographic depictions of the mountain Schiehallion (pre and post contours), in a bid to understand how ‘elevation’ has been depicted on maps through history. Booking essential: For further information and booking, contact Bernard Anderson visits@charlesclosesociety.org Karen Rann is a freelance visual artist with a particular interest in space and place. Most of her work is research-based and a result of artist residencies. Usually the outcomes are in the form of installation, sculpture or performance, though now map-making is added to the list. 

14 May 2018 CCS privacy and data protection policy now online here 

2 March 2018 New visits dates For further information and booking, contact Bernard Anderson visits@charlesclosesociety.org A small charge will apply to cover fees charged by the hosts. 

Saturday 9 June 2018, Durham Record Office. This is a morning visit after which there is an opportunity to explore the historic city. The archivist has promised a fascinating display of local maps. Among them will be plans of coal seams and workings specially prepared for the owners of the mines involved and large-scale maps and plans of the surrounding area. 

Monday 9 July 2018, Chester Record Office – an afternoon visit to another historic city. Here we will see a display specifically aligned to CCS members and their interest. In addition to OS maps the Record Office holds examples of early maps of the county and more specialist material covering such areas as soil type and developments including the Manchester Ship Canal, the town of Crewe and New Towns at Warrington and Runcorn. 

Suggestions of venues for future visits – and especially offers to organise local meetings in various parts of the country – are welcomed. Visits and meetings form an important part of the Society’s activities, for social as well as educational reasons and we do encourage you to help us to provide a varied and inspirational programme.

 17 January 2018 New date: 10 March - Local Hertfordshire meeting, Redbourn. organised by David Watt contact david-watt@outlook.com 

23 December 2017 New! - The online collection of OS map covers is now live - click here 

The date and venues for the next CCS visits are : 30 January – John Rylands Librray, Manchester 13-14 April - Shap Wells Hotel, Cumbria For further information and booking, contact Bernard Anderson visits@charlesclosesociety.org 

3 September 2017 The date and venues for the next CCS visit are now announced: 5 October – Mitchell Library (Charing Cross – Glasgow). This houses the Glasgow City Archive so should contain some interesting items. 6 October – National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh). Although a major re-building project is under way, we will see a display of maps and Chris Fleet is keen to talk about their digitisation programme. For further information and booking, contact Bernard Anderson visits@charlesclosesociety.org

 25 May 2017 New Maps from the Past Since 2008, the Charles Close Society has produced a series of classic maps, specially chosen for their rarity, aesthetic appeal, and significance within the story of the Ordnance Survey. Each map is produced in a folded Landranger format, reprinted in full colour and accompanied by notes. Maps from the past are distributed with Sheetlines at no extra cost to members and the sixth map, a facsimile of the one-inch Seventh Edition sheet 142 'Hereford' from 1949, was issued in 2016. The Committee welcomes suggestions for future maps in the series, especially those which are rare and/or unfamiliar to members, attractive, and historically interesting. Please send your idea to info@charlesclosesociety.org You should include the following when making your suggestion(s): Title of map (and series, if applicable) Scale and year of publication (if known) Location of a copy of the map (preferably flat and in good condition; we will also need to be lent a copy to scan) A brief rationale for choosing the map 

Another London Map Meander John King will lead a circular walk, this time in the City of London, which will include a number of maps and other quirky details and will end by going up in the world on an OS theme. The walk will be on Saturday 16 September and repeated on Saturday 28 October. Book your preferred date at visits@charlesclosesociety.org

6 April 2017 PLEASE NOTE THE DATE OF MIDDLE TEMPLE VISIT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY 12 JULY at 2pm 

13 March 2017 Two new CCS visits are now arranged. Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham, Kent – SORRY - NOW POSTPONED Middle Temple Library, London – Wednesday 12 July 2pm For more info and booking, contact visits@charlesclosesociety.org The publisher of Nine Lives of John Ogilby reviewed by Mike Parker in latest Sheetlines has made a special offer to CCS members. The deal is 40% off the list price. Contact 012 5630 2699 or email orders@macmillan.co.uk and quote code LG9 (P&P not included) 

12 February 2017 The AGM will take place at Lincoln on 13 May. Further details will be circulated with the next Sheetlines. Members are reminded that under the revised constitution nominations for officers and committee posts need to reach the Hon Sec 60 days beforehand, viz by midday on 14 March.

 17 January 2017 CCS Sheetfinder has moved to http://sheetfinder.charlesclosesociety.org/ and has been further enhanced to include six-inch amd 25-inch maps

 9 January 2017 To join CCS visits to British Library exhibition Maps and the 20th Century: Drawing the Line on 16 February or Central London walks on 4 March or 18 March, send email to Visits@CharlesCloseSociety.org to reserve your place. Members are also invited to attend UK GeoForum lecture on 26 January by Tim Marshall, author of Prisoner of Geography at RICS, London. Booking essential at internationalsupport@rics.org. CCS Sheetfinder at http://sheetfinder.charlesclosesociety.org/ has been enhanced to display County Series six-inch maps online, in addition to various series of historic one-inch and two-and-a-half inch maps. 

24 October 2106 Tranche 6 of the O'Brien collection is now available for bidding, again comprising many rare and important maps and books. Full details are in this document : https://www.charlesclosesociety.org/files/OBrienTranche6.pdf Bids must be received by 15 November at honsec@CharlesCloseSociety.org or on 01522 720692 or by letter. British Library has a major exhibition Maps and the 20th Century: Drawing the Line running until 1 March 2017. The Society has arranged a tour on 16 February (free of entry charge). Numbers are limited, and booking is essential at Visits@CharlesCloseSociety.org John King invites members to join him on ‘A Central London cartographic meander’, a walk visiting sites where old and unusual maps are on public display and also taking in some locations of cartographic relevance and pointing out some of the underground elements of the city not revealed on most maps. To keep numbers manageable, the walk will be held twice, on Saturday 4 March 2017, and repeated on Saturday 18 March, starting at Victoria Station at 10.30 and lasting about two hours. Numbers are limited, and booking is essential at Visits@CharlesCloseSociety.org stating which date you would prefer.

 31 July 2016 NEW! Old Series one-inch mapping of England & Wales now available online. Two editions of Old Series sheets 1-90 (south of Preston to Hull) are now viewable online. The first dates from 1830s, before the railway age, the other the 1860s. You can search by place name or by selecting from index diagram. See /oldseries

 30 June 2016 Tranche 5 of the O'Brien material has a particular focus on cartography of mountain ranges, with the Himalayas and the Swiss Alps being covered by a range of maps from 1820 to the present. There are also some rare OS publications - see the Cartographic Books section - and classic guide books to a variety of exotic places. Full details are in this document : https://www.charlesclosesociety.org/files/OBrienTranche5.pdf Bids must be received by 25 July via honsec@charlesclosesociety.org or on 01522 720692 or by letter. Please don't leave it till the last minute! 

8 June 2016 The 2017 AGM will be in Lincoln on 13 May 2017. 

Saturday 21 May 2016, AGM 2016 at Llangollen Full details sent to members with April 2016 Sheetlines 

New on the website - The Virtual Museum https://www.charlesclosesociety.org/virtualmuseum - a repository for technical details of how maps were produced in the pre-digital era. Sheetlines Index up to issue 105 (April 2016) now on line at https://ccs-web.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/Index69on.htm Copies of Sheetlines up to issue 102 (April 2015) now on line at https://www.charlesclosesociety.org/SheetlinesArchive 

CCS FORTHCOMING VISITS PROGRAMME NEW EVENT : 8 Oct at 1130 at Kentish Town London NW5. Talk by John Peaty : An overview of the development of British military mapping in the Great War, covering the role of Close and the OS and touching on controversial episodes like the Gallipoli mapping Also future dates as previously advised: 14 July: Coal Authority, Mansfield to see archives of plans of mines and mine workings as well as associated property documentation. 22 Sept: Dennis Maps, Frome, printers of British and Irish maps, in their new premises. 27 January 2016 In accordance with the wishes of the late Ian O'Brien, his executors donated his maps and specialist books to the Society. The collection was truly remarkable for its breadth and - in particular areas - its quality. The collection is being offered for sale to members and others in tranches. Two tranches have already been sold and the third is now being offered. This tranche includes some rare and valuable material as well as huge numbers of books and maps. Full details are in this document : https://www.charlesclosesociety.org/files/OBrienTranche3.pdf Bids must be received by 25 February via honsec@charlesclosesociety.org or on 01522 720692 or by letter. Please don't leave it till the last minute! CCS FORTHCOMING VISITS PROGRAMME Numbers are limited, please make early registration at Visits@CharlesCloseSociety.org Saturday 27 February 2016. Explore the Hounslow Heath baseline 21 April (afternoon) Imray Nautical Charts, St Ives (Cambs) 11 May (afternoon) National Maritime Museum, Greenwich 9 June: The Hive, Worcester to see some of the highlights of their collection covering the city and county of Worcester, including estate maps, early county maps and large scale OS plans for the city area. 14 July: Coal Authority, Mansfield to see archives of plans of mines and mine workings as well as associated property documentation. 22 Sept: Dennis Maps, Frome, printers of British and Irish maps, in their new premises. 

24 November 2015