John Bartholomew 7 – for Abel Heywood 

Abel Heywood's series of Penny Guide Books included transfers from the Imperial Map. A map covering most of North Devon can be found in A Guide to Ilfracombe and Clovelly published by Abel Heywood and Son in Manchester in 1900 (compare to Imperial Map 4). Heywood, a bookseller and publisher of radical literature began his series of penny guides in 1866 with Buxton and Kent appearing in 1872.

Abel Heywood was born in Prestwich, near Manchester, in 1810.[1] His family were poor, moreso after the father's death when Heywood was only five. As a result Abel received little formal education, and at the comparatively young age of 9, he became an apprentice to Thomas Worthington who owned a warehouse in High Street in Manchester. We know that Heywood attended the Bennett Street Sunday School, and later the Mechanics' Institute of which he was one of the first members. Despite his own limited access to education he rose to become a prominent figure.

By 1830, Heywood had opened acquired the agency for the sale of the Poor Man's Guardian.This was a working man's newspaper which sold for one penny, which would become a popular format around the middle of the century. However, at this time all newspaper publishers were expected to pay the stamp duty due on all newspapers, but many publishers refused on the grounds that it was a tax on knowledge. By 1832 Heywood had opened a shop in Oldham Street in Manchester. He was also prosecuted several times for selling this "illegal" newspaper even serving  4 months in jail. In 1837, the government finally reduced stamp duty from four pence to one penny. Heywood’s business flourished, and by 1840 he was selling 18,000 copies of his newspaper a week. When he came into conflict with the law again with accusations that he sold material containing "blasphemous" matter it only served to raise great local sympathy for his "free" press principles. His reputation had so grown by 1835, however, that he was appointed as Commissioner of Police in that year, and later elected as a member of the new Manchester Corporation.

Meanwhile he continued newspaper printing and sales, opening his own paper mill in Stockport, and publishing journals such as "The Northern Star", "Ben Brierley's Journal", and his own publication, the "Manchester Spectator". A follower of Robert Owen's philosophies on social reform, he actively promoted educational expansion for the city. He was elected and served as Alderman for the city, and was twice made Mayor, though his bid to be elected as a Member of Parliament failed in 1859.

Abel Heywood died in 1893 aged 84 years, and is buried at his residence "Summerfield" in Rose Hill, Bowden, There is a statue of him in Manchester Town Hall. 

Bartholomew Imperial Map 7 (Abel Heywood) 

Size: 260 x 390 mm.                  SCALE 4 MILES TO AN INCH (8 = 50).

 

MAP OF THE ENVIRONS OF ILFRACOMBE (CaOS) together with imprint: PUBLISHED WITH ABEL HEYWOOD & SON'S SERIES OF PENNY GUIDE BOOKS (PRICE TOGETHER 2D). Imprint below map: Abel Heywood & Son. 56 & 58 Oldham Street. Manchester. Signature: John Bartholomew & Co. Edinr. (EeOS) and Copyright (AeOS).

Coast from Tintagell Head to Dunster and south as far as Tintagell Head and Topsham. Note that the county name (DEVON) is missing from this section and that railway lines from Holsworthy to Bude and Barnstaple to Lynton have not yet been added. 

1.1900   A Guide to Ilfracombe and Clovelly

                Manchester. Abel Heywood and Son. 1900.               MCL[2].

For other Bartholomew maps:

Bartholomew Imperial Map 1 - Return to main list

Bartholomew Imperial Map 2 - W H Smith´s Exeter and Environs / Plymouth & Dartmoor

Bartholomew Imperial Map 3 - maps published by Houlston & Wright / Houlston & Sons

Bartholomew Imperial Map 4 - maps used by Milligan etc. for guides to Ilfracombe

Bartholomew Imperial Map 5 - hunting maps for Hiorns & Miller

Bartholomew Imperial Map 6 - The Royal Atlas

Bartholomew Imperial Map 8 - Pearson´s Gossipy Guide

In addition Bartholomew produced two further maps of South Devon for W H Smith:

Bartholomew - W H Smith 1

Bartholmew - W H Smith 2


[1] The following information is taken from www.manchester2002-uk.com/buildings/townHall.html. All copyright is the property of the website.

[2] Illustration courtesy of Manchester City Library (942.35L). All rights reserved.

 

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