Mardon, Son and Hall

 

In 1884 Mardon, Son and Hall of the Caxton Works in Bristol published a delightful guide book to Torquay written by Joye C Kerr. This thin guide book was produced using the newly popular chromolithograph technique. This style, popular on the continent had been used by British publishers to produce postcards but was not used extensively in guide book production. Kerr’s volume contained 14 full colour chromolithograph pages as well as including adverts on both inside covers for Shapley & Austin’s Co-operative Stores at 2, Strand in bright colour (illustrated below).

This guide book was especially written and many of the local suppliers are mentioned in the text which includes a potted history as well as suggestions for day’s outings. Two maps were also included, one was a plan of Torquay previously published by Westley in his own guides to Torquay (see Westley 2) – a map produced by Stanford’s in London. The second, smaller map was specially produced by Mardon’s and showed the area around Torquay.

 Size: 100 x 133 mm.    Scale of One Mile (1 = 20 mm). 

MAP OF TORQUAY AND DISTRICT (Ea) with scale bar below. Imprint: MARDONS’ BRISTOL (CeOS) and COPYRIGHT (EeOS).Map covers the area from just west of Marldon to Watcombe and Barton Cross in the north. 

1. 1884     Illustrated Guide to Torquay and Neighbourhood by Joye C Kerr

                 Bristol. Mardon, Son & Hall. 1884.    DevA, KB.

For more information on the Strand, Torquay see my web page: Edward Cockrem.