Description:This version of the second issue of John Kempson’s MAP OF THE TOWN AND PARISH OF Birmingham, is bound in the printed volume of Plans of Birmingham and Vicinity published in 1885. The original, presumably once held by the Rating department, no longer exists but survives only as the printed copies. It is probable that all of the added detail: new streets and newly labelled streets in the Jewellery Quarter; new buildings in the same area; and property boundaries and property ownership details over the whole area to the north-west of the town, were manuscript additions to a copy of Issue 2 held in the Rating department, where only one copy of Version 2 was needed. The additions shown suggest a date between 1811 and 1818. A study of property ownership may narrow this range.
TOWN AND PARISH OF BIRMINGHAM JOHN KEMPSON 1811-18 MAP/45209, MAP/148157, MAP/518846 & MAP/589906 (a loose sheet from a printed volume, open access version)
This second issue of John Kempson’s Map of the Town and Parish of Birmingham still bears the legend in the top right hand corner of the map
TO THE COMMISIONERS OF THE STREET ACTS, THIS MAP OF THE TOWN AND PARISH OF Birmingham, shewing the Boundaries as perambulated by them, IN THE YEAR 1810, Is most respectfully inscribed by their most obedient Servant JOHN KEMPSON Surveyor.
It has the same set of Hackney Coach fares as on Kempson’s 1808 town map in the bottom left hand corner but now carries the line
Published April 1811 by John Kempson
In the bottom right-hand corner.
The map still has 21o north of west at the top and the borders enclose an area 4.6 kilometres by 6.9 kilometres centred on the north side of Goodman Street between King Edwards Road and Summer Hill.
Regents Place is shown, not labelled, incorrectly extending East from Martin Street, just south of Regent Street, to a point on Caroline Street just north of Mary Street. Frederick Street and Martin Street (Later Vittoria Street) are labelled. It also shows additional property boundaries and property ownership details: between Monument Road [labelled as Ladywood Lane on this map], Ladywood Lane and Sheepcote Lane; between Warstone Lane, Icknield Street, Cambden Street, George Street, Frederick Street, Regent Street and Martin Street; south-east of Great Hampton Row and property ownership details: north-west of Ladywood Lane [Monument Road] & on both sides of Turnpike Road [Dudley Road] west of the canal
It is probable that all of the detail added to the 1st version of issue 2 : new streets and newly labelled streets in the Jewellery Quarter; new buildings in the same area; and property boundaries and property ownership details over the whole area to the north-west of the town, were manuscript additions to a copy of Issue 2 held in the Rating department, where only one copy of Version 2 was needed. It was photo-reproduced as the 12th map in Plans of Birmingham and vicinity ancient and modern, Birmingham: Public Works Committee, Town Council, 1884. There is no known manuscript annotated original to hand.
This version of the second issue of the map was definitely produced after the original 1811 issue1 and after the 1st version of the 2nd issue but before the revised issue of John Kempson’s Town plan, which appeared in Wrightson’s Triennial Directory of Birmingham in 1818.