A-Z London

Product Information

In South Kensington, while the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum are noted the Science Museum is not. It was there at the time but was clearly not considered as important. in 1972, the company name was changed from Geographers' Map Company to Geographers' A–Z Map Company. The map index contains over 300,000 entries with nearly 100,000 streets, over 200,000 postcodes, plus thousands of places of interest, hospitals and rail stations. All can be located on this high quality map within a few seconds using the search feature or by browsing the index. The search now reaches out to the internet for additional selections when an internet connection is available. Onto the book. It was billed as the ‘A to Z Atlas and Guide to London and Suburbs’. The cover was proud to announce the maps included house numbers along main streets and 23,000 streets (9,000 more than any other similar atlas index). The map installs completely on the device so that it is available instantly anywhere and with no internet connection..

So the book I have in my hand is a replica of the first London A-Z. It contains the maps which Mrs Pearsall first published including bus, trolleybus and tram routes, plus the streets of London as they were just before the World War II.

In addition to a map of the London Underground (central area), a West End Theatres map and a West End Cinemas map are also featured within this atlas.

I love looking at old maps of London so was pleased to come across this London A-Z Street Atlas – Historical Edition. The book starts with some themed maps such as Theatreland and even Shopping Centres and Parking Places. Clubland is not a map of nightclubs but instead of the gentlemen’s clubs, many of which are still functioning today. Unless indicated to the contrary, the index shows districts and various facilities or places of interest in colour to make them easy to see., with separate listings of hospitals/healthcare facilities and railway/underground/etc, stations. All versions all include a diagram of London Transport’s Underground/Overground/DLR network. Stanford’s presentation of the individual atlases includes an image showing the extent of the coverage. The index section lists streets, embassies, legations, commonwealth representatives and hospitals covered by this atlas.

About Stanfords

You can use your device’s inbuilt location services to show your current location on the map or follow your movements as you travel. I discovered the Agricultural Hall in Islington is now the Business Design Centre. It was used for large cattle, horse and dog shows as well as trade exhibitions. But, when finished, no-one wanted it. The map trade was unwilling to be disturbed and publishers rejected the maps. So Pearsall founded the Geographers’ Map Company to print them herself, and began selling them in 1936. These maps are a digital copy of the famous A-Z Street Maps of London with other UK cities available soon. Geographers' A–Z Map Company was the official supplier of atlases and maps for the 2012 Olympic Games and 2012 Paralympic Games and produced detailed maps for the Olympic Park in Stratford, as well as all the other venues that were used during the games in London and throughout the United Kingdom. They produced three special maps detailing transport information on getting to the venues and also provided information on events related to the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. In addition, A–Z provided special sections relating to the Games in their 2012 editions of their main UK-wide and local maps.

I moved a lot when I first came to London (25 times in 5 years) so I really got to know the A-Z. In the days before Google maps and mobile phones, the book was an essential item in any Londoner’s bag.

Zuti Maps

At around the age of 29, Pearsall directed some draughtsmen to begin drawing up this new type of street map while she compiled much of the information necessary to update the maps. It’s sais she walked the streets of London for up to 18 hours a day hand plotting the street alignment and compiling ancillary information including house numbers along principal thoroughfares. Straight away I was comparing with now and found plenty of differences as well as plenty that has remained.