Brighton Town Plan 1851

A most attractive Victorian plan of Brighton in Sussex by John Tallis 1851 showing its famous Chain Pier reaching out into the English Channel.. At the bottom of the plan there is a splendid view towards the Chain Pier showing Victorian people enjoying strolls along the sea front. The second illustration is of the Old Steyne and Pavilion, the third is of Brighton Railway.

 London publisher John Tallis issued his “Illustrated Atlas” in 1850, consisting of eighty highly decorative maps of the countries and regions of the World, engraved on steel by John Rapkin. They are delicately engraved and are surrounded by charming vignette views depicting famous landmarks, wildlife and costume of the inhabitants of each country. By this time the accuracy and practicality of maps were generally considered of greater importance than were aesthetic qualities, therefore making them unusual for the period.

Tallis did not produce a series of county maps, but his maps of the individual countries of the British Isles are well worthy of note. Between 1850 and 1860, Tallis published an extremely attractive series of town plans, also engraved by Rapkin, with vignettes of scenes and buildings taken from Dugdales “Curiosities”.