Cruchley's New Map of India with the Roads, Railways, and Military Stations the Seat of the Mutinies.

Very rare, separately issued map of India focusing on the eastern and central part of the Peninsula. It marks the military stations rebelling against the British East India Company in 1857. 

George Cruchley was apprenticed to Aaron Aarowsmith, the venerable early 19th century English map maker specializing in wall maps. An enterprising publisher, he set up his own publishing business, with a particular emphasis on folding maps of London. In 1844, he purchased the copper plates of another famous English firm founded by John Cary.

Geographically, this map bears a strong resemblance to a folding map of India published by the sons of the original John Cary, George and John (the second) in 1830. However, it bears some crucial differences. It is focused on the eastern and central part of the Peninsula. This is to highlight the positions of the British Military Stations which are underlined, particularly in the north, signifying the presence of rebellious native troops during the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

This brings us to the most important and interesting aspect of the map. The title on the folding cover actually reads, “Cruchley’s New Map of India with the Roads, Railways and Military Stations, the Seats of the Mutinies”. It is extremely unusual to find a contemporary map with a particular mention of the Indian Mutiny and suggests that this piece was specifically published very quickly in 1857 to inform the public of the location of the rebellious Stations. The expert in the field of contemporaneous maps focusing on important political or military events in the British Empire or abroad in cartographic form was Cruchley’s contemporary, James Wyld; but the Indian Mutiny was of such importance that Cruchley evidently decided to adapt his map of India to showcase this event.

This map seems to be extremely rare. We have only been able to find one in the British Library with no listings in any other libraries or institutions. Original colour. Image of cover available on request. [IC2983]