|
| JOHN ROCQUE EUROPE |
| Description |
| CD-ROM |
In 1728, John was married to Marthe. Later, in 1751, he married Mary-Ann Bew, who continued the business after his death. John worked as a surveyor, engraver, mapmaker, map-seller and publisher, in Great Windmill Street and Soho. He later moved to 'Hyde Park Road', in those days on the outskirts of London, before moving, in 1750, to larger and more central premises, first in Whitehall, and then in the Strand
Rocque's earliest published maps were plans of gardens or estates. Subsequently, he produced fine plans of Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Kew Gardens, Sion House, Chiswick House, and so on, issued under his own imprint. These plans give a clear indication of his working methods. Each is dedicated to an influential or wealthy figure, and the implication is that each figure "honoured" in this way would reward Rocque financially not only for the work itself, but also for the prestige it brought. One explanation for his approach was that map publishing in England at this period was a very problematic business. Too often, mapmakers found that the costs of original survey work could not be recouped by sales of the published piece. The Crown and aristocracy, however, were often willing to underwrite the expense of such surveys. It was thus that Rocque principally occupied himself between 1734 and 1743. These plans are important testimony to his abilities as a mapmaker and engraver. As his career progressed, and his connections expanded, Rocque branched out into a new field - the surveying of English towns. It was readily apparent that the individual towns of England were poorly mapped, not least London itself. Rocque commenced preparation of a series of large-scale plans of cities of England and Ireland. In 1737, Rocque embarked upon a survey of London, in conjunction with John Pine, but the survey work was not completed until 1744. In 1743, he published a four-sheet plan of Bath. In 1746, he published a 16-sheet map of the environs of London, from survey work done between 1741 and 1745. These two survey works seem to have given a considerable boost to Rocque's fortunes. In 1751 he was appointed Chorographer to the Prince of Wales, while in 1750. In a letter of 1753 to his nephew, Bartholomew, who was in Mannheim, John Rocque noted that he employed ten foreigners, "as many draughtsman as engravers", in his workshop, although he bemoaned the fact that "I have been and am still unfortunate in the foreigners whom I employ". Mary Ann Rocque continue her husband's business, as well as publishing Rocque's 'Set Of Plans And Harbours ...' While clearly a man of only relatively modest means, his business must have been very successful. It would seem that the diversity of his output, coupled with him selling up-to-date maps produced by continental and English counterparts, such as Edward Oakley, may have given him an edge over established firms of print and map-sellers, who relied heavily on re-publishing out-dated materials. It is hard to understate Rocque's importance. Perhaps more importantly, Rocque began work at a time when English mapmaking was at a low ebb, with much of the material being published being long out of date. His work made an enormous contribution to the impetus for what has been termed the "Remapping of England". Noteworthy features of his maps are the much improved, and broadened range of conventional signs that he employed within the maps. The modern audience is fortunate that Rocque worked at the time that he did. While surveying techniques were becoming more modern, public taste of the period insisted on the inclusion of depictions of the principal buildings. This combination of cartographic and pictorial elements led to the creation of some of the finest plans of English towns ever published.
1758: EUROPE state 1 CARTE GÉNÉRALE / des Postes de / L'EUROPE. / dans laquelle / on a tracé toutes les Routes, et marqué / toutes les Places ou la Poste est établie. / Par le S.r Rocque Topographe de L.A.R. / le défunt et le présent / PRINCE de GALLES. / 1758. [1a] J. Gibson Sculp.t [5e] To the Right Hon:ble / George Montague, / EARL of CARDIGAN, / Baron Brudenell, &c. &c. / This Map of the / Post-Roads of / EUROPE / is Dedicated / by his Lordships / Most Obed.t Humble Serv.t / John Rocque. [1b] Publish'd Accor.g to Act of Parliament by J. Rocque Chro= / grapher to his R.H. the Prince of Wales near Round-Court / in the Strand. [5d]
1758: EUROPE state 2 1786 A GENERAL MAP / OF THE / POST ROADS / OF EUROPE, / wherein / ALL THE POST STAGES / with THEIR DISTANCES / are particularly Expressed; / BY JOHN ROCQUE, / Topographer to THE KING. [1b] CARTE GÉNÉRALE / DES POSTES / DE L'EUROPE. / Dans laquelle on a Tracé Toutes les Routes, et / Marqué Tous les Lieux ou la Poste est Establie. / PAR LE SIEUR ROCQUE / Topographe du ROI. / A LONDRES / Chez Robert Sayer, Fleet Street, as the Act Directs. May 26.th 1786. [1a] J. Gibson Sculp.t [5e]