London’s Past Mapping

For this blog post I chose the Locating London’s Past map in an attempt to discover what changes can be seen in London over time through the use of mapping technology and historical archives. The site describes the methodology involved in combining the 1760’s map record with 1800’s records, as well as overlaying them on a modern Google Maps satellite recorded map of London.

The maps can help users better understand and visualize the changes that industrialization and modernization made on the landscape of London. London’s streets can be seen changing names and shifting here and there, with the city slowly growing more and more outward into the country side.

The map from the 1700s has the mystic perspective of the time period in regards to maps. There are detailed ships sailing in the river, and ornate decorations that detail the authors of the map. This perspective is more macro then micro, with few details outside of the roads and geographical details.

The later maps are much more technical, with detailed markings that can help guide and teach readers about the city. It also shows changes in societal perspective, with labels for specific districts of the city highlighted for use by those that organize and inhabit the growing city.

As with most historical maps, the user is limited to seeing just the top down view of the world. This limits our understanding of how much growth vertically the city had over the span of its growth. Attempting to create a virtual representation of the city’s buildings based off of historical records would be an incredible next step for this archive.

These maps assume readers can read English. The makers of these maps are likely bureaucrats or businessmen, and thus will focus details towards economic and political entities instead of the communities of people that inhabit the cities. The map helps reveal these economic forces in the city of London, and the roads and buildings that inhabit it. We get to see the growth of one of the most important cities in the world, which is neat! However, these maps obscure details on the people who live in these cities. What communities are where? What are the demographics? What regions grew in what ways?

In an alternate map, these questions would be answered with interactive notes tied into the map that explore the stories of the people who lived in London in these time periods. This addition to the map would make for a more holistic experience.