The Locating London’s Past project allows you to search through multiple datasets and resources relating to early modern and eighteenth century London, and then map the results from the datasets onto a GIS compliant version of a 1746 map. The project includes a home page, about the project, historical background, and a contact page. Within the data section, you can either select all the data available or choose a specific dataset. The data is divided into 6 sections: Old Bailey, London Lives, London Lives Additional Datasets, Centre for Metropolitan History, Museum of London Archaeology, and Other. Within the sections there are multiple options of different datasets, including coroners’ records, criminal justice, four shillings in the pound tax, plague deaths, and more. Once you choose one or more datasets that you want to map, you can further narrow down the data before finally placing it on the map. You can even toggle through the different maps and map the points or pins on a map from 1746, 1800s, and present day.
While the map assumes that those who visit may have some background knowledge relating to the topics at hand, there is also a historical background and information section for each dataset available. The creators of the map kept their audience in mind and thought about who would be visiting the site. The actual map itself is taken from John Rocque’s 1746 map, so the maps themselves are simply interactive images with the pinned records from the datasets on top. The project was created by UK scholars and researchers who were interested in learning more about London’s history and seeing how they could use GIS interface to map and visualize textual and artifactual data.
The map simply reveals the amount of incidents that occurred for any one event. It fails to document the personal experiences or stories associated with each pin or grouping, so the map is very data and fact driven, without emotional or human elements attached.
I like the way how they made the users personalize their map by clicking their preferred categories. But also, I agree with you that the maps are only based on data, though, instead of giving full narratives of history. It would have been nicer if any first hand and less generalized information were covered.
It does seem a little weird how neutral and detached the blog is – especially when “plague deaths” is just another category. It would be nice to humanize the data a bit
I liked your explanation of the site and the different features it has. I agree with your point on the lack of personal experiences included and how that should be included. The site does seem very data and fact driven and adding those personal experiences would be useful.
I find it disjoint that this project is about something as broad as “London’s Past” yet doesn’t fully flesh out these important narratives.
Hi,
I chose to look at this project too and I liked your point that it lacked human elements but very fact driven, which I very much agreed with. The map was largely focused on government and policy making related events which is . very salient feature of the project.