{"product_id":"the-authentic-map-directory-of-south-lancashire-james-bain-editor","title":"The Authentic Map Directory of South Lancashire, James Bain (Editor)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublication:\u003c\/b\u003e London, \"Geographia\" Ltd., n.d. [c. 1934]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormatting:\u003c\/b\u003e Folio, pp. [ii], 208, [92].\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Report:\u003c\/b\u003e Good. The publisher's original dark green cloth boards remain structurally sound but exhibit noticeable shelf-wear, rubbing to the extremities, and minor surface marking; the gilt titling to the upper board, however, remains relatively bright. Internally, the most significant flaw is the front hinge, which is deeply cracked with the binding webbing fully exposed, rendering the front board tender. The large fold-out index map affixed to the front pastedown has sustained notable tears and multiple historic repairs with now-browned tape, detracting from its presentation. The main text block and the 184 coloured map sections are generally clean and entirely legible, though they display occasional handling marks, slight age-toning to the margins, and minor edge-wear consistent with regular reference use. Solicitor's stamps are present on the front endpapers. A complete and serviceable copy with distinct structural and aesthetic faults to the preliminaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCatalogue Note:\u003c\/b\u003e This substantial, undated pre-war directory (circa 1934) provides an exhaustive cartographic record of South Lancashire, containing 192 full-page coloured street maps alongside a comprehensive business directory and street index. It serves as a vital snapshot of the region's urban and industrial layout prior to mid-century developments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf particular interest is the unique provenance and laid-in ephemera accompanying this copy. Bearing the stamps of Cook \u0026amp; Talbot Solicitors of Southport, the volume appears to have been utilised for legal referencing during the 1960s motorway expansion. Laid into the pages is an original draft conveyance document dated March 1962, detailing the compulsory purchase of land at Shevington Moor (Plot 8058) by the Minister of Transport. This is supplemented by a 1963 newspaper clipping mapping the newly opened junctions of the M6 motorway. These additions transform the directory from a simple reference book into an artefact of mid-20th-century British infrastructural history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA monumental cartographic achievement of the 1930s, \u003ci\u003eThe Authentic Map Directory of South Lancashire\u003c\/i\u003e offers an incredibly detailed, street-by-street visual record of the region at the height of its industrial era. With 184 vibrant, large-scale sectional maps covering everywhere from Preston to Manchester, this exhaustive volume is a treasure trove for local historians, genealogists, and geography enthusiasts. This specific copy is uniquely enriched by its history as a working legal reference tool, complete with original 1960s ephemera relating to the compulsory land acquisitions for the construction of the M6 motorway, offering a fascinating glimpse into a landscape on the brink of modern transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54628773364051,"sku":"5184","price":285.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260811_143811.jpg?v=1787132060","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/the-authentic-map-directory-of-south-lancashire-james-bain-editor","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}