1914 MacGill's Wonderground Map
Written around the edge:
THE HEART OF BRITAINS EMPIRE * HERE IS SPREAD OUT FOR YOUR VIEW.
IT SHOWS YOU MANY STATIONS * &'BUS ROUTS NOT A FEW.
YOU HAVE NOT THE TIME * TO ADMIRE IT ALL? WHY NOT
TAKE A MAP HOME TO PIN ON YOUR WALL.
This is such a detailed and humorous map, I had to find place for it on this site. Although it is not strictly an underground map, it does include the location and names of the underground stations throughout London at the time and associates its title with a play on the words wonderground & underground. It was produced in 1914, by MacDonald Gill, the same artist who was later to design the series of underground maps between 1920 and 1924 and had association with the underground through his tutor Edward Johnston. (Johnston was commissioned to design the underground's letter form.)
It is completely impractical as a functional map but this was not the intended purpose; it is more an illustration of countless incidental details of London's attractions.
You can explore the intrigue, in the fine detail of a larger image, if you click on the map - and have the patience to wait for 3.7 Megbts to load!! I am not sure whether the anecdotes are based on any historic fact (it would be interesting to know), however it is delightful, charming and funny; hope you enjoy it.
At present it is far from being a good image, such a large map is difficult to scan. But I intend to improve the quality of it in time.
