London Underground Maps pre-1933

  This is a catalogue of official maps of the underground railway system of London, before 1933. This list is maintained by Peter Lloyd in London, England. Please e-mail any comments, corrections, or additions to me at ursa@easynet.co.uk. This is a private web site, and I have no connection with the bodies responsible for rapid transit in London. (See www.thetube.com and www.londontransport.com for the official sites for the Tube and the London Transport Museum, respectively.)

There is no official or definitive list of these maps. Anne Letch's booklet covers the period back to 1920 fairly comprehensively. Beyond that, David Leboff & Tim Demuth's richly illustrated book has very good coverage, but does not aim to be comprehensive. Burwood & Brady's book is reputed to have good coverage, but I have not yet seen a copy of it. Where possible, I have based the information on my own collection, but I have acknowledged other sources where I have used them. (The last column of the map tables indicates the source of information: P = my private collection; D = Leboff & Demuth's book, G = Ken Garland's book, L = Anne Letch's booklet, J = Ken Jones, M = Ken Morris, R = Peter Rigarlsford; e = eBay auction). The catalogue is gradually growing, but there are large gaps that are larger in the earlier parts of the history.

For some of the maps I have written notes that about dating, style and other points. These are in a parallel file, london-pre-1933-notes.htm. Entries for individual maps have cross-references to the relevant bookmarks in that file. Click on the 'notes' links to see the notes in a pop-up window.In addition, each series of maps has an introductory note, which again is linked in the same way.

The notes begin with a notes on a brief history of the pre-1933 Underground


Index to this page

 


1. References

 
   
Ken Garland (1996) 
 "Mr Beck's Underground Map", Capital Publishing, 80 pp.
David Leboff & Tim Demuth (1999)
 "No Need to Ask! Early Maps of London's Underground Railways", Capital Publishing, 80 pp.
Letch (2000)
 "London Transport Bus & Tube Maps: A Collectors' Guide, 1920-2000. Published in June 2000 by Nebulous Books, Cromwell House, II Oliver Rise, Alton, Hampshire GU34 2BN. Telephone 01420 89264. A four-page photocopied supplement was issued in 2001. Copies of this book are sometimes for sale in the shop of the London Transport Museum, in Covent Garden.
 


2. Lists of Maps

2.1 Metropolitan Railway Company (1863-1930s)

  The Metropolitan Railway Company began running the world's first underground railway service on 10th January 1863. See introduction to the Metropolitan maps.

Published Dated Reference Title & Description S
c.1921-24 (None) G 1608/100,000 "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: dark red.
Designer: unknown
Letch assigns a date of '1921-24'.
L
1924 (None) (None) "HOW TO GET TO AND FROM THE BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION, WEMBLEY PARK"
Tri-fold card: 5 7/8 x 4 1/4 inches, folded to 2 1/16.
Designer: unknown
The map is described and illustrated on page 26 of Leboff & Demuth's book, but not listed in Letch's booklet.
See notes.
P
D
c. 1921
(+o/p 1924)
(None) G. 1620/100,000 "METROPOLITAN RAILWAY | MAP OF LONDON"
"EXTENDING TO DISTRICTS SERVED BY THE METROPOLITAN RLY IN MIDDLESEX, HERTS AND BUCKS"
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd, London, Dunstable, & Watford.
Designer: unknown
See notes.
P
L
c. 1925 (None) M574. "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: green.
Letch assigns no date to it, but places it in her list between maps dated '1924-5' and '1926-7'.
L
c. 1926-7 (None) M805/100M. "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: pale blue.
Letch assigns a date of '1926-7'. Leboff & Demuth described and illustrate a map with a pale blue cover, which they assign to 1928, on page 27 of their book. This might be the same edition.
L
D
c. 1928-29 (None) MET.16/68M. "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: green.
Letch assigns a date of '1928-9'.
L
c. 1931 (None) M1090/100M "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: dark red.
Letch assigns a date of '1931'.
L
c. 1931 (None) M1246/50M "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: dark red.
Letch assigns a date of '1931'.
L
1930s (None) M1495/100M. "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: bluey green.(Letch says: 'green'.)
Letch assigns a date of '1930s'.
L
e
1930s (None) M1795/50M. "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: dark red.
Letch assigns a date of '1930s'.
L
1930s (None) G3594/10M. "MAP OF LONDON"
Cover: unknown.
Letch assigns a date of '1930s'.
L


2.2 District Metropolitan Railway Company (1879-1900s)

The District Metropolitan Railway Company is usually referred to simply as the District Railway Company to differentiate it from the Metropolitan Railway Company. (Although they had agreements to run the train services over sections of each other's tracks, they were separate companies.) Compnay began running train services on 24th December 1868. After the formation of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933, it became the District line of London Underground.

See introduction to the District maps.

(1) Broadsheets of Central London

Published Dated Reference Title & Description S
1874 1874 (None) "THE 'DISTRICT' RAILWAY MAP OF LONDON"
Designer: Edward Stanford
Printer: Waterlow & Sons
1st edition.
Cover text on white background. Price 6 pence.
Described & illustrated by Leboff & Demuth, p 11.
See notes.
D
1879 (None) (None) "THE IMPROVED 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP OF LONDON"
Printer: Waterlows
1st edition.
Cover: illustrations of London, in black. Price 6 pence.
Described & illustrated by Leboff and Demuth, p 12.
See notes.
D
c. 1880s (None) (None) "THE IMPROVED 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP OF LONDON"
Printer: Waterlows
2nd edition.
The specimen I have has no cover. Price 6 pence.
P
c. 1880s (None) (None) "THE IMPROVED 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP OF LONDON"
Printer: Waterlows
3nd edition.
P
c. 1890s (None) (None) "THE IMPROVED 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP OF LONDON"
Printer: Waterlows
4th edition.
-
1892 (None) (None) "THE 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP LONDON"
Cover: illustration of London scenes in blue.
Printer: W.J. Adams & Sons, Bradshaws Guide Office, 59 Fleet Street, London E.C.
5th edition, 1st printing. Price 1 shilling.
Illustrated & described by Leboff & Demuth, p 15, where it is ascribed a date of 1892.
P
c. 1895 (None) (None) "THE 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP LONDON"
Cover: illustration of London scenes in blue.
Printer: W.J. Adams & Sons, Bradshaws Guide Office, 59 Fleet Street, London E.C.
5th edition, probable 2nd printing. Price 1 shilling.
See notes.
P
c. 1896 (None) (None) "THE 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP LONDON"
Cover: illustration of London scenes in blue.
Printer: W.J. Adams & Sons, Bradshaws Guide Office, 59 Fleet Street, London E.C.
5th edition, probable 3rd printing. Price 1 shilling.
See notes.
R
1898/05 (None) (None) "THE 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP LONDON"
Cover: illustration of London scenes in brown.
Printer: Sampson Low, Marston and Company Limited of London E.C.
6th edition. Price 1 shilling.
Size 41 x 26 inches.
Large map folded into card covers.
See notes.
P
1907 (None) (None) "THE 'DISTRICT RAILWAY' MAP LONDON"
Cover: illustration of London scenes.
Printer: Sampson Low, Marston and Company Limited of London E.C.
7th edition. Price 1 shilling.
Size 41 x 26 inches.
Large map folded into card covers.

P

(2) Broadsheets of Greater London

Published Dated Reference Title & Description S
1904 1904 (None) "THE 'DISTRICT' MAP OF GREATER LONDON & ENVIRONS"
Cover: illustration of Richmond and Windsor in red and green.
Printer: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd, St Dunstan's House, Fetter Lane, London E.C.
1st edition.
Large map folded into card covers.
P

(3) Country Map

Published Dated Reference Title & Description S
c.1898 - (None) "THE 'DISTRICT' COUNTRY MAP"
Cover: illustration of Richmond and Windsor in red and green.
Printer: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd, St Dunstan's House, Fetter Lane, London E.C.
Medium-sized map folded into card covers.
P

(4) Miniatures

I have specimens of the 1st, 7th and 8th editions only: I am extrapolating that the other editions were published annually.

Published Dated Reference Title & Description S
1887 "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
1st edition.
See: map (394K), map (1430K), map (5036K).
P
c.1901 ? ? "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
2nd edition.
-
c.1902 ? ? "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
3rd edition.
-
c.1903 ? ? "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
4th edition.
-
c.1904 ? ? "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
5th edition.
-
c.1905 ? ? "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
6th edition.
-
c.1906 None None "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
Cover: text on white background.
Printer: Waterlow.
7th edition.
Insert in Ward Lock's guide, 1907
P
1907/10 (None) 10.07 "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
Cover: text on white background.
Printer: Waterlow.
8th edition, 1st printing.
Insert in Ward Lock's guide, 1908 (1st printing)
P
c.1908 (None) (None) "THE 'DISTRICT' MINIATURE MAP OF LONDON & ENVIRONS"
Cover: text on white background.
Printer: n/k
8th edition, 2nd printing.
Insert in Ward Lock's guide, 1908 (2nd printing)
P


3.3 London Underground Group (1907-1924)

See introduction to the LUG.

Published Dated Reference Title & Description Variant S
P R E - W A R    M A P S
1908 (None) (None) "LONDON UNDERGROUND"
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ld.
Full-colour postcard: 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
On reverse: "Franco-British Exhibition" & "Liverpool Street Hotel".
Described & illustrated Leboff & Demuth, p 49.
See notes.
See: map (1210K), map (81K).
French
+ map on reverse
P
German
+ map on reverse
e
English
+ map on reverse
e
English
no map on reverse
J
c.1910 (None) (None) This is the postcard design as above, except that reverse has an advertisement for Farrow's Bank Ltd instead of Liverpool St Station, and the map has the following changes:
  • "Franco-British Exhibition" has become "Shepherds Bush Exhibtion".
  • Gower Street station has been renamed Euston Square.
  • Euston Road station has been renamed Warren Street.
  • The underground station Bishopsgate has been renamed Liverpool Street, while the separate name tag "Liverpool Street" for the adjacent mainline station has been dropped.
The postcard is franked August 1910.
c. 1908 (None) (None) No title: the map is affixed to page 56 of Ward, Lock & Co's "Guide to London" (1909 edition). The reverse of the map sheet is blank.
Printer: Not stated, but believed to be Johnson, Riddle, & Co.

The cartographic element of this map is described and illustrated on page 50 of Leboff & Demuth's book. But the title banner is missing from the specimen in Ward & Lock's guide book.

(None) P
D
c. 1911 (None) (None) "UNDERGROUND | MAP OF LONDON"
Printer: David Allen & Sons Ld, Harrow, London, Belfast Rd.
Tri-fold card: 5 7/8 x 4 1/4 inches, folded to 1 7/8 x 4 1/4 inches.
Fabric outer cover, full-colour card map inside.
Cover pea-green with gold lettering; vertical UndergrounD logo.
Described & illustrated by Leboff &Demuth, p 56.
See notes.
(None) P
D
1911 (None) (None) "UNDERGROUND | LONDON | MAP AND GUIDE"
Printer: Johnson, Riddle & Co., London, SE
Size: 10.6 x 7.9 inches, folded to 2.65 x 4 inches.
Cover: text printed in green ink.
Described & illustrated by Leboff & Demuth, p 57.
See notes.
(None) P
D
1912 (None) (None) "LONDON'S GUIDING STAR
MAP OF LONDON"
Printer: George Philip & Son Ltd (aka The London Geographical Institute).
Size: 10.6 x 7.9 inches, folded to 2.65 x 4 inches. The map is described and illustrated on page 58 of Leboff & Demuth's book.
Pictures: Map (1769K)
See notes.
(None) P
D
1913/06 (None) 187 -- 150 M
-- 1-6-13
"MAP OF LONDON
UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC RAILWAYS
WHAT TO SEE and HOW TO SEE IT"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Printer: Johnson Riddle & Co. Ltd, London S.E.
Size: 14 x 11 inches, folded to 12 panels of 2 3/4 x 4 5/8 inches.
Described & illustrated on p 59 of Leboff & Demuth's book.
See notes.
(None) P
D
W A R - T I M E   M A P S
1914/Q4 (None) (None) "MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Printer: Johnson, Riddle & Co. Ltd, London S.E.
Size: 16.75 x 13.4 inches, folded to 3.4 x 5.6 inches.
Described & illustrated on p 60 of Leboff & Demuth's book, who also assign it to 1914.
See notes.
(None) P
D
c.1915/03 (None) (None) "MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Printer: Johnson, Riddle & Co. Ltd, London S.E.
Size: 16.75 x 13.4 inches, folded to 3.4 x 5.6 inches.
Pictures: Map (5253K) This edition is not listed in Leboff & Demuth's book.
See notes.
(None) P
c.1915/04 (None) (None) "MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Printer: Johnson, Riddle & Co. Ltd, London S.E.
Size: 16.75 x 13.4 inches, folded to 3.4 x 5.6 inches.
This edition is not listed in Leboff & Demuth's book.
See notes.
(None) P
c.1915/05 (None) (None) "MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Printer: Johnson, Riddle & Co. Ltd, London S.E.
Size: 16.75 x 13.4 inches, folded to 3.4 x 5.6 inches.
This edition is not listed in Leboff & Demuth's book.
See notes.
(None) P
c. 1918 (None) (None) "MAP OF LONDON"
Publisher: (underground companies), 55 Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1.
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd.
Thin waxed paper, 17.75 x 14.5 inches.
See notes.
(None) P
P O S T - W A R     M A P S
1919/06 (None) 209-500M.
-18-6-19
"MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Large size.
(None) L
1919/06 (None) 209-500m.
-18-6-19
"MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Small size
(None) L
1919/10 (None) 395-500M.
-2-10-19
"MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Large size
(None) L
1919/10 (None) 395-500M.
-2-10-19
"MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Small size
(None) L
1921 (None) n/k "INNER AREA MAP
OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Shown by Leboff & Demuth, p 67.
(None) L
1921/03 (None) 1,000,000
9-3-21
"WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Printer: The Dangerfield Printing Company Ltd, London.
Designer: MacDonald Gill (signed 1920).
Size: 13 5/8 x 11 inches (almost back to the pre-war size of 1913).
Map (124K), map (2667K), cover (856K),
inside 1 (889K), inside 2 (1498K).
(None) P
1922/03 (None) 1-3-22 "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Printer: The Dangerfield Printing Company Ltd, London.
Designer: MacDonald Gill
Map (86K), map (1892K),
cover
(739K), inside 1 (544K), inside 2 (1272K).
Metropolitan line
purple; border brown
P
"WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Publisher: Electric Railway House, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.
Metropolitan line
brown; border black
P
1922/11 (None) 1/11/22 "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Designer: MacDonald Gill.
Size: larger than the March 1922 edition.
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd
(None) M
1923/01 (None) 1/1/23 "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Designer: MacDonald Gill.
Size: 18 x 14 5/8 inches.
Cover in Johnston font.
Described & illustrated by Leboff & Demuth, p 68.
See notes.
(None) P
1923/06 (None) 1/6/23 "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Designer: MacDonald Gill.
Size: 454 x 370 mm.
Cover in Johnston font.
Shown by Leboff & Demuth, p 68.
(None) L
D
1923/11 (None) (1/11/23) "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Designer: MacDonald Gill.
Size: 18 x 14 5/8 inches (Letch: 454 x 370 mm).
Cover in Johnston font.
(None) P
1924/04 (None) 5/4/24 "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Size 454 x 370 mm.
Cover in Johnston font.
(None) L
1924/06 June 1924 (None) "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Size: 454 x 370 mm.
Cover in Johnston font.
(None) L
1924/11 1924/25 - Winter (None) "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Size: 454 x 370 mm.
Cover in Johnston font.
(None) L
1925/Q2 1925 - Summer (None) "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Size: 454 x 370 mm.
Cover in Johnston font.
(None) L
1927/Q2 1927 - Summer 1927 (None) "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Size: 454 x 370 mm.
Cover in Johnston font.
(None) L
1927/Q2 1928 - Summer 1928 (None) "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Size: 454 x 370 mm.
Cover in Johnston font.
(None) P
L
1928/12 (None) 12/1928 "WHAT TO SEE & HOW TO TRAVEL
MAP OF THE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS OF LONDON"
Designer: E.G. Perman (signed 1927).
Publisher: (Underground Companies), 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Size: 14.5 x 17 5/8 inches (Letch: 454 x 370 mm).
Described & illustrated by Leboff & Demuth, p 72.
See notes.
(None) P


3.4 Stingemore (1925-1932)

See introduction to Stingemore

Ed Published Dated Title & Description S
1 1925/05 (694 11-5-1925) "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publisher: Commercial Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd
Cover: red cover.
Wembley shown on map.
See: map (152k), map (2021K).
P
L
2 1926/01 (JAN. 1926) "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publisher: Commercial Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd
Cover: green.
[Illustrated in Garland (1996), p 12, Leboff & Demuth (1999), p 70.]
P
L
G
D
3 1926/04 (APR. 1926) "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publisher: Commercial Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd
Cover: pale green.
P
L
4 1927/06 (JUNE 1927) "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publisher: Commercial Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd
Cover: mustard.
See notes. Also: map (135k), map (1810K).
P
L
(None) No external title. This is glued-in insert in Oxo's guide booklet to London. As far as I can see, the map itself is identical to the June 1927 edition, except that the date, "(JUNE 1927)" is omitted. It is printed on quality paper (different from the rest of the booklet), and has a map of the main termini on the reverse side.
See: map (151k), map (2036K).
P
5 1928 n/k "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publisher: Commercial Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd
Cover: yellow.
Size: 6.5 x 5.5 inches.
See notes. Also: map (163k), map (2147K).
P
L
6 1929 n/k "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publisher: Commercial Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd
Cover: pale green.
See notes. Also: map (171k), map (2231K).
P
L
7 1930 n/k "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
x Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd
Cover: Red.
See notes.
P
L
8 c. 1931 (None) "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publicity Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: David Allen & Sons Ltd
Cover: Greeny blue.
Described & Illustrated by Leboff & Demuth, p 71.
See notes. Also: map (181k), map (2407K).
P
L
D
9 c. 1931/H1 n/k "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publicity Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: The David Allen Printing Company
Cover: red
See notes. Also: map (180k), map (2386K).
P
L
10 c. 1931/H2 (None) "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publicity Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: The David Allen Printing Company
Cover: blue
See notes. Also: map (177k), map (2355K).
P
L
11 1932/H2 (None) "MAP OF LONDON'S UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS"
Publicity Manager's Office, 55, Broadway, Westminster, S.W.1
Printer: The David Allen Printing Company
Cover: mustard
See notes. Also: map (183k), map (2425K).
P
L
G

 


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