OS Popular Edition

See Also: SABRE Maps/Popular Edition coverage project

See Also: SABRE Maps/Scottish Popular Edition coverage project

The Ordnance Survey Popular Edition of the One Inch Series was launched just after World War One, and consisted of two sets of maps. Scotland was covered in 92 sheets, with England and Wales covered in a separate series of 146 sheets. Both series were mainly covered in three-panel maps, although a few areas, notably western Scotland, saw the later style of four-panel maps. Equally, while most of the maps were aligned with their wider dimension East-West, some were North-South to better cover the country.

In addition to the regular series, there was a wide collection of "District" maps, some enlargements of a standard sheet area, whilst others were reframed to cover particular areas of interest which were spread across a number of standard sheets. As an example of the latter, the "Birmingham, Wolverhampton and District" sheet was centred on what is now the relevant conurbation and covered parts of standard sheets 61, 62, 71 and 72.

Scottish Popular Edition

The Scottish Popular Edition (SPE) was launched in 1924. Whilst the English & Welsh maps were replaced after the war with the New Popular Edition, the SPE continued until the launch of the Seventh Series in the 1950s. This was reflected in the GB coverage map on the reverse cover, which had the NPE maps marked in black, and the SPE maps in Red, showing hefty overlaps at the join of the two series.

The initial series of the 1920s and early 30s were a cream base with large Scottish royal shield and surround with map name below, in some cases the cover was smaller and the surround included Thistles in Green or Black and Red while others were a plainer red border. The post war series had covers very similar to those used for the NPE in England & Wales retaining a smaller Scottish royal shield and a thicker red border with map title and outline below.

Covers & Prices

After the war, most of the maps were re-issued as new revisions in 1947. The initial prices appear to have been 2/3 (paper) or 3/- (cloth). However, prices would increase rapidly with stickers printed up for 4/- and 4/6 respectively. The last SPE maps appear to have been printed with fresh covers, missing the 'GR', although with the royal crest otherwise unchanged. Cloth-backed maps were now retailing at 6/6. However, the sheet contained within still had the original 1947/8 prices, and does not appear to have had any revisions.

England & Wales Popular Edition

Apart from being numbered in their own series, the Popular Edition for England & Wales followed the same pre-war changes as the SPE for Scotland. However, after World War Two most of them were quickly replaced with the New Popular Edition. Notable exceptions seem to have been a few sheets for South Wales and East Kent, although the GB coverage maps on the reverse of the covers never seem to have admitted this.

Covers & Prices

The original covers from 1919 were used right through until nearly the end of the 1930s, and depicted a man sat on a hill above a forest looking at a map. Above was a royal crest, with wreaths draped down either side. The map was titled 'Ordnance Survey contoured road map of ___' At the bottom was a very small sheet coverage map in a rather elaborate frame, and containing the sheet number.

The final maps had the legend replaced with "One Inch Map Popular Edition", and had a top hinge similar to modern OS products.

Prices in 1935 appear to have been 2/- (paper) or 2/6 (cloth).

Sheetline co-ordinates

As the Popular Edition pre-dates any form of National Grid, each sheet does not have co-ordinates printed on them, but simply an alphanumeric grid with letters on the vertical axis and numbers across the top. However, as the sheets were built on the Cassini (Delamere) projection, it is possible to calculate the locations of each side of every sheet as a distance from the origin.

Knowing the locations of the corners of each sheet, whilst interesting in its own right, is essential to georeference each map and allow them to appear on SABRE Maps.

The below tables have therefore been produced so that the relevant values for the map series can simply be referenced for these purposes rather than having to calculate via the SABRE Maps Co-ordinate Finder.

In these tables, the values of each corner location are in miles from the origin point at Delamere, with positive numbers being north and east of that point, and negative numbers being south and west of the origin.

Note that at present, not all of the non-standard Tourist, Special or District sheets are listed.

England and Wales Standard sheets Sheet Top left corner Bottom right corner 01 8.30114:180.26894 26.30114:153.26894 02 26.30114:180.26894 44.30114:153.26894 03 -0.69886:153.26894 26.30114:135.26894 04 21.30114:153.26894 48.30114:135.26894 05 -27.69886:135.26894 -0.69886:117.26894 06 -0.69886:135.26894 26.30114:117.26894 07 26.30114:135.26894 53.30114:117.26894 08 -38.69886:117.26894 -20.69886:90.26894 09 -27.69886:117.26894 -0.69886:99.26894 10 -0.69886:117.26894 26.30114:99.26894 11 26.30114:117.26894 55.30114:99.26894 12 -27.69886:99.26894 -0.69886:81.26894 13 -0.69886:99.26894 26.30114:81.26894 14 26.30114:99.26894 53.30114:81.26894 15 44.30114:108.26894 63.30114:81.26894 16 63.30114:99.26894 90.30114:81.26894 17 -87.69886:84.26894 -63.69886:57.26894 18 -38.69886:90.26894 -20.69886:63.26894 19 -27.69886:81.26894 -0.69886:63.26894 20 -0.69886:81.26894 26.30114:63.26894 21 26.30114:81.26894 53.30114:63.26894 22 53.30114:81.26894 80.30114:63.26894 23 80.30114:81.26894 107.30114:63.26894 24 -27.69886:63.26894 -0.69886:45.26894 25 -0.69886:63.26894 26.30114:45.26894 26 26.30114:63.26894 53.30114:45.26894 27 53.30114:63.26894 80.30114:45.26894 28 80.30114:63.26894 107.30114:45.26894 29 -18.69886:45.26894 8.30114:27.26894 30 -0.69886:45.26894 26.30114:27.26894 31 26.30114:45.26894 53.30114:27.26894 32 53.30114:45.26894 80.30114:27.26894 33 80.30114:45.26894 107.30114:27.26894 34 98.30114:45.26894 117.30114:18.26894 35 -27.69886:27.26894 -0.69886:9.26894 36 -0.69886:27.26894 26.30114:9.26894 37 26.30114:27.26894 53.30114:9.26894 38 53.30114:27.26894 80.30114:9.26894 39 80.30114:27.26894 107.30114:9.26894 40 98.30114:27.26894 125.30114:9.26894 41 -83.69886:15.26894 -54.69886:-8.73106 42 -54.69886:13.26894 -27.69886:-8.73106 43 -27.69886:9.26894 -0.69886:-8.73106 44 -0.69886:9.26894 26.30114:-8.73106 45 26.30114:9.26894 53.30114:-8.73106 46 53.30114:9.26894 80.30114:-8.73106 47 80.30114:9.26894 107.30114:-8.73106 48 101.30114:9.26894 128.30114:-8.73106 49 -88.69886:-8.73106 -54.69886:-30.73106 50 -54.69886:-8.73106 -27.69886:-26.73106 51 -27.69886:-8.73106 -0.69886:-26.73106 52 -0.69886:-8.73106 26.30114:-26.73106 53 26.30114:-8.73106 53.30114:-26.73106 54 53.30114:-8.73106 80.30114:-26.73106 55 80.30114:-8.73106 107.30114:-26.73106 56 107.30114:-8.73106 134.30114:-26.73106 57 134.30114:-11.73106 161.30114:-29.73106 58 161.30114:-13.23106 188.30114:-31.23106 59 -54.69886:-26.73106 -27.69886:-44.73106 60 -27.69886:-26.73106 -0.69886:-44.73106 61 -0.69886:-26.73106 26.30114:-44.73106 62 26.30114:-26.73106 53.30114:-44.73106 63 53.30114:-26.73106 80.30114:-44.73106 64 80.30114:-26.73106 107.30114:-44.73106 65 107.30114:-26.73106 134.30114:-44.73106 66 134.30114:-26.73106 161.30114:-44.73106 67 161.30114:-26.73106 188.30114:-44.73106 68 -63.69886:-30.73106 -45.69886:-62.73106 69 -54.69886:-44.73106 -27.69886:-62.73106 70 -27.69886:-44.73106 -0.69886:-62.73106 71 -0.69886:-44.73106 26.30114:-62.73106 72 26.30114:-44.73106 53.30114:-62.73106 73 53.30114:-44.73106 80.30114:-62.73106 74 80.30114:-44.73106 107.30114:-62.73106 75 107.30114:-44.73106 134.30114:-62.73106 76 134.30114:-44.73106 161.30114:-62.73106 77 161.30114:-44.73106 188.30114:-62.73106 78 -81.69886:-62.73106 -54.69886:-80.73106 79 -54.69886:-62.73106 -27.69886:-80.73106 80 -27.69886:-62.73106 -0.69886:-80.73106 81 -0.69886:-62.73106 26.30114:-80.73106 82 26.30114:-62.73106 53.30114:-80.73106 83 53.30114:-62.73106 80.30114:-80.73106 84 80.30114:-62.73106 107.30114:-80.73106 85 107.30114:-62.73106 134.30114:-80.73106 86 134.30114:-62.73106 161.30114:-80.73106 87 161.30114:-62.73106 188.30114:-80.73106 88 -114.69886:-73.23106 -81.69886:-92.73106 89 -81.69886:-80.73106 -54.69886:-98.73106 90 -54.69886:-80.73106 -27.69886:-98.73106 91 -27.69886:-80.73106 -0.69886:-98.73106 92 -0.69886:-80.73106 26.30114:-98.73106 93 26.30114:-80.73106 53.30114:-98.73106 94 53.30114:-80.73106 80.30114:-98.73106 95 80.30114:-80.73106 107.30114:-98.73106 96 107.30114:-80.73106 134.30114:-98.73106 97 134.30114:-80.73106 161.30114:-98.73106 98 147.8027:-80.73106 174.8027:-98.73106 99 -114.69886:-92.73106 -81.69886:-112.23106 100 -81.69886:-98.73106 -54.69886:-116.73106 101 -54.69886:-98.73106 -27.69886:-116.73106 102 -27.69886:-98.73106 -0.69886:-116.73106 103 -0.69886:-98.73106 26.30114:-116.73106 104 26.30114:-98.73106 53.30114:-116.73106 105 53.30114:-98.73106 80.30114:-116.73106 106 80.30114:-98.73106 107.30114:-116.73106 107 107.30114:-98.73106 134.30114:-116.73106 108 134.30114:-98.73106 161.30114:-116.73106 109 -46.69886:-110.73106 -12.69886:-128.73106 110 -27.69886:-116.73106 -0.69886:-134.73106 111 -0.69886:-116.73106 26.30114:-134.73106 112 26.30114:-116.73106 53.30114:-134.73106 113 53.30114:-116.73106 80.30114:-134.73106 114 80.30114:-116.73106 107.30114:-134.73106 115 107.30114:-116.73106 134.30114:-134.73106 116 134.30114:-116.73106 161.30114:-134.73106 117 161.30114:-119.73106 179.30114:-146.73106 118 -70.69886:-134.73106 -43.69886:-152.73106 119 -54.69886:-134.73106 -27.69886:-152.73106 120 -27.69886:-134.73106 -0.69886:-152.73106 121 -0.69886:-134.73106 26.30114:-152.73106 122 26.30114:-134.73106 53.30114:-152.73106 123 53.30114:-134.73106 80.30114:-152.73106 124 80.30114:-134.73106 107.30114:-152.73106 125 107.30114:-134.73106 134.30114:-152.73106 126 134.30114:-134.73106 161.30114:-152.73106 127 -83.19886:-152.73106 -54.69886:-170.73106 128 -54.69886:-152.73106 -27.69886:-170.73106 129 -27.69886:-152.73106 -0.69886:-170.73106 130 -0.69886:-152.73106 26.30114:-170.73106 131 26.30114:-152.73106 53.30114:-170.73106 132 53.30114:-152.73106 80.30114:-170.73106 133 80.30114:-152.73106 107.30114:-170.73106 134 107.30114:-152.73106 134.30114:-170.73106 135 134.30114:-146.73106 161.30114:-164.73106 136 -105.69886:-167.73106 -81.69886:-188.73106 137 -81.69886:-170.73106 -54.69886:-188.73106 138 -54.69886:-170.73106 -27.69886:-188.73106 139 -27.69886:-161.73106 -0.69886:-179.73106 140 -0.69886:-161.73106 17.30114:-188.73106 141 17.30114:-164.73106 44.30114:-182.73106 142 44.30114:-164.73106 71.30114:-182.73106 143 -114.69886:-188.73106 -81.69886:-209.73106 144 -81.69886:-188.73106 -54.69886:-206.73106 145 -54.69886:-188.73106 -33.69886:-209.73106 146 -135.69886:-200.73106 -102.69886:-224.73106 Special, Tourist and District sheets Sheet Top left corner Bottom right corner Aldershot North 66.0249:-120.4841 93.2132:-138.9615 Birmingham and Wolverhampton 13.28125:-37.28125 44.28125:-61.28125 Central Chilterns 74.30114:-89.73106 92.30114:-116.73106 Chilterns 67.28125:-90.71875 96.28125:-116.71875 Derby and District 26.30114:-11.69886 58.30114:-36.69886 Forest of Bowland -15.71875:61.28125 14.28125:35.28125 Lands End -135.69886:-200.73106 -102.69886:-224.73106 Leicester 47.28125:-24.21875 86.28125:-51.21875 NE Wales -40.6875:9.28125 -11.6875:-18.71875 Sidmouth -38.4819:-163.1444 -10.8519:-180.7744 Weston-super-Mare -15.65625:-118.71875 3.28125:-146.71875 Wye Valley -6.75:-80.75 11.25:-110.75

Scotland Standard sheets Sheet Top left corner Bottom right corner 01 49.30114:529.26894 67.30114:502.26894 02 35.30114:514.26894 67.30114:493.26894 03 32.30114:494.26894 59.30114:476.26894 04 41.30114:484.26894 59.30114:457.26894 05 -15.69886:428.26894 11.30114:405.26894 06 -26.69886:411.26894 5.30114:390.26894 07 -29.69886:391.26894 -2.69886:373.26894 08 -153.69886:371.26894 -125.69886:352.26894 09 -92.69886:378.26894 -70.69886:350.26894 10 -74.69886:373.26894 -46.69886:350.26894 11 -47.69886:378.26894 -28.69886:350.26894 12 -29.69886:378.26894 -11.69886:350.26894 13 -164.69886:353.26894 -145.69886:326.26894 14 -146.69886:353.26894 -125.69886:326.26894 15 -104.69886:351.26894 -76.69886:332.26894 16 -77.69886:351.26894 -49.69886:332.26894 17 -50.69886:351.26894 -23.69886:332.26894 18 -164.69886:333.26894 -137.69886:314.26894 19 -116.69886:333.26894 -88.69886:314.26894 20 -89.69886:333.26894 -62.69886:314.26894 21 -67.69886:333.26894 -40.69886:314.26894 22 -188.69886:324.26894 -161.69886:305.26894 23 -188.69886:306.26894 -161.69886:287.26894 24 -152.69886:315.26894 -127.69886:287.26894 25 -130.69886:315.26894 -107.69886:287.26894 26 -108.69886:315.26894 -80.69886:296.26894 27 -81.69886:315.26894 -53.69886:296.26894 28 -54.69886:315.26894 -26.69886:296.26894 29 -27.69886:315.26894 0.30114:296.26894 30 -0.69886:315.26894 26.30114:296.26894 31 16.30114:310.26894 35.30114:283.26894 32 -188.69886:288.26894 -161.69886:270.26894 33 -188.69886:272.26894 -161.69886:252.26894 34 -148.69886:288.26894 -129.69886:260.26894 35 -130.69886:288.26894 -107.69886:260.26894 36 -108.69886:297.26894 -80.69886:278.26894 37 -81.69886:297.26894 -53.69886:278.26894 38 -54.69886:297.26894 -26.69886:278.26894 39 -27.69886:297.26894 0.30114:278.26894 40 -0.69886:297.26894 26.30114:278.26894 41 -108.69886:279.26894 -80.69886:260.26894 42 -81.69886:279.26894 -53.69886:260.26894 43 -54.69886:279.26894 -26.69886:260.26894 44 -27.69886:279.26894 0.30114:260.26894 45 -0.69886:279.26894 26.30114:260.26894 46 -135.69886:261.26894 -107.69886:241.26894 47 -108.69886:261.26894 -80.69886:241.26894 48 -81.69886:261.26894 -53.69886:242.26894 49 -54.69886:261.26894 -26.69886:242.26894 50 -27.69886:261.26894 -0.69886:242.26894 51 -6.69886:261.26894 20.30114:242.26894 52 -166.69886:244.26894 -138.703:225.26894 53 -139.69886:243.26894 -107.69886:224.26894 54 -108.69886:243.26894 -80.69886:224.26894 55 -81.69886:243.26894 -53.69886:224.26894 56 -54.69886:243.26894 -26.69886:224.26894 57 -27.69886:243.26894 -0.69886:223.26894 58 -17.69886:243.26894 10.30114:223.26894 59 -144.69886:225.26894 -125.69886:194.26894 60 -126.69886:225.26894 -107.69886:194.26894 61 -108.69886:225.26894 -80.69886:206.26894 62 -81.69886:225.26894 -53.69886:206.26894 63 -54.69886:225.26894 -27.69886:206.26894 64 -29.69886:227.26894 4.30114:206.26894 65 -108.69886:207.26894 -80.69886:189.26894 66 -81.69886:207.26894 -53.69886:189.26894 67 -54.69886:207.26894 -27.69886:189.26894 68 -29.69886:207.26894 4.30114:187.26894 69 -150.69886:195.26894 -125.69886:165.26894 70 -126.69886:195.26894 -107.69886:165.26894 71 -108.69886:194.26894 -81.69886:171.26894 72 -87.69886:194.26894 -53.69886:170.26894 73 -54.69886:194.26894 -26.69886:170.26894 74 -27.69886:194.26894 0.30114:170.26894 75 -0.69886:194.26894 26.30114:170.26894 76 -123.69886:176.26894 -99.69886:142.26894 77 -108.69886:176.26894 -80.69886:152.26894 78 -81.69886:171.26894 -53.69886:152.26894 79 -54.69886:171.26894 -26.69886:152.26894 80 -27.69886:171.26894 0.30114:152.26894 81 -0.69886:171.26894 26.30114:152.26894 82 -99.69886:153.26894 -80.69886:125.26894 83 -81.69886:153.26894 -53.69886:134.26894 84 -54.69886:153.26894 -26.69886:134.26894 85 -27.69886:153.26894 0.30114:134.26894 86 -0.69886:153.26894 26.30114:135.26894 87 -81.69886:135.26894 -53.69886:116.26894 88 -54.69886:135.26894 -26.69886:117.26894 89 -27.69886:135.26894 -0.698866:117.26894 90 -100.69886:126.26894 -80.69886:98.26894 91 -81.69886:117.26894 -54.69886:99.26894 92 -65.69886:125.26894 -33.69886:107.26894

SABRE Maps coverage

Some coverage from the Popular Edition is available on SABRE Maps.