the London red guides

The following information provides a broad outline about the unique designs of the covers and spinesfor the London guides over the years.

It should be noted that the year bands indicated are broad indications only – occasionally the designs described can be found outside these date ranges.

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front             back

1861 – 1879 : Forerunner publications

The first guide that we have seen is the 1861 London Pocket Guide, shown at left.  It did not have maps and there are very few advertisements although some appear before and on the back cover. There are some illlustrations, and the size is somewhat smaller (4" x 3" approx), hence the name.

1880 ~ 1886 : Original varied design

The first guides were published with green paper boards.  The design of the covers changed over the years during this period, until the classic Ward Lock burgundy cover colour was introduced.

~1885 – 1892 : First classic red covers

The covers of the first red guides included no pictorial design and listed the individual place names covered. Advertisements were typically used on the rear cover, as on this 1887 example of Saltburn at right.

1892 – 1903 : Copperplate title design

The red covers evolved, still with no pictorial design.  The guide title was in copperplate script inside a black box.  The individual place names covered were no longer included.

The spines included the words “Shilling Pictorial Guides” at the top, and "London, Ward Lock & Bowden" or "London, Ward Lock & Co" at the foot.

1903 – 1911 : “Small Arms” design

These covers were plain with a black dotted border rim, with the guide title in capitals.  Below this, in the centre, was (usually, but not always) a small coat of arms relating to the town or area covered by the particular guide.

The spines included a small 1/- price in a circle at the top, and "Ward Lock & Co" at the foot.

1911 - 1931 : “Large Arms in Circle” design

During this twenty-year period, the covers displayed a large circle with two vertical bars, inside which was a coat of arms relating to the town or area covered by the particular guide. The North Wales and South Wales editions included a list of place names instead of the coat of arms.

Until about 1918, the spines continued to include the price of 1/- NET, now in a square band.  After this date, this notation was removed, and the band was blank. From 1919/20 onwards, the square band was filled with either a single dot or four small dots. The London guides uniquely usually have the publication date on the cover and/or spine.

1931 – c.1950 : Large boxed map design

In 1931, the design changed to a large boxed map of the area covered by the particular guide, with the main surrounding towns marked.  The only exception to this appears to be the London guides, where the map is replaced by various famous London landmarks.

The spines during this period now included horizontal black stripes at the top rather than the square band.

The pre-war London guides included a year on the spine. Some of these titles appear to have been published into the mid 1950s, perhaps alongside the newer design below.

c.1950 onwards : Small boxed map with dustcover or paperback covers with photograph

After the war, the guides underwent a major change and the advertising was gradually discontinued. The original cloth covered version was replaced initially with a cheaper quality, slightly glossy cover, still with the large boxed map design.  We assume that these were brought about by shortages of quality materials during that period or an intense effort to restrain or reduce costs.  The spines during this period were blank, except that some editions included a small outline map of the UK near the foot.

From about 1952, hardback board covers were introduced.   These were still red, but the map design was in a much smaller box.  More importantly from a change viewpoint, the guides acquired a colourful red and yellow glossy dust jacket, which originally included a standard UK map in colour on the front, and a list of published editions on the rear. 

In about 1954, a small number of editions appeared in a card paperback style format with a black and white photograph on the cover (see adjoining illustration of Portsmouth and Southsea guide).

In their final years, until the 1970s, whilst many titles continued in hardback and dust-jacket form, some guides were published in true paper-back form.  The paperback covers took the design of the red and yellow dust covers, but with a colour photograph of a local scene in place of the UK map (see adjoining illustration of South Devon guide).

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