Map of the Eastern Frontier of the Cape Colony

Title: Map of the Eastern Frontier of the Cape Colony, Compiled by Henry Hall (Draughtsman to the Royal Engineers, Cape Town) from Military and Other Surveys.Cartographer: Henry Hall

Technology: Chromo-lithograph on two sheets; as issued, the map has been dissected into 24 panels mounted on linen, folded and inserted in a replacement slip case.

Cartographer & Artist: Henry Hall

Condition: Some surface dirt and a small stain outside the map margin at the top left. Replacement slip case

History & other information:  Henry Hall was from Dublin, Ireland and settled in the Cape Colony in 1842. He worked in the Easter Frontier for the Royal Engineers. He is an under-appreciated cartographer who made notable contributions to cartography of Southern Africa.

‘Compiled from local authoritative information only, this map (Eastern Frontier) not only surpassed its predecessors in scale (scale 8 miles to the inch) and completeness, but also achieved a marked degree of accuracy’ (Liebenberg).This is a ’a striking map showing great detail’ (Norwich); it includes numerous annotations and also all the wagon roads of the time. The map extends from Cape St. Francis in the west to the Bashee River in the East; from the coast to the southern Free State - 30° North).

The eastern frontier was  the  site of numerous altercationsi n the nineteenth century between the colonial forces (and the  British settlers of the 1820s) and indigenous Xhosa tribes . The frontier zone was surveyed and mapped by military engineers; Hall compiled this map from their information, his local knowledge and his surveys.

References:

http://www.icahistcarto.org/PDF/Liebenberg_Elri_-_The_Cartography_of_Henry_Hall.pdf.

Norwich Addendum #9. Not in Tooley 

Summary The map in very good condition is a scarce landmark map in the history of cartography of South Africa and the history of the Eastern Cape. The cartography of Henry Hall has only recently received appropriate recognition (See Liebenberg). The sale of only two examples of this map is recorded on the Antique Map Price Record.