Thomas Kitchin (also Kitchen;
1718–1784)
was an
English engraver and
cartographer
Cartography (; from , 'papyrus, sheet of paper, map'; and , 'write') is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an imagined reality) can ...
, who became
hydrographer to the king. He was also a writer, who wrote about the history of the
West Indies
The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
.
Life
He was born in
Southwark
Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...
, and was apprenticed to
Emanuel Bowen in 1732. Originally based in
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell ( ) is an area of central London, England.
Clerkenwell was an Civil Parish#Ancient parishes, ancient parish from the medieval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The St James's C ...
, by late 1755 Kitchin was established on
Holborn
Holborn ( or ), an area in central London, covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part (St Andrew Holborn (parish), St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Wards of the City of London, Ward of Farringdon Without i ...
Hill. From 1773 Kitchin was royal hydrographer to the king. He married Sarah Bowen, daughter of
Emanuel, in 1739, and then Jane, daughter of
Joseph Burroughs, in 1762. He died in
St Albans
St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major ...
on 23 June 1784. Kitchin lived and worked in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
until his retirement.
[
]
Works
He produced John Elphinstone's map of Scotland (1746), ''Geographia Scotiae'' (1749), and ''The Small English Atlas'' (1749) with Thomas Jefferys
Thomas Jefferys ( 1719 – 1771), "Geographer to King George III of the United Kingdom, George III", was an England, English cartographer who was the leading map supplier of his day.Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004. He engraved and ...
. ''The Large English Atlas'' (with Bowen 1749–60) was a serious attempt to cover England at large scale. In 1755 Kitchin engraved the Mitchell Map
The Mitchell Map is a map made by John Mitchell (1711–1768), which was reprinted several times during the second half of the 18th century. The map, formally titled ''A map of the British and French dominions in North America'' &c., was used ...
of North America. He worked for ''London Magazine
''The London Magazine'' is the title of six different publications that have appeared in succession since 1732. All six have focused on the arts, literature and poetry. A number of Nobel Laureates, including Annie Ernaux, Albert Camus, Doris L ...
''.[ He produced 170 maps for ''London Magazine'' (1747–83). Kitchin was the head hydrographer for the ]King of England
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers Constitutional monarchy, regula ...
. Kitchin frequently copied the works of other cartographers, greatly expanding the catalog of his work as a cartographer.[
His book, ''The Present State of the West-Indies: Containing an Accurate Description of What Parts Are Possessed by the Several Powers in Europe'' was published in 1778 bt R. Baldwin in London.]ODNB
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
See also
* Sea of the West
Notes
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitchin, Thomas
1718 births
1784 deaths
18th-century English engravers
English cartographers
18th-century English cartographers
English hydrographers
18th-century English people
People from Southwark