# J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie

> British publisher of maps, atlases and prints

**Wikidata**: [Q102427701](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102427701)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/j-whittle-r-h-laurie

## Summary
J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie was a British publishing house active in the early 19th century, specializing in maps, atlases, and prints. Operating from London as a general partnership between James Whittle and Richard Holmes Laurie, the firm existed from 1812 to 1818. It succeeded the earlier Laurie & Whittle partnership and its works are now held in major institutional collections including the British Library, Library of Congress, and Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.

## Key Facts
- **Inception**: 1812
- **Dissolved**: 1818
- **Founders**: James Whittle, Richard Holmes Laurie
- **Headquarters**: London, United Kingdom
- **Legal Form**: General partnership
- **Industry**: Publishing (maps, atlases, prints)
- **Instance Of**: Publishing house, map publishing company
- **Predecessor**: Laurie & Whittle (replaced by this entity)
- **Aliases**: James Whittle and Richard Holmes Laurie; Whittle & Laurie; J. Whittle and Richard H. Laurie
- **VIAF ID**: 131269334
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: nb2013015630
- **National Library of Brazil ID**: 000404400
- **Yale LUX ID**: group/e59b70f9-156a-4a01-a971-0a2a5eb3e213
- **Wikimedia Commons Category**: J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie
- **Sitelink Count**: 1
- **Copyright Status**: Copyrights on works have expired (applies in countries with 70-year copyright term after publication)

## FAQs

**What did J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie publish?**
The firm published maps, atlases, and prints. It operated as both a general publishing house and a specialized map publishing company during its six-year existence.

**Who founded and operated J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie?**
The partnership was founded by James Whittle and Richard Holmes Laurie in 1812. The business operated as a general partnership between these two individuals.

**What was the predecessor to J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie?**
The firm replaced an earlier partnership known as Laurie & Whittle, continuing the same line of cartographic and print publishing under a reorganized name.

**Where can collections of J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie works be found today?**
Works published by the firm are held in the collections of the British Library, the Library of Congress, and the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.

**How long did J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie operate?**
The publishing house operated for approximately six years, from its inception in 1812 until its dissolution in 1818.

**What is the copyright status of works published by J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie?**
Copyrights on works published by the firm have expired in countries with a 70-year copyright term after publication, placing these materials in the public domain.

## Why It Matters
J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie represents an important link in the chain of British cartographic publishing during the early 19th century, a period when Britain was expanding its global reach and demand for accurate maps and navigational materials was growing. As a successor to Laurie & Whittle, the firm continued a tradition of high-quality map and atlas production that served commercial, naval, and educational needs of the era.

The firm's relatively short six-year operational span (1812–1818) places it within the context of the Napoleonic Wars and their aftermath, a time when accurate geographic information held strategic importance. The survival of their works in major institutional collections—including the British Library, Library of Congress, and Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec—demonstrates the lasting historical and cartographic value of their publications.

The public domain status of their works makes them accessible for modern research, digitization projects, and scholarly study, contributing to our understanding of early 19th-century cartography, print culture, and the commercial publishing industry in London during the Regency era.

## Notable For
- Publishing specialized cartographic materials including maps, atlases, and prints during the Regency era in Britain
- Continuing the legacy of the Laurie & Whittle partnership under a reorganized name
- Having works preserved in three major international institutional collections (British Library, Library of Congress, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec)
- Operating during the Napoleonic Wars period when cartographic publishing held significant strategic value
- Works now being in the public domain, allowing unrestricted scholarly and public access
- Being classified as both a general publishing house and a specialized map publishing company

## Body

### Founding and Organization
J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie was established in 1812 as a general partnership between two individuals: James Whittle and Richard Holmes Laurie. The firm was headquartered in London, United Kingdom, positioning it at the center of British commercial and publishing activity. The business operated under several variant names during its existence, including "James Whittle and Richard Holmes Laurie," "Whittle & Laurie," and "J. Whittle and Richard H. Laurie."

The legal structure of the organization was that of a general partnership, a common arrangement for publishing firms of the era that shared risks and responsibilities between principals. This partnership succeeded an earlier entity known as Laurie & Whittle, suggesting a reorganization of an existing cartographic publishing enterprise rather than an entirely new venture.

### Publishing Activities and Specialization
The firm operated within the publishing industry with a specific focus on cartographic and graphic materials. It was classified as both a publishing house (a general organization that prints and distributes pressed goods) and a map publishing company (a specialized subset of the industry). The primary products included:

- **Maps**: Geographic representations serving navigation, administration, and education
- **Atlases**: Bound collections of maps providing comprehensive geographic coverage
- **Prints**: Graphic works that could include topographical views, illustrations, and reproductive engravings

This specialization aligned with the broader British publishing industry of the early 19th century, which saw growing demand for accurate geographic information driven by trade, naval operations, colonial administration, and scientific exploration.

### Operational Timeline
The firm's operational span was relatively brief:

- **1812**: Inception of J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie as a reorganized continuation of the earlier Laurie & Whittle partnership
- **1812–1818**: Active years of publishing and commercial operation from London headquarters
- **1818**: Dissolution of the partnership and cessation of publishing activities under this name

The six-year operational period places the firm's activities during significant historical events including the latter years of the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) and the immediate post-war period, times when accurate cartographic information held particular commercial and strategic importance.

### Geographic and Industry Context
Operating from London, the firm was situated in the primary center of British publishing and cartographic production. London during the early 19th century hosted numerous map sellers, engravers, and publishers serving domestic and international markets. The United Kingdom context provided access to:

- Government survey work and official geographic data
- Naval and maritime trade routes requiring accurate charts
- A growing educated middle class interested in geography and travel
- International trade networks for distributing published materials

The publishing industry classification encompassed both the general category of organizations that print and distribute pressed goods and the specialized subset focused on cartographic materials.

### Institutional Collections and Legacy
Works published by J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie are preserved in major institutional collections, indicating their ongoing scholarly and historical value:

- **British Library**: The national library of the United Kingdom, maintaining comprehensive collections of British published works
- **Library of Congress**: The research library serving the United States Congress, with extensive cartographic holdings
- **Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec**: A Canadian art museum whose collection includes works by this publisher, specifically documented as of May 26, 2021

The presence of their works in these institutions ensures ongoing accessibility for researchers, historians, and cartographic scholars studying early 19th-century geographic knowledge and print culture.

### Copyright and Public Domain Status
As of January 19, 2021, the copyright status of works created by J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie has been formally documented: copyrights on works have expired. This determination applies specifically in countries with a 70-year copyright term after publication. The public domain status means:

- Works can be freely reproduced, digitized, and distributed without licensing restrictions
- Scholars and researchers can use materials without seeking permissions
- Digital humanities projects can incorporate these works without copyright concerns
- Facsimile reproductions can be created commercially or non-commercially

The extended time since the firm's dissolution (over 200 years) ensures that copyrights have expired in virtually all jurisdictions worldwide.

### Bibliographic and Authority Records
The firm is documented in multiple international authority control systems, enabling reliable identification and citation in scholarly and library contexts:

- **VIAF ID 131269334**: The Virtual International Authority File provides a standardized identifier linking the firm across international library catalogs
- **Library of Congress Authority ID nb2013015630**: The United States national library's authority record for the firm
- **National Library of Brazil ID 000404400**: Documentation in the Brazilian national library system
- **Yale LUX ID group/e59b70f9-156a-4a01-a971-0a2a5eb3e213**: Yale University's linked data identifier for the firm

### Wikimedia and Linked Open Data
The firm maintains a presence in the Wikimedia ecosystem:

- **Wikimedia Commons Category**: "J. Whittle & R. H. Laurie" hosts media files related to the publisher
- **Sitelink Count**: 1 (indicating presence in one Wikimedia project)
- **Wikipedia Languages**: Commons (the multilingual media repository)

These digital representations ensure discoverability of materials related to the publisher through major open knowledge platforms.

## References

1. [Source](https://collections.mnbaq.org/fr/artiste/600002824)