Name: John Senex
Dates: 1678-1740
Map type: Copper plate engraved road maps
John Senex, son of a Shropshire gentleman, was born in Ludlow in 1678. In 1695 he was apprenticed to the London bookseller Robert Clavell. He became a renowned engraver and seller of maps and globes, and certainly one of the more respected cartographers of the 18th century. Not much is known about his early life other that he was the .
Senex started his own business in 1702, working in the London hotbed of cartographic creativity that was the Strand and then in Cornhill until 1706. He formed a partnership with various map-makers including Jeremiah Seller and Charles Price who were the successors of mapmaker John Seller.
The partnerships continued for some time, producing not only maps, but navigational instruments. Although Jeremiah Seller left, Senex continued in partnership with Price. They moved to a premises near Coleman Street and worked from there until 1710. Senex then moved to Fleet Street where he remained for the rest of his life.
During the course of his career as an engraver and publisher, John Senex produced a vast array of cartography, from maps of the world and the continents as well as individual country maps of phenomenal detail. But it is for his road maps that he is best known, to wit, 1719 saw his small version of John Ogilby's Britannia: a series of superb strip maps, larger than Owen & Bowen's, smaller than Thomas Gardner's. It ran through many editions and is widely collected.
John Senex and his various partnerships made their mark on the mapping world and, if only remembered for his fine road maps, then he will be remembered well.He died at his London home in 1740.
Senex started his own business in 1702, working in the London hotbed of cartographic creativity that was the Strand and then in Cornhill until 1706. He formed a partnership with various map-makers including Jeremiah Seller and Charles Price who were the successors of mapmaker John Seller.
The partnerships continued for some time, producing not only maps, but navigational instruments. Although Jeremiah Seller left, Senex continued in partnership with Price. They moved to a premises near Coleman Street and worked from there until 1710. Senex then moved to Fleet Street where he remained for the rest of his life.
During the course of his career as an engraver and publisher, John Senex produced a vast array of cartography, from maps of the world and the continents as well as individual country maps of phenomenal detail. But it is for his road maps that he is best known, to wit, 1719 saw his small version of John Ogilby's Britannia: a series of superb strip maps, larger than Owen & Bowen's, smaller than Thomas Gardner's. It ran through many editions and is widely collected.
John Senex and his various partnerships made their mark on the mapping world and, if only remembered for his fine road maps, then he will be remembered well.He died at his London home in 1740.