Maps for The Wheels of Chance by H.G. Wells (Kings Langley Press, 2023)
This pair of antique-style maps was commissioned by Kings Langley Press, an independent book publisher based in Sydney, Australia, for inclusion in their new edition of The Wheels of Chance, a novel by the British author H. G. Wells (1866-1946) originally published in 1896. Featuring a blend of satire and social commentary, it tells the story about a shop clerk named Hoopdriver who takes a bicycle tour of the southern English countryside, making new acquaintances, navigating Victorian societal norms, and gaining insights into his own character along the way.
The first map shows a section of southern England and the circuitous route taken by the protagonist from his home in Putney in south-west London to the New Forest in Hampshire, while the second is a more detailed linear map of the same route showing individual towns and landmarks, divided into six columns in the style of maps by John Ogilby (1600-1676).
The book is now available to order from the Kings Langley Press website.
Map 1: Map of Southern England
Map 2: Linear route map from Putney to the New Forest in the style of John Ogilby