Bartholomew, John

(1831 - 1893)

John Bartholomew (December 25, 1831 - March 29, 1893) was a Scottish cartographer born in Edinburgh. His father had a cartographical establishment there and he was educated in the work. He was subsequently assistant to the German geographer August Petermann, until in 1856 he took up the management of his fathers firm. For this establishment, now known as the Edinburgh Geographical Institute, Bartholomew built up a reputation unsurpassed in Great Britain for the production of the finest cartographical work. Among his numerous publications mention may be specially made of the series of maps of Great Britain reduced from the Ordnance Survey to scales of 3/4 in. and 3/4 in. to 1 mile, with relief shown by contours and a systematic scale of colors. The 1/2 in. series, which was extended (and its principles applied to many other works) by Mr J. G. Bartholomew, who succeeded his father in the business, is the finest of its kind ever produced. John Bartholomew died in London.