This miniature London guidebook was published by Harrods, the famous Knightsbridge department store, and was distributed to Cunard Steamship Company passengers travelling to London. The inside cover features an charming map of the “London Tubes” with the Harrods store illustrated next to Knightsbridge station. Interestingly, only the deep-level Underground railways are coloured on the map – the Metropolitan and District Railways are instead marked with thin black lines. The exclusion of the Metropolitan Railway is understandable as it remained independent of the UERL (Underground Electric Railways of London Company) until 1933. The District Line, however, had been controlled by the UERL since 1902 and should have been given equal footing on the map.

This is one of the smallest maps of the Underground we have ever seen and is rare on the open market. A calendar inside the booklet gives us the 1913 date. Another institutional example is known from 1914, but no other states have yet been identified. Halfway through the booklet is a map of the principal theatres of the West End, and at the back is third miniature map covering the City of London and its principal buildings. The booklet also contains adverts for a wide range of Harrods services and departments, including restaurants, foreign exchange, opera cloaks, and livery stables.

Printed colour. [LDN7210]