Old Map of Trinidad

Historical Background

This map of Trinidad records the island from surveys made in 1797, the year British forces captured it from Spain. Published by Robert Laurie and James Whittle in London in 1800, it combines a detailed physical map with tables of administrative quarters and population. Its engraved mountains, broad savannas and branching rivers describe a landscape very different from the densely settled island of today, while the names and annotations retain evidence of its Spanish colonial setting.

Map Details

• Original title: Plan of the Isle of Trinidad, from Actual Surveys Made in the Year 1797
• Publishers: Robert Laurie and James Whittle, 53 Fleet Street, London
• Engraver: George Allen, 19 Shoe Lane, Fleet Street
• Survey date: 1797
• Publication imprint: 12 December 1800; the reproduced sheet’s exact atlas issue is not established
• Area shown: Trinidad, the Gulf of Paria and part of the neighbouring mainland
• Original scale: Approximately 1:180,000, with separate bars for leagues and British miles
• Format: Engraved map with coloured coastal outlines, relief and administrative tables
• Orientation: North towards the top

A survey at a change of government

The two dates on this antique map have distinct meanings. The title identifies the year of the surveys, while the lower margin records the London publication. Britain took control of Trinidad in 1797, but Spain’s formal cession of the island followed in 1802. The 1800 publication therefore belongs to the interval between military occupation and the treaty settlement.

That timing helps explain the map’s interest. It presents information about a newly occupied island to readers in Britain, yet preserves a landscape of established names and divisions. Spanish place names appear alongside English geographical descriptions rather than being uniformly replaced. The resulting mixture gives the sheet a particular historical character and makes it useful for comparing older names with their later forms.

The Gulf of Paria and the mainland

The Gulf of Paria occupies much of the left side of the composition. Trinidad’s western coastline curves around this broad expanse of water, while a small portion of the opposing mainland appears at the upper left. Islands and narrow passages around the north-western approach receive careful attention, showing how closely Trinidad’s geography is connected with the nearby South American coast.

Within the gulf, the map prints alternative names associated with the whale, including Golfo de Ballena and Gulf of Whale. These labels are part of the historical sheet rather than modern additions. A large compass rose sits below them, its long rays extending across the open water. The space given to the gulf allows these annotations to remain prominent without crowding the island itself.

Mountains, savannas and rivers

The northern mountains form a continuous band across the upper part of Trinidad. Lines following their slopes give the range a strongly textured appearance. Elsewhere, smaller groups of hills stand out among rivers and broad areas labelled as savannas. This engraved relief describes the character of the ground through shading and repeated strokes, rather than contour lines or measured heights.

The Great Caroni Savanna is particularly conspicuous on the western side of the interior. Numerous waterways connect inland districts with the coast, while settlements and routes are marked more lightly. Looking between the Northern Mountains and the southern shoreline reveals how the map balances physical geography with the information needed to locate inhabited areas. Coloured outlines help distinguish the island’s edge from the detailed black engraving within it.

Quarters and a population table

Below the circular title is a table listing the island’s administrative quarters. Names such as Diego Martin, Santa Cruz, Aricagua and Tacarigua give the map another connection with Trinidad’s continuing geography. The table provides an organised counterpart to the scattered names on the main map, making the administrative framework easier to read.

A second table, placed over the compass rose, records the population in 1797. Its categories reflect the racial distinctions and system of enslavement imposed by colonial government. They should be read as evidence of that system, rather than neutral descriptions of the people represented. This small feature makes the sheet more than a record of mountains and coastlines: it also documents how the authorities classified the island’s inhabitants.

George Allen’s engraving brings these varied elements into a carefully arranged sheet. The circular title, two tables and extensive gulf balance the detailed land area. Reproduced as a fine art print, this old map of Trinidad retains both the appeal of its coloured coastline and the historical information contained in its smaller lettering.