Collins, Captain Greenvile (or Greenville)

Captain Greenvile (or Greenville) Collins was a Royal Navy officer and prominent 17th century hydrographer. He came to the attention of King Charles II for the quality of his journal-keeping during an expedition to find a North-East passage. Many nautical maps of the time were inaccurate and incomplete, and having persuaded the King of the need for an improved survey of the country's coastline, Collins was commissioned in 1681 and appointed by Samuel Pepys (then Secretary to the Admiralty), to chart the coasts of Great Britain. The resulting atlas, Great Britain's Coasting Pilot - sea charts from which we have available for sale below - was the first comprehensive sea atlas produced by an Englishman. Collins was made a younger brother of Trinity House, who supported the project financially. He spent seven years on the survey, the first edition of which was published in 1693. The charts, while not completely accurate, were an enormous improvement on existing maps, entitling Collins to rank as one of the most noteworthy English hydrographers (and indeed cartographers). Twenty-one further editions followed during the 18th century.

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Collins, Captain Greenvile (or Greenville)

East Coast of Scotland, with the Isles of Orkney & Shetland. COLLINS 1723 map

Navigation chart & view of LEITH, by Capt Greenvile COLLINS. Edinburgh 1723 map

Approaches to ABERDEEN, DUNDEE & MONTROSE sea chart. Tay. COLLINS 1723 old map

Firth of Murry. MORAY FIRTH sea chart Inverness Cromarty. COLLINS 1723 old map

Chiefe Harbours in the Islands of Orkney sea chart. Kirkwall.COLLINS 1723 map

Part of the Maine Island of Shetland sea chart. Lerwick Bressay COLLINS 1723 map

A new & correct chart of the Channel between England & France. COLLINS c1774 map

'PORTLAND, the Shambles & the Race of Portland' chart.Weymouth.COLLINS c1774 map

SOUTH DEVON RIVIERA sea coast chart. Salcombe Dartmouth Torbay COLLINS c1774 map

PLYMOUTH SOUND, Cattewater & Hamoaze sea chart by Capt G. COLLINS c1774 map

'FOWEY & MOUNTS BAY' sea chart. Polruan Bodinnick Penzance. COLLINS c1774 map

'The Severn or Channell of Bristoll' sea/estuary chart by Capt COLLINS c1774 map

'The River Avon from the Severn to the Citty of Bristoll'. COLLINS c1774 map

'Milford Haven' sea chart. Haverfordwest Pembroke Daugleddau. COLLINS c1774 map

'Holy-Head' sea chart. Holy Island & HOLYHEAD, Anglesey. Capt. COLLINS c1774 map

HARWICH, Orwell, Stour, Deben & Hamford Water sea chart. COLLINS c1774 old map

Approaches to ABERDEEN, DUNDEE & MONTROSE sea chart. Tay. COLLINS c1774 map

'Firth of Murry' sea chart. MORAY FIRTH Inverness Cromarty. COLLINS c1774 map

'Part of the Maine Island of Shetland' sea chart. Lerwick. COLLINS c1774 map

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