Thomas Milton Engraving (1743-1827) A Geometrical Plan and North Elevation of His Majesty’s Dock Yard, at Woolwich, with Part of the Town - Published 1753

Geometrical Plan and North Elevation of his Majesty’s Dock Yard, at Woolwich, with Part of the Town, & c, published 1753 Thomas Milton (1743-1827). Fine engraved plan and view, with attractive decorative border comprising the title and dedication cartouches, along with nine vignettes of ships and number keys to the principal buildings, Woolwich Dockyard was founded in 1512 by Henry VIII, originally to build the Henri Grâce à Dieu, then the largest ship in the World. The dockyard grew in size considerably over the following centuries, reaching its peak in size and output during the Napoleonic Wars. In the 19th century the increasing size of naval vessels, along with the gradual silting up of the Thames, led to the decline of the dockyard which was closed in 1869. Thomas Milton (c.1742-1827) published the first comprehensive and uniform set of plans of all six Royal dockyards between 1753 and 1756. His father was John Milton, a minor marine artist, and Thomas would only have been about ten when this particular engraving was published. This suggests the plan was probably overseen by his father who was looking to advance his son’s career as a draughtsman and printmaker. Thomas is recorded as living in Dublin in the period from 1783-1785, and in London from 1787-1801. He died in Bristol. All six of the dockyard plans are extremely scarce.