description Henry Pelham Overview
Henry Pelham was an English-born artist, engraver, and cartographer active in colonial Massachusetts and later in Ireland. He was the younger half-brother of painter John Singleton Copley and produced a detailed survey of Boston and its surroundings that was published in London in 1777 as a map of the area during the American Revolutionary period. A Loyalist, Pelham left America and subsequently undertook engineering and cartographic work in Ireland.
help Henry Pelham FAQ
What is Henry Pelham's best-known Boston map?
His major work is A Plan of Boston in New England with its Environs, a detailed map showing Boston and nearby towns during the American Revolution. It includes military works from 1775 and 1776 and was published in London in 1777. [Colonial Society record](https://www.colonialsociety.org/node/768)
Was Henry Pelham related to John Singleton Copley?
Yes, Henry Pelham was the younger half-brother of the portrait painter John Singleton Copley. Both were connected to colonial Boston's artistic community before the Revolutionary War disrupted their lives. [American Revolutionary Geographies](https://www.argomaps.org/people/henry-pelham/)
What does Pelham's Boston map show about the American Revolution?
The map records Boston, Charlestown, Dorchester, Cambridge, and other surrounding places together with British and American military works. Pelham also had access to British military maps and sketches while preparing it in 1775 and 1776. [Colonial Society record](https://www.colonialsociety.org/node/768)
Who engraved and published Henry Pelham's Boston map?
Pelham drew the map, and Francis Jukes engraved it on two sheets for publication in London on June 2, 1777. The joined sheets measured about 28.5 by 42.5 inches. [Colonial Society record](https://www.colonialsociety.org/node/768)
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