Ordnance Survey International
Encyclopedia
From 1946 to 1999, Ordnance Survey International and its predecessors built the Ordnance Survey International Collection (formerly the Ordnance Survey International Library), an archive of air photography, map and survey records derived from its mapping activities outside the UK.
The agency was closed in 2001. Responsibility for its archive passed to The National Archives c2003; it was dispersed shortly thereafter.
to provide a central survey and mapping organisation for British colonies and protectorates. In 1957, with the imminent decolonisation of many British territories, it was renamed the Directorate of Overseas Surveys (DOS). Government reviews during the 1970s led to it being merging into the Ordnance Survey
(OS) in 1984 whence it was known as the Overseas Surveys Directorate (OSD).
In 1991, following completion of the last significant aid-funded mapping projects, its name was changed one final time to Ordnance Survey International and its main activity became consultancy, primarily in Eastern Europe. It was closed in 2001.
The content of the archive is comprehensively described at and its present locations are listed at .
, Liberia
, Sudan
and Yemen
.
Aerial photography
and photogrammetry
were used with photography missions being flown primarily by United Kingdom air survey companies. Agency surveyors were sent abroad to establish horizontal and vertical ground control for the photography; this was permanently marked and co-ordinated so that the surveys could be the basis for future work.
After a map was compiled from the photography, a plot (draft) was made for checking and annotation by the local survey department of the country concerned. The final map was drawn at agency headquarters and printed by the Ordnance Survey.
Reference .
The agency was closed in 2001. Responsibility for its archive passed to The National Archives c2003; it was dispersed shortly thereafter.
The agency
In 1946 the Directorate of Colonial Surveys (DCS) was established by the Colonial OfficeColonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
to provide a central survey and mapping organisation for British colonies and protectorates. In 1957, with the imminent decolonisation of many British territories, it was renamed the Directorate of Overseas Surveys (DOS). Government reviews during the 1970s led to it being merging into the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
(OS) in 1984 whence it was known as the Overseas Surveys Directorate (OSD).
In 1991, following completion of the last significant aid-funded mapping projects, its name was changed one final time to Ordnance Survey International and its main activity became consultancy, primarily in Eastern Europe. It was closed in 2001.
The archive
The aerial photographs, maps and survey data were originally kept in separate libraries but were amalgamated in 1984 into a single collection called Technical Information and Support Services. In 1991 this was renamed the Ordnance Survey International Library. In 2002 it was decided that it was no longer needed and responsibility for its disposal was passed to The National Archives. During 2003 and 2004 The National Archives, the Ordnance Survey and advisers from specialist bodies jointly appraised the collection to determine which records should be kept and by which custodians. The collection was dispersed during 2004.The content of the archive is comprehensively described at and its present locations are listed at .
Mapping
During its lifetime the agency provided mapping to almost all the British colonies and protectorates. In addition, some non-Commonwealth countries were mapped between 1975 and 1991 including EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
.
Aerial photography
Aerial photography
Aerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to images in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or...
and photogrammetry
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is the practice of determining the geometric properties of objects from photographic images. Photogrammetry is as old as modern photography and can be dated to the mid-nineteenth century....
were used with photography missions being flown primarily by United Kingdom air survey companies. Agency surveyors were sent abroad to establish horizontal and vertical ground control for the photography; this was permanently marked and co-ordinated so that the surveys could be the basis for future work.
After a map was compiled from the photography, a plot (draft) was made for checking and annotation by the local survey department of the country concerned. The final map was drawn at agency headquarters and printed by the Ordnance Survey.
Other roles
In addition to its primary map making role the agency was responsible for:- Provision of advice to the Overseas Development Agency and foreign governments and organisations on technical matters concerning all aspects of surveying and mapping.
- Dissemination of information about new techniques related to surveying, photogrammetry, and cartography.
Directors General
| Director | From |
|---|---|
| Martin Hotine Martin Hotine Brigadier Martin Hotine CMG CBE was the head of the Trigonometrical and Levelling Division of the Ordnance Survey responsible for the 26 year long retriangulation of Great Britain and was the first Director General of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys .According to Nicholas Crane :... |
1946-03-11 |
| G J Humphries | 1963-10-10 |
| W D C Wiggins | 1965-10-01 |
| D E Warren | 1968-05-31 |
| B E Furmston | 1979-06 |
Reference .
See also
- Ordnance SurveyOrdnance SurveyOrdnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
- List of maps of Jamaica#The 1:50,000 series
- Alastair MacdonaldAlastair MacdonaldAlastair Macdonald MBE is a retired land surveyor and author.-Achievements:Macdonald decided to become a surveyor at the age of nine.He took part in two Spitsbergen expeditions while at Cambridge University....
Further reading
- Mapping the World: History of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys, 1946-85, Ordnance SurveyOrdnance SurveyOrdnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
, 1996-03, Stationery Office Books, ISBN 978-0117015906. - Mapping for Development, the Contributions of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys, G McGarth, Cartographica Vol 20 Nos 1 & 2, 1983. An evaluation of the Directorate's mapping processes and production.
- Medium Scale Photogrammetric Mapping at the Directorate of Overseas Surveys, D Read - D L Fereday - L R Brown, 1973-01-16, The Photogrammetric Record Volume 7 Issue 42 Pages 649 - 661, Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
- The Directorate of Overseas Surveys and Mapping in Nigeria, Olayinka Y Balogun, Cartographic Journal Volume 24 Number 1 pp 3-14, 1987-06 , Maney PublishingManey PublishingManey Publishing is an independent Academic publishing company specialising in peer-reviewed academic journals in materials science and engineering, the humanities, and health science. The company has offices in Leeds and London in the United Kingdom, and in Boston and Philadelphia in the United...
.
External links
- Introduction to the Ordnance Survey International Collection, Ordnance Survey website.
- History of the Ordnance Survey International Collection, Ordnance Survey website.
- Current locations of the Ordnance Survey International Collection, Ordnance Survey website.