John Rocque

John Rocque (originally Jean; –1762) was a French-born British surveyor, cartographer, engraver, landscape designer, and map seller. He is best known for his detailed map of London published in 1746, and his map of Dublin published in 1756.

Early life and career Rocque was born in France in about 1704, one of four children of a Huguenot family who subsequently fled first to Geneva, and then, probably in 1709, to England. He became a godfather in 1728, which suggests he was at least twenty-one years old by that time.

In addition to his work as a surveyor and mapmaker, Rocque was an engraver and map seller. He was also involved in some way in gardening as a young man, living with his brother Bartholomew, who was a landscape gardener, and producing plans for parterres, perhaps recording pre-existing designs, but few details of this work are known.

One of Rocque's most famous works is his map of London. He began work on this in 1737 and it was published in 24 printed sheets in 1746. It was by far the most detailed map of London published up to that time and remains an important historical resource. Details included in this map are the locations of all the Huguenot churches.

Time in Dublin Rocque spent six years visiting Dublin from August 1754 to 1760, where he produced a number of maps of the Irish capital, as well as county maps of Dublin and Armagh, city maps of Kilkenny and Cork, and a series of elaborately illustrated manuscript surveys of the estates of James FitzGerald, 1st Duke of Leinster. He lived at the Golden Hart, Dame Street initially, later moving to Ormond Quay in August 1755, and then Bachelor's Walk in June 1756. He began selling his survey of Dublin Bay in November 1754, and advertised for subscriptions to a full map of the city in September of the same year. George II hung a print of The city and suburbs of Dublin (1757) in his apartments.

He also published The city and suburbs of Dublin with divisions of the parishes, reduced from the large plan in four sheets (1757), The city, harbour, bay and environs of Dublin (1757), and Pocket plan of the city of Dublin (1757). It appears he intended to survey Cork and Kinsale harbours, but these projects did not come to fruition. He sold many of his maps in French, and imported maps to sell. These extended as far as Skerries and Cardy Rocks to the north, Carton House to the west, Blessington to the south-west and Enniskerry to the south. In 1760 the Irish engraver John Dixon engraved Rocque's map of County Dublin. He took on pupils in Ireland, with his influence on their estate maps is well documented.

Personal life Rocque married twice, firstly to Martha (circa 1728), and secondly, Mary Ann Bew. Mary was the older sister of one of Rocque's apprentices, Bernard Scalé. in collaboration with her brother. Rocque died in London on 27 January 1762.