Murray's Handbooks for Travellers

Portrait of publisher John Murray III, 19th century

Murray's Handbooks for Travellers were travel guide books published in London by John Murray beginning in 1836.^[1] The series covered tourist destinations in Europe and parts of Asia and northern Africa. According to scholar James Buzard, the Murray style "exemplified the exhaustive rational planning that was as much an ideal of the emerging tourist industry as it was of British commercial and industrial organization generally."^[2] The guidebooks became popular enough to appear in works of fiction such as Charles Lever's Dodd Family Abroad.^[3] After 1915 the series continued as the Blue Guides.

Cover of Handbook for Travellers in Turkey, 1871

List of Murray's Handbooks by date of publication

List of Murray's Handbooks by geographic coverage

Algeria

R. Lambert Playfair (1882), Handbook to the Mediterranean (2nd revised ed.), London: John Murray Pt. 1
R. Lambert Playfair (1887), Handbook for Travellers in Algeria and Tunis; Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Carthage, etc. (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray
R. Lambert Playfair (1890), Handbook for Travellers in Algeria and Tunis (4th ed.), London: J. Murray, OCLC 12720545
R. Lambert Playfair (1892), Handbook to the Mediterranean (3rd ed.), London: John Murray Pt. 1
R. Lambert Playfair (1895), Handbook for Travellers in Algeria and Tunis (5th ed.), London: J. Murray, OCLC 4443952

Belgium

Murray's Handbook for Belgium and the Rhine, London: J. Murray, 1852
Handbook for Travellers in Holland and Belgium (19th ed.), London: Murray, 1876, OCLC 221452961
Handbook for Travellers in Holland and Belgium (20th ed.), London: John Murray, 1881 – via HathiTrust

Egypt

Gardner Wilkinson (1847), Hand-book for Travellers in Egypt, J. Murray, OCLC 23931478

France

Hand-book for Travellers in France (3rd ed.), London: Murray, 1848
A Handbook for Travellers in France (6th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1858, OCLC 6774411
A Handbook for Travellers in France (8th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1861 + Index
Handbook for visitors to Paris, London: Murray, 1879

Germany

Hand-Book for Travellers on the Continent: Being a Guide through Holland, Belgium, Prussia and Northern Germany, and Along the Rhine (2nd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1838, OCLC 2030550
- Handbook for Travellers on the Continent: Being a Guide to Holland, Belgium, Prussia, Northern Germany, and the Rhine from Holland to Switzerland (17th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1871, OCLC 5358857
Handbook for Travellers in Southern Germany (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1844
- Handbook for Travellers in Southern Germany (9th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1863 + Index
- 1871 ed. + Index
Murray's Handbook for Belgium and the Rhine, London: J. Murray, 1852 + Index
Handbook for North Germany. London: J. Murray. 1877. + Index
- Handbook for North Germany (20th ed.). London: J. Murray. 1886 – via HathiTrust.
Handbook for Travellers in South Germany and Austria (15th ed.). London: J. Murray. 1903. + Index
- Google books version + Index

Great Britain

England

Handbook for England and Wales, London: J. Murray, 1878, OCLC 2167328
- 1890 ed.

East Midlands region

Handbook for Travellers in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Staffordshire (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1892, OCLC 2097091 + Index
- 1874 ed.
Handbook for Northamptonshire and Rutland (2nd ed.), London, Edwards Stanford, 1901.

East of England region

Handbook for Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire, London: J. Murray, 1870
- Handbook for Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire (2nd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1875, OCLC 2094145 + Index
Handbook for Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Huntingdonshire. London: J. Murray. 1895.

London region

Peter Cunningham (1850), Handbook of London, London: John Murray, OCLC 4773921
Murray's Handbook for Modern London, London: John Murray, 1851, OCLC 9005002
Handbook to London as it is, London: J. Murray, 1871, OCLC 2157993
James Thorne (1876), Handbook to the Environs of London, London: John Murray
Handbook to London as it is, London: J. Murray, 1879 + index

North West England region

Handbook for Lancashire, London: J. Murray, 1880, OCLC 2167424

South East England region

A Handbook for Travellers in Kent and Sussex, London: J. Murray, 1858
A Handbook for Travellers in Surrey, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight (3rd ed.), London: John Murray, 1876
A Handbook for Travellers in Berks, Bucks, and Oxfordshire, London: J. Murray, 1860, OCLC 2099710
- 1882 ed.
Murray's Cyclist's Roadbook: from London through Guildford, Chichester, Portsmouth, and Southampton to the New Forest and back by Romsey, Winchester, Guildford, Dorking, and Epsom. London: J. Murray. 1897.
Handbook for Travellers in the Isle of Wight (5th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1898

South West England region

A Hand-book for Travellers in Devon & Cornwall, London: J. Murray, 1851, OCLC 2169402
Handbook for Travellers in Wiltshire, Dorsetshire and Somersetshire, London: J. Murray, 1859, OCLC 2016234 . Index
- Handbook for Travellers in Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, and Somersetshire (4th ed.), London: John Murray, 1882 + Index
Handbook for Travellers in Devon (11th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1895 + Index

West Midlands region

Handbook for Shropshire, Cheshire and Lancashire, London: J. Murray, 1870, OCLC 2109674
Handbook for Travellers in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire, London: J. Murray, 1872, OCLC 2167311 + Index
Handbook of Warwickshire. London: J. Murray. 1899.

Yorkshire and the Humber region

Handbook for Travellers in Yorkshire (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1882, OCLC 2096198 + Index
- Handbook for Yorkshire (4th ed.). London: Edward Stanford. 1904. + Index

Scotland

Handbook for Travellers in Scotland (4th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1875, OCLC 4658476

Wales

A Handbook for Travellers in South Wales, London: J. Murray, 1860, OCLC 2094865
A Handbook for Travellers in North Wales (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1868, OCLC 2109683

Greece

A Hand-book for Travellers in the Ionian Islands, Greece, Turkey, Asia Minor, and Constantinople, London: J. Murray, 1840, OCLC 397597
A Hand-book for Travellers in the Ionian Islands, Greece, Turkey, Asia Minor, and Constantinople (2nd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1845, OCLC 397597 + Index
Handbook for Travellers in Greece, London: J. Murray, 1854
Handbook for Travellers in Greece (4th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1872
R. Lambert Playfair (1882), Handbook to the Mediterranean (2nd revised ed.), London: John Murray Pt. 1
Handbook for Travellers in Greece (5th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1884, OCLC 2832159
Handbook for Travellers in Greece (7th ed.), London: Murray, 1900

India

A Handbook for India, London: J. Murray, 1859, OCLC 4366789
Handbook of the Madras Presidency (2nd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1879 (Includes guide to Madras City)
Handbook of the Bombay Presidency with an Account of Bombay City (2nd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1881, OCLC 2094004 + Index
Handbook of the Bengal Presidency with an Account of Calcutta City, London: J. Murray, 1882, OCLC 2093946 + Index
A Handbook for Travellers in India and Ceylon, London: J. Murray, 1892
A Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon (5th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1906
- A Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon (8th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1911 + Index

Ireland

Handbook for Travellers in Ireland (2nd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1866, OCLC 2013636 + Index
John Cooke (1906), Handbook for Travellers in Ireland (7th ed.), London: Edward Stanford + Index (Cover title: Murray's Handbook Ireland)

Italy

Handbook for Travellers in Central Italy, London: J. Murray and Son, 1843
- Octavian Blewitt (1850), Hand-book for Travellers in Central Italy (2nd ed.), London: J. Murray, OCLC 5719060
- Handbook for Travellers in Central Italy (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1853, OCLC 2300845
- Handbook for Travellers in Central Italy (4th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1857
Handbook for Travellers in North Italy, London: John Murray, 1842 ^[6]
- Hand-book for Travellers in Northern Italy (3rd ed.), London: John Murray, 1847
- Hand-book for Travellers in Northern Italy (4th ed.), London: John Murray, 1852
- Hand-book for Travellers in Northern Italy (10th ed.), London: John Murray, 1866
- Hand-book for Travellers in Northern Italy (16th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1897, OCLC 2231483 + Index
Handbook of Florence and its Environs, London: J. Murray, 1867
A Handbook of Rome and its Environs (8th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1867, OCLC 4038432
- A Handbook of Rome and its Environs (14th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1888
- A Handbook of Rome and the Campagna (16th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1899, OCLC 2031002
Handbook for Travellers in Southern Italy (6th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1868
- Handbook for Travellers in Southern Italy (8th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1878

Japan

Ernest Mason Satow; A. G. S. Hawes (1884). Handbook for Travellers in Central & Northern Japan; being a guide to Tōkiō, Kiōto, Ōzaka, Hakodate, Nagasaki, and other cities (2nd ed.). London: J. Murray – via Hathi Trust.
Basil Hall Chamberlain; W.B. Mason (1901), A Handbook for Travellers in Japan (6th ed.), London: J. Murray, OCLC 2463325
Basil Hall Chamberlain; W.B. Mason (1903), A Handbook for Travellers in Japan (7th ed.), London: J. Murray
Basil Hall Chamberlain; W.B. Mason (1907), A Handbook for Travellers in Japan including the whole empire from Saghalien to Formosa (8th ed.), London: J. Murray, OCLC 1329108
Handbook for Travellers in Japan (9th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1913 – via Hathi Trust + index

Russia

Hand-book for Northern Europe, London: John Murray, 1849 . v.2: Finland and Russia
Hand-book for Travellers in Russia, Poland, and Finland (2nd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1868
Hand-book for Travellers in Russia, Poland, and Finland (4th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1888 + Index

Scandinavia

Hand-book for Northern Europe, London: John Murray, 1849
Hand-book for Travellers in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1871
Hand-book for Travellers in Sweden, London: J. Murray, 1877
Hand-book for Travellers in Norway (7th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1880 + Index
- 1892 ed.
Handbook for Travellers in Denmark, with Sleswig and Holstein, and Iceland (5th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1883

Spain

Richard Ford (1845), A Handbook for Travellers in Spain, London: J. Murray
Richard Ford (1855), A Handbook for Travellers in Spain (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray, OCLC 2145740 + Index
- Pt.1 (Andalucia, Ronda and Granada, Murcia, Valencia, and Catalonia)
- Pt. 2 (Estremadura, Leon, Gallicia, the Asturias, the Castiles (Old and New), the Basque Provinces, Arragon, and Navarre)
Richard Ford (1882), A Handbook for Travellers in Spain (6th ed.), London: J. Murray . Pt. 2 + Index
Richard Ford (1890), Handbook for Travellers in Spain (7th ed.), London: J. Murray + Index
- v.1 (through p.298)
- v.2
Richard Ford (1892), Handbook for Travellers in Spain (8th ed.), London: J. Murray – via HathiTrust + Index

Switzerland

Handbook for Travellers in Switzerland (12th ed.), London: J. Murray, 1867 ^[7]
- Handbook for Travellers in Switzerland, London: J. Murray, 1886
- Handbook for Switzerland (19th ed.), London: Edward Stanford, 1904

Syria

Handbook for Travellers in Syria and Palestine, London: J. Murray, 1858, OCLC 2300777 . Pt. 1; Pt. 2 (p. 291-652); index
Handbook for Travellers in Syria and Palestine, London: J. Murray, 1868 . + Index

Turkey

A Hand-book for Travellers in the Ionian Islands, Greece, Turkey, Asia Minor, and Constantinople, London: J. Murray, 1840, OCLC 397597
A Hand-book for Travellers in the Ionian Islands, Greece, Turkey, Asia Minor, and Constantinople, London: J. Murray, 1845, OCLC 397597 + Index
A Handbook for Travellers in Turkey (3rd ed.), London: J. Murray, 1854, OCLC 2145740 . (Index).
R. Lambert Playfair (1882), Handbook to the Mediterranean (2nd revised ed.), London: John Murray Pt. 1
R. Lambert Playfair (1892), Handbook to the Mediterranean (3rd revised ed.), London: John Murray, OCLC 6853896 Pt.1; Pt. 2
Charles Wilson, ed. (1895), Handbook for Travellers in Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, Persia, etc, London: J. Murray, OCLC 8979039 . (Index).
- 1895 ed. in Google books
Handbook for Travellers in Constantinople, Brûsa, and the Troad, London: J. Murray, 1907

References

↑ Rudy Koshar (July 1998). "'What Ought to Be Seen': Tourists' Guidebooks and National Identities in Modern Germany and Europe". Journal of Contemporary History. 33.
↑ James Buzard (Autumn 1991). "The Uses of Romanticism: Byron and the Victorian Continental Tour". Victorian Studies. 35.
↑ James Buzard (January 1993). "A Continent of Pictures: Reflections on the "Europe" of Nineteenth-Century Tourists". PMLA. 108.
↑ Stevan K. Pavlowitch (June 1962). "Early Nineteenth-Century Serbia in the Eyes of British Travelers". Slavic Review. 21.
↑ E. W. Gilbert (1945). "Richard Ford and His 'Hand-Book for Travellers in Spain'". Geographical Journal. 106.
↑ J.R. Hale (2005), England and the Italian Renaissance (4th ed.), Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., ISBN 9780631233640, Francis Palgrave ... author of the first edition of Murray's Handbook for Travellers in North Italy
↑ Peter H. Hansen (1995). "Albert Smith, the Alpine Club, and the Invention of Mountaineering in Mid-Victorian Britain". Journal of British Studies. 34. JSTOR 175982.