George Henry Ford (1808 - 1876)
&
William West (1828 – 1870)
&
Edward Newman (1801 - 1876)

Chromo-Lithograph Printers

  
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

'Ford & West' was a prominent lithographic printing company in early 19th-century London, located at 54 Hatton Garden. Run by lithographer George Henry Ford (previously part of 'Ford & George'), with printer William West, they specialized in high-quality scientific, natural history, and architectural illustration plates for major publications and institutions.

Following the dissolution of 'Ford & West' in 1858, printer William West continued on his own as 'W. West', under which name he famously printed the only illustration in Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species.

Later in 1859, West partnered with Edward Newman, the famous publisher of The Zoologist. The company now named 'West, Newman & Co.' then continued, becoming prominent in the late 19th and early 20th-century printing, engraving, lithographic, and publishing firm, even after the deaths of West and Newman, still based in Hatton Garden. They produced and printed the multi-plate chromo-lithographs required to generate detailed multi-coloured illustrations in scientific transactions for museums, government departments, and learned societies in Britain, India, and South Africa.

Over the years, West's companies were the primary publishers of many entomological publications, including

  • Buckler's multi-volume work The larvæ of the British butterflies and moths, and
  • Horace Knight's drawings for George F. Hampson's major multi-volume work Catalogue of Lepidoptera Phalænæ in the British Museum

    Paradoxically, plates for some publications were kept even though funding ceased, and the publication was not continued until some years later, when funding did become available. The old plates were then used, even though in some cases the artists who prepared them had died in the interim.

    Copies of some illustrations printed by these companies for Maxwell-Lefroy in this website -

    Parapoynx stagnalis
    ACENTROPINAE

    Bombyx mori
    BOMBYCIDAE

    Phthorimaea operculella
    GELECHIIDAE

    Hypsopygia mauritialis
    PYRALINAE

    Antigastra catalaunalis
    SPILOMELINAE


    Copies of some illustrations printed by these companies for George F. Hampson in this website - ACENTROPINAE

    Paracataclysta fuscalis


    ACONTIINAE

    Autoba sphragidota

    Carmara subcervina

    Enispa daphoena

    Enispa niviceps

    Eulocastra phaeozona

    Hyposada hydrocampata

    Maliattha ritsemae

    Micrapatetis leucozona

    Ozarba chrysaspis

    Sarrothripa baeopis

    Xanthograpta purpurascens


    ACRONICTINAE

    Calophasidia dentifera

    Data aroa

    Data pratti

    Diplonephra ditata

    Dipterygina babooni

    Eremochroa macropa

    Eremochroa thermidora

    Euplexia polycmeta

    Neumichtis callisina

    Proteuxoa callimera

    Proteuxoa chrysospila

    Proteuxoa cornuta

    Proteuxoa euchroa

    Proteuxoa hydraecioides

    Proteuxoa hypochalchis

    Proteuxoa petrodora

    Proteuxoa sarcomorpha

    Proteuxoa tortisigna

    Thalatha bryochlora

    Thalatha melaleuca


    AGARISTINAE

    Mimeusemia econia

    Cruria tropica


    ARCTIINI

    Phaos interfixa

    Spilarctia erythrastis


    BAGISARINAE

    Xanthodes congenita


    BOLETOBIINAE

    Acontia clerana

    Acontia crocata

    Acontia detrita

    Acontia elaeoa

    Acontia nivipicta

    Corgatha minuta

    Eublemma leucodesma

    Eublemma lozostropha

    Eublemma marmaropa

    Eublemma rufipuncta

    Eublemma vestalis


    CALPINAE

    Epicyrtica leucostigma


    CASTNIIDAE

    Synemon laeta

    Synemon plana

    Synemon sophia

    Synemon theresa


    CHLOEPHORINAE

    Aiteta iridias

    Carea unipunctata

    Vizaga mirabilis


    EREBINAE

    Avatha novoguineana

    Bastilla copidiphora

    Dysgonia solomonensis

    Ophiusa disjungens


    SARROTHRIPINI

    Thriponea nigrostrigata


    SPHINGIDAE

     Agrius convolvuli

    Agrius convolvuli


    WESTERMANNIINAE

    Westermannia argentata

    Westermannia concha

    Westermannia gloriosa


    ZYGAENIDAE

    Pollanisus apicalis

    Pollanisus cupreus

    Myrtartona rufiventris

    Hestiochora tricolor

    Pollanisus trimacula

    in progress

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    (written 10 August 2026, updated 20 September 2026)