William Heather (1764-1812) started business as a publisher and dealer in charts and nautical instruments, on the same street as the East India Company, at 157 Leadenhall Street, under the sign of the 'Little Midshipman'. This address, which became known as the 'Naval Academy' and 'Navigation Warehouse', was later immortalized in Charles Dickens' work 'Dombey and Son'. In 1768 the firm became 'Heather and Williams' until Heather's death in 1812.
At that point the celebrated mathematician and hydrographer, John William Norie  (1772-1843), who had attached himself to Heather at an early age, assumed control of the business. He had begun making his own charts by the age of 25, and went on to be the leading chart maker and writer on navigation of his time. His accomplishments were considerable and lasting, including several atlases of sea charts as well as general works on navigation, most notably 'The Epitome of Practical Navigation' (1805), which was the standard work throughout the nineteenth century.

Norie retired in 1839 but the firm continued under the direction of Charles Wilson (1807-1882). Charles had inherited his cousin George's place in the Norie firm in 1838, and after Norie's retirement, bought up Norie's share, until he was the sole proprietor in 1852. Prior to his cousin's death, Charles had no experience in chart publishing, but Norie had left the business in a good state, and the firm continued to run smoothly.

The present maps dates from Norie’s heyday, as it is A New Edition Revised and Corrected by him.