Cary was a mapmaker born in Wiltshire, England, his father a malster and churchwarden. Cary was appointed Surveyor of Roads to the General Post Office 1794. He won the Gold Medal of the Royal Society of Arts 1804 for his large scale map of Cardingshire. His Strand premises burned down 17th January 1820 and which was continued by his sons at 86 St. James.