Tower Hamlets Local History and Archives Library

Collections

The library contains the following collections (subjects are in brackets)

Local Studies Collection
Books and Pamphlets - The Local History Library may also be of use to those studying family history and holds over 20,000 printed books and pamphlets dating from the 17th century to the present day. These provide extensive coverage of the many differing aspects of the recorded history of Tower Hamlets. The library includes an important "shipping collection" which, as well as covering local subjects, includes general material relating to the history of merchant shipping. Cuttings - The cuttings collection, which is contained in over 400 boxes, includes newspaper and periodical cuttings and articles and printed ephemera, a substantial amount of which dates from the 19th century. Illustrations - The library holds about 25,000 illustrations, mainly photographs. There are over 80 boxes of photographs of general street scenes arranged alphabetically, while the remainder are arranged by subject. A selection of the images are available through our Digital Picture Gallery Maps - Well over 2,000 maps and plans are held dating from Elizabethan times to the present day. The collection includes large-scale Ordnance Survey maps, street plans and some parish and estate maps. Microfilms - The library holds on microfilm, copies of census returns for the whole borough, from 1841 to 1891; various local newspapers from 1853; parish registers of seven of the oldest parish churches and London trade directories. Audio-Visual Collections - About 100 sound recordings and 60 films and videos of local interest are held. Archives While there are substantial holdings of archives relating to the borough, much of Tower Hamlets material is deposited elsewhere (notably at the Greater London Record Office). Local authority records - There are extensive holdings of records of the borough and its predecessors dating in some cases from the 16th century. These include minutes, rate books and correspondence files. Deeds - There are over 8,000 deeds recording the transfer of properties in the borough, which are indexed by name and place. Other archives - In addition the archives hold documents relating to many local institutions, including some places of worship and schools, local clubs and societies, and some businesses. A selection of documents are available in digitised versions online. ,
(Genealogy, Local history)

Tower Hamlets Family and Local History Resources
A collection of family and local history resources as follows: 1. Births, Deaths and Marriages Registrar General's Indexes from 1837 (microform), or Registrar General for Scotland's Computerised Index from 1855. Locations Not in stock -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Census returns On microfilm, 1841-1891 census returns covering Tower Hamlets Manuscript copies of 1821, 1831 censuses for All Saints, Poplar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Directories 3(a) County and Regional Directories None 3(b) City and Town Directories Trade directories for London from 1677 to 1987 3(c) Telephone Directories 1982 to date -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Electoral registers and polls books 4(a) Electoral Registers Tower Hamlets Parliamentary Borough 1901-1915 Bethnal Green Metropolitan Borough 1901-1964 Poplar Metropolitan Borough 1918-1964 Stepney Metropolitan Borough 1918-1964 Tower Hamlets, London Borough 1965 to date 4(b) Poll Books None -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. International Genealogical Index 1992 edition, on microfiche, covering London and Middlesex -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Unpublished Indexes ~see attached handlist no. 1$ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Parish Registers ~see attached handlist no. 2$ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Periodicals (excl. newspapers) Cockney Ancestor; the journal of the East of London Family History Society 1978 to date Family Tree Magazine (national coverage) 1984 to date Mitteilungsblatt; the journal of the Anglo-German Family History Society 1987 to date (national coverage) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Published Transcripts of Archival Material None -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Other material None -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. Guides to Collections Family History (leaflet) free from above address -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. Local Record Offices London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road London EC1R 0AB Tel: 0171 332 3820 Fax: 0171 833 9136 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other information: Chapman County Codes (BS 6879): LND ,
(Electoral registers, Genealogy, Local history, Parish records, Poll books, Population censuses, Registration of birth, Registration of death, Registration of marriage)