In London, archive collections are distributed among 366 different record offices and private and public institutions, ranging in size from the National Archives at one extreme to the small archive collections held by a professional body or City livery company at the other. Details of how to find London archives, wherever they are located, are outlined on this page.
Below is a list of all the council run archives and local studies collections in London or take a look at BBC History family history pages for more information and tips. There are a number of other websites you can visit in order to locate and find out about archive material either held in the capital or relating to London. These include:
These are just a few of the available sites ? to find more, follow the links in the ARCHON portal and in AIM25 or download Looking at the past: a guide to resources, a booklet from the University of London which will help you understand the range of resources available. For further information click here
| Name | Description | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Barking and Dagenham Local Studies Centre | Holdings include war damage reports. |
Valence House Museum,
Becontree Ave,
Dagenham
RM8 3HT Tel: 020 8270 6897 Email: Localstudies@bardaglea.org.uk |
| Barnet Archives and Local Studies Centre | The Local Studies Centre collects historical documents relating to the Borough of Barnet going back many centuries and materials date back as far as the sixteenth century. |
The Local Studies and Archives Centre
80 Daws Lane
Mill Hill
London
NW7 4SL Tel: 020 8959 6657 Email: Library.archives@barnet.gov.uk |
| Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre | Includes non-conformist chapel records as well as those of the local parish. |
Townley Road,
Bexleyheath
DA6 7HJ Tel: 020 8836 7369 Email: archives@bexley.gov.uk |
| Brent Archive | If you are studying the London Borough of Brent, in either an historical or contemporary setting, Brent Archive is an excellent resource for you to find out about its history; to research your family history and other resources about the local area |
Cricklewood Library,
152 Olive Road,
Cricklewood,
London
NW2 6UY Tel: 020 8937 3541 Email: archive@brent.gov.uk |
| Bromley Archives | Specialist collections on The Crystal Palace, Walter de la Mare and H.G. Wells. |
Central Library,
High Street,
Bromley
BR1 1EX Tel: 020 8461 7170 Email: localstudies.library@bromley.gov.uk |
| Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre | Includes monumental inscriptions and other transcripts. Also houses The Sharpe Collection - 19th century family toys, books, pressed flowers, Christmas and Valentine cards, photographs etc. of Elizabeth Sharpe of Admiral's House, Hampstead 1865-1905 |
Holborn Library,
32-38 Theobalds Road,
London
WC1X 8PA Tel: 020 7974 6342 Email: localstudies@camden.gov.uk |
| Croydon Local Studies and Archives |
Croydon Clocktower,
Katharine Street,
Croydon,
CR9 1ET Tel: 020 8726 6900 x 61112 Email: localstudies@croydon.gov.uk | |
| Ealing Local History Centre | Includes diaries of local residents for the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, papers of General Wetherall, Greenslade papers concerning the Martin Brothers and Martinware, some school log books and papers of some local clubs. Also newspaper indexes for The Acton Gazette, 1871-1965, The Middlesex County Times, 1866-1961 and the whole of the local press from 1972-1987. |
103 Ealing Broadway Centre,
London
W5 5JY Tel: 020 8567 3656 ext. 137 Email: joates@ealing.gov.uk |
| Enfield Local History | This site provides a Local and Family History Factsheet containing a good list of relevant organisations and web sites. |
Southgate Town Hall,
Green Lanes,
Palmers Green,
London
N13 4XD Tel: 020 8379 2724 Email: local.history@enfield.gov.uk |
| Greenwich Heritage Centre | Includes maps from the seventeenth century to the present day, files of local newspapers from 1834 to date and a Plumstead deed document of 1387 (the Centre's oldest document!) |
Artillery Square, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich,
SE18 4DX Tel: 020 8854 2452 Email: heritage.centre@greenwich.gov.uk |
| Guildhall Library | The original library at Guildhall was founded in the 1420s under the terms of the will of Richard Whittington. Today, it is a major public reference library which specialises in the history of London, especially the City, as well as having other significant collections: business history, English law and parliamentary papers, marine history, wine and food, clocks and watchmaking. |
Aldermanbury,
London
EC2P 2EJ Tel: 020 7332 1868 / 020 7332 1870 Email: printedbooks.guildhall@corpoflondon.gov.uk |
| Hackney Archives and Local History Centre | We are the Archives and Local History Centre for Hackney. We have a variety of sources for researching the history of the borough and the people who have lived here, including archives of local government, people and organizations, and a local studies collection including maps, photographs and publications. |
43 De Beauvoir Road, Hackney,
N1 5SQ Tel: 020 7241 2886 Email: archives@hackney.gov.uk |
| Hammersmith and Fulham Archives | The work of the Archives covers the history of the borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. It is partcularly concerned with its administrative history but the collection illustrates other aspects too. It has material about ordinary people and celebrities, everyday life and special occasions. |
The Lilla Huset,
191 Talgarth Road,
London
W6 8BJ Tel: 020 8741 5159 Email: archives@lbhf.gov.uk |
| Haringey Archive Service | Haringey Local History Library and Archives holds the official records of Haringey Council and its predecessor authorities (Tottenham, Wood Green and Hornsey). We also hold many archives of people and local organisations. The Alexandra Palace collection is particularly popular. We also have a strong local history collection that includes maps, books and directories of the Haringey area. |
Bruce Castle Museum,Lordship Lane,
N17 8NU Tel: 020 8808 8772 Email: museumservice@haringey.gov.uk |
| Harrow Local History Library | Free information sheets "Guide to local history resources" and "Finding out about people in the past" are available. The latter is a guide to resources in the library for family historians |
Civic Centre Library,Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow, Middlesex
HA1 2UU Tel: 020 8424 1055/6 Email: localhistory.library@harrow.gov.uk |
| Havering Local Studies | Collection relates to the London Borough of Havering and includes books, maps, illustrations and other material about the modern towns of Hornchurch, Romford and Upminster as well as the historic villages of Havering-atte-Bower and Rainham. Local Authority minutes from 1851 to the present. Rate Books, particularly for the Romford district, from 1839 to the creation of the London Borough of Havering in 1965. |
Central Library
St Edward's Way
Romford
RM1 3AR Tel: 01708 432393/4 Email: Simon.Donoghue@havering.gov.uk |
| Hillingdon Heritage Service | . |
Central Library, 14-15 High Street, Uxbridge,
UB8 1HD Tel: 01895 250 702 Email: archives@hillingdongrid.org |
| Hounslow Local Studies & Archives (Chiswick) | Chiswick Library houses the Local Collection for Brentford and Chiswick enquiries for other locations should be made to Hounslow Library. |
Chiswick Library, Duke's Avenue, Chiswick
W4 2AB Tel: 020 8994 1008 Email: localstudies-hct@laing.com |
| Hounslow Local Studies & Archives (Hounslow) | . |
Hounslow Library, Centre Space, Treaty Centre, High Street, Hounslow
TW3 1ES Tel: 0845 456 2800 Email: localstudies-hct@laing.com |
| Islington Local History Centre | The story of Islington from Anglo Saxon settlement to cosmopolitan urban centre (and everything in between) can be explored through the unique documents and images held at the Local History Centre. Whether you are a family or house historian, a professional researcher or student working on your school project, our vast collection of local history information is just what you're looking for. |
Finsbury Library,
245 St. John Street,
London
EC1V 4NB Tel: 020 7527 7988 Email: local.history@islington.gov.uk |
| Kensington and Chelsea Local Studies | . |
Kensington Central Library, Phillimore Walk, London
W8 7RX Tel: 020 7937 2542 Email: information.services@rbkc.gov.uk |
| Kingston Local History Room and Archives | Includes a developing data-base of Victorian sources, courtesy of Kingston University and research material relating to pioneer photographer, Eadweard Muybridge. |
Room 46 North Kingston Centre, Richmond Road, Kingston upon Thames
KT2 5PE Tel: 020 8547 6738 Email: local.history@rbk.kingston.gov.uk |
| Lambeth Archives | Browse Lambeth's visual archives at Lambeth Landmark, a showcase for the best 6,000 images from the Lambeth Archives collection of 35,000 old photographs, drawings, prints and water colours. www.lambethlandmark.com |
Minet Library, 52 Knatchbull Road,
SE5 9QY Tel: 020 7926 6076 Email: archives@lambeth.gov.uk |
| Lewisham Local History and Archives Centre | Covers the present London Borough of Lewisham area and includes Local History Library collection and Archives. It contains material such as, local maps, newspapers, photographs and ephemera collections, war damage cards for Lewisham, Civilian Defence records records of the Borough's predecessors, churches, individuals, associations and businesses |
199-201 Lewisham High Street, Lewisham,
SE13 6LG Tel: 020 8297 0682 Email: local.studies@lewisham.gov.uk |
| London Metropolitan Archives | LMA holds a vast array of local and family history resources including records of parishes and other religions, boards of guardians, electoral registers, hospitals, and schools. LMA also holds the records of London government, and of the City of London itself, back to 1067. |
40 Northampton Road
London
EC1R 0HB Tel: 020 7332 3820 Email: ask.lma@cityoflondon.gov.uk |
| Merton Local Studies Centre | Includes a collection of tennis related material, Tom Francis photographic collection, historic maps of the Merton area, local ephemera collection, library photographic archive covering the local area. |
Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,
SM4 5DX Tel: 020 8545 3239 Email: local.studies@merton.gov.uk |
| Newham Archives and Local Studies Library | . |
Stratford Library,
3 The Grove,
London
E15 1EL Tel: 020 8430 6881 Email: richard.durack@newham.gov.uk |
| Redbridge Local Studies and Archives Service | Includes a fascinating collection of letters telling the story of Catherine Tylney Long's ill-fated marriage to the Duke of Wellington's nephew which culminated in the tragic demolition of the magnificent Wanstead House in 1824 |
Central Library,
Clements Road,
Ilford,
Essex
IG1 1EA Tel: 020 8708 2417 Email: local.studies@redbridge.gov.uk |
| Richmond Local Studies Library | Includes a unique collection of playbills for Richmond Theatre |
Old Town Hall,
Whittaker Avenue,
Richmond
TW9 1TP Tel: 020 8332 6820 Email: localstudies@richmond.gov.uk |
| Southwark Local History Library | . |
211 Borough High Street, London,
SE1 1JA Tel: 020 7403 3507 Email: local.studies.library@southwark.gov.uk |
| Sutton Local Studies Centre | An extensive collection of material relating to not only Sutton but Surrey as a whole. Ancestry is free of charge in all Sutton Libraries. Send an S.A.E. for details of our genealogical resources or visit our website. Strong collections of material relating to Croydon Airport and the River Wandle |
Archives and Local Studies, Level 5 West, Central Library, St. Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey
SM1 1EA Tel: 020 8770 4745 Email: local.studies@sutton.gov.uk |
| Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives | The Library includes an important "shipping collection" which, as well as covering local subjects, includes general material relating to the history of merchant shipping. |
Bancroft Library,
277 Bancroft Road,
London
E1 4DQ Tel: 020 7364 1290 / 1289 Email: localhistory@towerhamlets.gov.uk |
| Waltham Forest Archives and Local Studies Library | . |
Vestry House, Vestry Road, Walthamstow,
London,
E17 9NH Tel: 020 8509 1917 Email: vestry.house@lbwf.gov.uk |
| Wandsworth Local History Service | . |
Battersea Library, 265 Lavender Hill,
London,
SW11 1JB Tel: 020 8871 7753 Email: localhistory@wandsworth.gov.uk |
| Westminster Archives Centre | Includes theatre programmes and playbills and approximately 60,000 illustrations from Tudor times to the present day. |
10 St. Ann?s Street,
London
SW1P 2DE Tel: 020 7641 5180 Email: http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/forms/emailform.cfm?AliasID=190 |