London Archives and Libraries

England London  Archives and Libraries

Several archives and libraries in London have material for family history. These include the London Metropolitan Archives, City of London Record Office (currently held at the London Metropolitan Archives) and City of Westminster Archives Centre.

London Metropolitan Archives
London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road City of London EC1R 0HB UK Telephone: 020 7332 3820 E-mail: [mailto:ask.lma@cityoflondon.gov.uk ask.lma@cityoflondon.gov.uk] Website: London Metropolitan Archives


 * We are home to an amazing range of documents, images, maps, films and books about London. London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) is free to use and open to everyone.  Whether you're tracing your family history or researching the history of your neighbourhood, if you're interested in London or Londoners, LMA is the place to visit!


 * The London Metropolitan Archives has prepared a helpful guide for family historians: Family History at London Metropolitan Archives

The National Archives (TNA)
The National Archives (TNA) Bessant Dr Kew Richmond Surrey TW9 4DU UK Telephone: 020 8876 3444 Email: [mailto:enquiry@nationalarchives.gov.uk enquiry@nationalarchives.gov.uk] Website: The National Archives (TNA) Catalogue: Discovery, The National Archives online catalogue


 * The National Archives (acronym TNA) is the official government archive of the United Kingdom, containing more than nine hundred years of history with records ranging from parchment and paper scrolls through to digital files and archived websites.


 * The National Archives is home to records created by the United Kingdom central government and agencies, and the legal system of England and Wales. These archived documents span records of many kinds from Domesday Book of 1086 to the present-day UK Government Web Archive. Records relating to the United Kingdom as a whole may contain information on Scotland and Ireland - all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom until 1922. These include military and naval records, coastguards, customs and excise, passenger lists and more.

The British Library
The British Library 96 Euston Road London NW1 2DB UK Telephone: 0843 208 1144 Email: [mailto:Customer-Services@bl.uk Customer-Services@bl.uk] Website: The British Library


 * The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and the second largest library in the world by number of items catalogued. It holds well over 150 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British Library receives copies of all books produced in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including a significant proportion of overseas titles distributed in the UK.


 * The British Library is a major research library, with items in many languages and in many formats, both print and digital: books, manuscripts, journals, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, videos, play-scripts, patents, databases, maps, stamps, prints, drawings. The Library's collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial holdings of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 2000 BC. In addition to receiving a copy of every publication produced in the UK and Ireland (approximately 8,000 per day), the Library has a programme for content acquisitions. The Library adds some three million items every year occupying 9.6 kilometres (6.0 mi) of new shelf space.

Did You Know

 * Archives for London is passionate about archives in or about London. It is the independent voice for archives in the UK's capital city and brings together everyone interested in London's documentary history - users, practitioners and enthusiasts. Through free seminars, exclusive behind-the-scenes archive tours, an annual conference and other events everyone can find out more about the documents, photographs and films that tell the many stories of London and Londoners. Visit Archives for London for more details.