Skip to main content

The London Archives will be closing for Christmas at 4.30pm on Monday 23 December. We reopen at 10am on Thursday 2 January 2025.

Funded and Managed by
City of London Corporation
researchers-viewing-document

Your research

How to begin your journey into the past

Explore your topic

Explore our collections through articles, blog posts or detailed research guides into the topics you are interested in.
hurlingham-park-athletics-championships-1957
Research
tower-bridge-construction
Research
piccadilly-circus-cartoon
Research
Business and Trade
Research topic
wedding-family-group
Research
Family History
Research guides and resources
nurses-training-skeletal-228272
Research
Health and Welfare
Research topic
bow-street-police-court
Research
Law and Crime
Research Topic
three-bridges
Research

Search the catalogue

Explore The London Archives

How we manage our collections

How we look after the collections held at The London Archives is important to us all. It can include some of the obvious issues we face, like physical collections care - looking after damaged, frail and important documents - but also covers the way we talk about and present the information we hold and how we manage access to the collections from a legal standpoint, including both Data protection and Freedom of information legislation. Find out how we tackle some of the issues we face.

covent-garden-hustings-1818
Research
Decolonising and diversifying our collections
Broadening the margins of history
The London Archives (TLA) is committed to understanding and addressing the legacies of discrimination and colonialism that are embedded within our collections, practices, and institutional history. Here we set out how we are approaching this.
seal-enclosure
Our Work
Collections Care
Archive conservation at The London Archives
Discover the work of our Collections Care team and the services they offer.
30559
About Us
Policies and plans
Preserving and sharing London's archives
Read our policy documents and the City of London Corporation Corporate Plan

Research guidance

the-london-archives-logo-black
Research
Adoption and In-care records
How to access records
Find out about Adoption and in care collections held at The London Archives, and how to arrange access to these records
researchers-looking-at-document
Research Guide
Research guides
In depth research guidance
Detailed research guides can help you get to grips with your chosen subject and find out how to get the most out of our collections
the-london-archives-logo-secondary-blue
Research
Citation Guidelines
Public Guidelines
Archival documents held by The London Archives are an important resource for researchers writing books and articles for publication - here we set out clear guidelines for correctly citing TLA documents
woman-viewing-unforgotten-lives-exhibition-1280

Unforgotten Lives Exhibition

A Digital Experience

Read detailed research guides

Our research guides are here to help you understand how to access and research specific collections and subjects in London history
highgate-cemetery
Research Guide
Cemetery records
Research Guide
court-of-orphans
Research Guide
Court of Orphans
Research Guide
court-room
Research Guide
dora-russell-campaigner
Research Guide
Electoral registers
Research Guide
great-fire-of-london-ludgate
Research Guide
freedom-of-the-city-ceremony
Research Guide
boundary-estate
Research Guide
House history
Research Guide
fishmongers-livery-hall
Research Guide
lloyds-captains-room
Research Guide
wedding-scene
Research Guide
middlesex-radial-map
Research Guide
wesleyan-chapel-liverpool-road
Research Guide
Nonconformist records
Research Guide
st-mary-aldermanbury-church
Research Guide
Parish registers
Research Guide
lcc-bomb-damage-map-st-pauls
Research Guide
stockjobbers-stock-exchange
Research Guide
rowing-on-the-thames
Research Guide

History Card

Access original documents