Archives are the written record of human activity, the unique original documents - letters, diaries, registers, account books - which researchers use in their work. We all have archives and can use them to find out about our history.
Eligibility
Available to everyone - local residents and worldwide researchers.
Details
The Local Studies Library and Archives department of Bromley libraries administer Bromley's archives. The London Borough of Bromley was created in 1965 out of the former Beckenham and Bromley Boroughs, Orpington and Penge Urban Districts, and the Chislehurst and Sidcup Urban District. Prior to 1965 these were all in Kent, with Penge having been in Surrey before 1889 and in the county of London until 1900. Before Beckenham [in 1935] and Bromley [in 1903] gained their Borough status they were Urban District Councils in their own right. In 1934 there was a series of changes when Orpington Urban District was formed from the major part of Bromley Rural District and the former Chislehurst Urban District was amalgamated with Sidcup. The predecessor to these local authorities formed in 1894 were Local Boards for Beckenham, Bromley and other areas being covered by local vestries, school, hospital and Burial Boards, Bromley Poor Law Union [1834 – 1929] and Bromley Rural Sanitary Authority. For some aspects of administration Lewisham and Croydon controlled Penge. We hold records for many of these authorities but some are incomplete.
Please Note: References to Bromley London prior to 1965 almost certainly refer to Bromley by Bow, now in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
What is in Bromley Archives?
Records of all kinds relating to this borough and the people and organisations connected with it - local authorities, parishes, businesses, schools, societies, families and estates. The archives preserve them for the future.
Records Held Outside of Bromley
For historical reasons significant groups of records relating to this area are held in other record offices, notably the Centre for Kentish Studies (Quarter Sessions records, wills and bishop's transcripts from the diocese of Rochester, electoral registers), Surrey History Centre (Quarter Sessions and electoral registers), The National Archives and London Metropolitan Archives. There are also administrative overlaps with the neighbouring boroughs of Croydon, Lewisham, Greenwich and Bexley.
What can you find out?
- Family History: we have resources to help everyone, even if your family is not local, including free access to Ancestry Library Edition, the major online resource for family history research
- History of your house and neighbourhood: who lived there, what was the area like in the past?
- Wartime experiences: where bombs fell, casualties, ARP
- Sport and leisure: from cricket to choirs, hockey to horticulture
- Education: history of some local schools
- Local government: the work of Bromley Council and its predecessors
- Poverty: parish records, Bromley Poor Law Union and charities
- Campaigning: political organisations and trade unions.
The archives are complemented by the Local Studies Library collections: books, newspapers, photographs, and maps and Bromley Museum Service based at The Priory, Orpington.
Next Steps
- Come in, telephone, write to us or email Bromley Archives with your enquiry.
- Items are kept in a secure strong room and take time to retrieve so if you are intending visiting the library contact us in advance so we can get items ready for your arrival.
- Please bring pencil and paper for note-taking and a £1 coin for a locker for your personal possessions.
- You are welcome to use laptop computers.
Researching at a distance
Firstly search the Bromley Archives online catalogue. Archives are being added all the time so please check back regularly if you cannot find what you are looking for. We can answer brief enquiries by e-mail for people unable to visit the archives. Alternatively you can use our fee-based research service.
Costs
- Use of the archives is free.
- There is a fee-based research service available.
- A charge is made for photocopying and printing.
Contacts
Local Studies Library, Central Library, High St, Bromley BR1 1EX Telephone: 020 8461 7170
Fax: 020 8313 9975
e-mail: localstudies.library@bromley.gov.uk