Local Studies and Archive Centre

Sources for Local History

Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre holds a variety of sources for local historians and people researching the history of a building.

Opening Ceremony of the Clock Tower, Bexleyheath, 1912

Bexley Census Returns, 1841-1901
Indexes to census returns, 1841-1901
Voters lists and electoral registers, 1833 – to date
Bexley Street and Trade directories, 1870-1938
Rate Books, 18th-20th centuries
Tithe Awards, 1837-1842
Manorial records, including surveys
School records, including admission registers, 19th - 20th Centuries
Family and estate records, including title deeds and estate maps
Maps and Plans 18 th Century – to date
Telephone directories, 1926 – to date
Local Newspaper 1874 – to date
Local council plans - These are held at the Centre dating from about 1890 up until the 1940s, mainly covering Bexley and Erith. These provide valuable information including plans of the property, council inspectors' reports on building work and correspondence between parties.
Photographic collections
Aerial photographs
Ideal Homes: Suburbia In Focus

For other records relating to a particular place or building search the Bexley Archives’ Online Catalogues

To find digital images of 2,300 postcards from the London Borough of Bexley, dating from the 1890s to the present search the archives catalogue. To search for photographs:

go to Search archive catalogue
choose 'Digital Image' from the Format field
type a key word in the Any Text field
click Search at the bottom of the screen

High resolution copies are available for purchase.

Local History Guides

Local Studies produces a range of freely available local history information sheets on towns, people, places, schools, hospitals, transport, estates and industry in the London Borough of Bexley.