Local Studies
and Archive Centre
Research Guide: Second World War in Bexley
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| Unexploded bomb in Murchison Avenue, Bexley. The Captain and Sergeant were killed four weeks after this photograph was taken. |
Local Government Records
The Centre holds some civil defence
records of the former Boroughs of Bexley and Erith and the Urban Districts
of Crayford, Chislehurst and Sidcup.
LABX - Bexley Borough Council
Fire service files, civic restaurant
files, ARP wardens service files, wartime incidents reports, repair of war
damage incident reports, schedule of bombs dropped, schedule of properties
rendered uninhabitable, register of land or buildings taken over by the local
authority, local war instructions.
LAEE - Erith Borough Council
Minutes of Emergency Committee,
registers of deaths due to war operations, war work contracts, ARP wardens
service files.
LACR - Crayford Urban
District Council
Registers of air raids and alarms. LASC
- Chislehurst and Sidcup Minutes of the Air Raid Protection Committee,
wartime incident reports, wartime casualty reports, registers of deaths due
to war operations, registers of air raid casualties.
CG - Central Government records
Records of the Erith local
committee of the Ministry of information. These consist of pamphlets, circulars,
press releases, and posters.
Other
Archives
The Centre's manuscript collections, including diaries, correspondence,
official papers and ephemera. There is a subject index to the collection
and also a list of the personal collections held by the Centre.
Books
and Pamphlets
Reference books on the history of World War II, particularly
in relation to Bexley, Erith, Crayford, Sidcup and London and
Kent. There are a number of items relating to the subject in the pamphlet
collection, which can be accessed by searching the archive catalogue.
Maps
There are contemporary maps of the area available for
consultation along with maps showing bombs dropped on the Borough of Bexley
and Chislehurst and Sidcup Urban District.
Newspapers
Complete run of newspapers covering the area from
1939 until 1945. Although the papers cover distinct areas they are mostly
local editions of the Kentish Times and in many cases stories
are duplicated between editions. We have an index to the Bexleyheath
Observer/Times for the period.
Photographs
Extensive collection of photographs illustrating
the effects of the Blitz and the activities of the armed forces and civil
defence organisations within the Bexley area (including Erith,
Sidcup and Crayford).
You can view the full catalogue records of
these parishes by searching the archive catalogue. If
you require detailed research, please use our Research
Service or visit the Archives Centre
in person. |
