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The London Archives
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The London Archives
51°31′31.49″N 0°6′26.95″W / 51.5254139°N 0.1074861°W The London Archives, previously known as the Greater London Record Office (1965–1997) and London Metropolitan Archives (1997–2024) is the principal local government archive repository for the Greater London area, including the City of London. It is administered and financed by the City of London Corporation, and is the largest county record office in the United Kingdom.
The archive is based at 40 Northampton Road, Clerkenwell, London. It attracts over 30,000 visitors a year and deals with a similar number of written enquiries. The holdings amount to over 72 miles (116 km) of records of local, regional and national importance. With the earliest record dating from 1067, the archive charts the development of the capital into a modern-day major world city.
The London Archives is an amalgamation of several separate bodies. The London County Record Office, the London County Council Members Library, and the Middlesex County Record Office merged in 1965 to form the Greater London Record Office and History Library (GLRO). The GLRO was rebranded as the London Metropolitan Archives in 1997, and took over the former Corporation of London Record Office in 2005 and the former Guildhall Library Manuscripts and Prints and Maps sections in 2009. It was rebranded again, becoming The London Archives in August 2024.
Until 1889, London was still the area within the walled city; to the south of the river was Surrey and Kent and to the north of the city's limits was Middlesex. These areas, however, had become densely populated and, given the sphere of influence of the city, traditional boundaries were no longer practical. The County of London was created and controlled by the newly formed London County Council, which took over many of the duties of its predecessor the Metropolitan Board of Works. It was the records of these bodies and similar groups such as the London School Board and Metropolitan Asylums Board that would form the nucleus of the London County Record offices holdings, which were based at County Hall on the south bank of the River Thames.
As well as the official records that the council generated, they also began to accept deposits of records fundamental to London's history, such as copies of memorials from the Middlesex Deeds Register, diocesan and parish records and records of charities such as the Foundling Hospital. Under the Public Records Act 1958, the record office became recognised as a place of deposit for public records relating to the London area, including hospitals and courts.
Since the creation of the London County Council there had been a record keeper in the Clerks Department who held custody of the documents. By the 1930s they had established individual departmental record rooms staffed by record assistants working under the general supervision of the Record Keeper. Finally, in 1953 the position of Head Archivist and Librarian was created.
The library was originally that of the members of the London County Council and reflected their interests. Situated in the same building as the London County Record Office, the library was added to with books on the history and topography of London. The library also included a rich collection of maps, prints, drawings and photographs.
No single act or resolution marked the beginning of the Middlesex County Record Office. Like most other county record offices it developed naturally from the duty of the Clerk of the Peace to preserve certain records from the Quarter Sessions, together with other records such as enclosure awards and plans of public utilities. The first significant period in the formation of the county record office was in the early 1880s when a special committee was appointed by the justices of the peace to consider and report on the accommodation provided for the storage of the "old records" of the county. On behalf of the committee, John Cordy Jeaffreson, an inspector of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, sorted the records covering 1549–1820 into 87 classes comprising more than 10,000 volumes and nearly 5,000 rolls. The more modern records from post-1820 were given a separate room.
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The London Archives
51°31′31.49″N 0°6′26.95″W / 51.5254139°N 0.1074861°W The London Archives, previously known as the Greater London Record Office (1965–1997) and London Metropolitan Archives (1997–2024) is the principal local government archive repository for the Greater London area, including the City of London. It is administered and financed by the City of London Corporation, and is the largest county record office in the United Kingdom.
The archive is based at 40 Northampton Road, Clerkenwell, London. It attracts over 30,000 visitors a year and deals with a similar number of written enquiries. The holdings amount to over 72 miles (116 km) of records of local, regional and national importance. With the earliest record dating from 1067, the archive charts the development of the capital into a modern-day major world city.
The London Archives is an amalgamation of several separate bodies. The London County Record Office, the London County Council Members Library, and the Middlesex County Record Office merged in 1965 to form the Greater London Record Office and History Library (GLRO). The GLRO was rebranded as the London Metropolitan Archives in 1997, and took over the former Corporation of London Record Office in 2005 and the former Guildhall Library Manuscripts and Prints and Maps sections in 2009. It was rebranded again, becoming The London Archives in August 2024.
Until 1889, London was still the area within the walled city; to the south of the river was Surrey and Kent and to the north of the city's limits was Middlesex. These areas, however, had become densely populated and, given the sphere of influence of the city, traditional boundaries were no longer practical. The County of London was created and controlled by the newly formed London County Council, which took over many of the duties of its predecessor the Metropolitan Board of Works. It was the records of these bodies and similar groups such as the London School Board and Metropolitan Asylums Board that would form the nucleus of the London County Record offices holdings, which were based at County Hall on the south bank of the River Thames.
As well as the official records that the council generated, they also began to accept deposits of records fundamental to London's history, such as copies of memorials from the Middlesex Deeds Register, diocesan and parish records and records of charities such as the Foundling Hospital. Under the Public Records Act 1958, the record office became recognised as a place of deposit for public records relating to the London area, including hospitals and courts.
Since the creation of the London County Council there had been a record keeper in the Clerks Department who held custody of the documents. By the 1930s they had established individual departmental record rooms staffed by record assistants working under the general supervision of the Record Keeper. Finally, in 1953 the position of Head Archivist and Librarian was created.
The library was originally that of the members of the London County Council and reflected their interests. Situated in the same building as the London County Record Office, the library was added to with books on the history and topography of London. The library also included a rich collection of maps, prints, drawings and photographs.
No single act or resolution marked the beginning of the Middlesex County Record Office. Like most other county record offices it developed naturally from the duty of the Clerk of the Peace to preserve certain records from the Quarter Sessions, together with other records such as enclosure awards and plans of public utilities. The first significant period in the formation of the county record office was in the early 1880s when a special committee was appointed by the justices of the peace to consider and report on the accommodation provided for the storage of the "old records" of the county. On behalf of the committee, John Cordy Jeaffreson, an inspector of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, sorted the records covering 1549–1820 into 87 classes comprising more than 10,000 volumes and nearly 5,000 rolls. The more modern records from post-1820 were given a separate room.
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