The London Archives

Crime and the London Rare Book Trade 1890-1930 Join an evening talk by Dr Laura Cleaver - exploring London life, book trade workings, and views on rare books through crime stories.

I’m giving a talk @thelondonarchives.bsky.social on April 29th! 👇

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/crime-and-...

Great evening yesterday @thelondonarchives.bsky.social where @profginab.bsky.social and Sam Blaxland presented on the methodology behind their book ‘Student London: a new history of higher education in the capital’ for #ArchivesforLondon

The Questioning of Eleanor Rykener Hear about the oldest document in our collection that speaks directly to LGBTQ+ history.

Join us next month for a talk on The Questioning of Eleanor Rykener and hear about the oldest document in our collection that speaks directly to LGBTQ+ history.

📅 Wed 11 March
🕑️ 1pm
📍 The London Archives
🎟️ Tickets via Eventbrite 👇

#LGBTQHistory #MedievalHistory

Lovely to see this review of our 'London in the Second World War' exhibition published on its last day. Huge thanks and congratulations to our staff who worked hard to curate it 🥳👏

Our next exhibition, 'Londoners on Trial' opens on the 9th March.... 👀

www.thelondonarchives.org/visit-us/exh...

Image of a 16th century manuscript

Image of the front of the London Archives, a red brick building with red banners outside

Image of the Founders Quad at Royal Holloway. The building is red brick with white stone. The quad is grassed and has a central path leading to a statue of Queen Victoria.

News! I've started as the early modern Post Doc on the AHRC-funded 'Inclusive Histories' project @royalholloway.bsky.social. I'm working at @thelondonarchives.bsky.social to research the stories of marginalised groups, which will be used to foster a more inclusive approach to teaching GCSE History

@ihr.bsky.social @ihrhistorylab.bsky.social @cemskcl.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org

Skills Training in Archival Research (STAR) Workshop Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help postgraduate students and researchers make the most of archival collections.

We have more Skills Training in Archival Research (STAR) workshops coming up!

Join staff at The London Archives for a hands-on workshop designed to help postgrad students and researchers make the most of archival collections.

📍 The London Archives
📅 1 April + 3 June
🕛️ 1-4:30pm

✨ NOW OPEN: Spotlight on The Africa Centre

Discover six decades of African creativity and activism in London. This new FREE display brings together archival documents, photos, and posters highlighting a rich history of community and culture. 🌍

🎟️ Free entry: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/display-sp...

Watercolour painting of a river scene featuring St. Paul's Cathedral in the background. An arched bridge spans the river, and a small boat is visible in the foreground. The sky is softly coloured with hues of pink and orange.

A boat sails under the Southwark Bridge on the River Thames, with St. Paul's Cathedral prominently visible in the background. The sky is clear and blue.

This watercolour of Southwark Bridge, which opened in 1921 and an image of Southwark Bridge today.

The artwork, dating from 1930, is titled View of Southwark Bridge from the South East, with @stpaulscathedral.bsky.social in the background.

Thanks @thelondonarchives.bsky.social for the image.

Display: Spotlight on The Africa Centre Explore our special display celebrating the rich history and cultural impact of The Africa Centre, founded in 1961.

Our FREE Spotlight on The Africa Centre🌍

Celebrating 60 years of African creativity, activism & community in London. From Black artists & thinkers to historic movements, explore the legacy through the archives.

📅 9 Feb - 2 Jul 2026 📍 The London Archives 🎟️ Free
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/display-sp...

Next week at @thelondonarchives.bsky.social Thurs Feb 5, 6-8: Emily Gee on her book Hostel, House and Chambers: accommodating the Victorian and Edwardian Working Woman @livunipress.bsky.social. I am going. www.thelondonarchives.org/whats-on/hos... #ArchitecturalHistory #feminism #housing

We are looking for a new Joint Book Reviews Editor to join our editorial board. They would cover the period from 1800, working alongside Kirstin Barnard, who covers the medieval/early modern period.

You can check out the full Call for Expressions of Interest here; and please do also share widely.

@cemskcl.bsky.social @ihrhistorylab.bsky.social @ihrlibrary.bsky.social @uclearlymodxcha.bsky.social @crems-york.bsky.social @bbkhistorical.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org @sheffieldcems.bsky.social @memsunikent.bsky.social @womenshistnet.bsky.social

Lightning Talks at The London Archives - IN PERSON Are you a student or Early Career Researcher? Need feedback on in-progress research? Can you summarise your research in 5 minutes or less?

⚡ Lightning Talks at The London Archives ⚡

Are you a student or ECR? Need feedback on your work? Can you summarise it in 5 minutes? Join us for Lightning Talks at The London Archives - a friendly event open to researchers of London and its history!

📆 Wed 11 February
🕔 5pm

What better way to spend the weird bit between Christmas and New Year than by signing up for our range of exciting January events!

See the full programme and sign up here: www.thelondonarchives.org/whats-on

#History #LondonHistory #Archives #LondonEvents

Merry Christmas from all of us at The London Archives!

Here is a festive photo from 1970. It shows the kitchen staff of Bessemer Grange School, Dulwich, proudly showcasing their industrial scale Christmas pud!

#MerryChristmas

We hope you've managed to get all of your food sorted for the big day tomorrow!

Some of you thrill seekers may be picking up the centre piece from a market today...

This engraving shows people doing just that at Newgate Market, Paternoster Square, on Christmas Eve in 1845.

🎄

Similarly we are NOT open late tonight, and we will be closing at 4:30pm this afternoon, and not reopening until Monday 5th January 2026.

We wish you all a restful break over the festive period!🎄

1970 Christmas illuminations on Regent Street, West End, looking south from Galeries Lafayette at 188.

The current regular displays date from 1954, prompted by a Daily Telegraph article describing Central London as drab and dull in mid-winter!

This 1860 print from our collections, by George Elgar Hicks, shows the rush to catch the last Christmas post at St Martin's-le-Grand.

165 years later, and we still feel this level of stress every December.
We hope your Christmas posting is slightly less dramatic than this! 🎩😅

Just a reminder that we will be closing at 4.30 today for the last Wednesday before Christmas. 🎄

I got 'Professor Higgins'd at The London Archives by the nicest lady who spotted my accent. A lovely chat about libraries and archives, the North, accents and trains. I love @thelondonarchives.bsky.social 's Visitor Room so much. Affordable coffee, lots of tables, the potential for good chats!

London Picture Archive Over 250,000 images of London from the collections at The London Archives and Guildhall Art Gallery

Hundreds of thousands more archival images of London are available to view for free via www.londonpicturearchive.org.uk

This second image is a longitudinal cross-section of the recently completed cathedral from 1700.

Today is the anniversary of the consecration of (new) St Paul's Cathedral in 1697, following the destruction of the (old) St Paul's Cathedral in 1666.

This first image is showing (new) St Paul's Cathedral under construction in 1685. It is a contemporary etching sold in St Paul's Churchyard .

Christie in the City - Agatha Christie’s London Join us for a talk from author Tina Hodgkinson, exploring intriguing and glamourous London locations with connections to the Queen of Crime.

I'm very excited to be talking about Christie in the City - Agatha Christie’s London @thelondonarchives.bsky.social on Wednesday 18 March at 6pm www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/christie-i... Tickets £10 include a complementary glass of wine or soft drink

What did the Norman's ever do for us?

Our oldest records hail from a time of invasion, regime change, and occupation.

1000 years of history explorable via manuscripts, books, maps, artwork, photographs and video. Where will you begin?

#Archives #LondonHistory

It was lovely to be a part of the first Lady Mayor's Show on Saturday, showing off some of London's oldest treasures at Mansion House!

#LadyMayorsShow

Lovely to see two of our staff members in our strongroom here!

Welcome to Bluesky the Archive Sector Leadership at TNA👋

We're here today from 11- 4 at the Institute of Historical Research's History Day!

Pop by for a chat about our collections, services and London's history.

@ihr.bsky.social
#HistDay25