Archives and online resources
The Museum of London Archaeological Archive at Eagle Wharf Road in Hackney, contains the largest, most standardised and accessible archaeological archive in the UK, with information on 8,500 archaeological sites investigated in Greater London over the past 100 years. The full records for over 3,500 of these sites are stored at the archive, and the skeletal remains of 20,000 individuals are held by the Museum’s Centre for Human Bioarchaeology . Each year, roundups for all fieldwork in the Greater London area have to be submitted for publication in London Archaeologist and on the archive’s online catalobue. Researchers may visit the LAARC by appointment and can use the facilities free of charge.
The City of London cares for both the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) and the Guildhall Library. The LMA is the largest local authority record office in the UK, with 105 km of shelves of books, maps, films and photographs about London and Londoners, dating from 1067 to the present day. With the exception of a few specialist collections, most of the Guildhall Library archives have now been transferred to the LMA. It is free to use and open to everyone.
Back issues of London Archaeologist and other archived material can be found on ADS (http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/). Records held by Historic England such as the National Monuments Record are also online. The Greater London Historic Environment Record can be consulted by appointment at the HER office.
Other useful online resources include:
The City of London cares for both the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) and the Guildhall Library. The LMA is the largest local authority record office in the UK, with 105 km of shelves of books, maps, films and photographs about London and Londoners, dating from 1067 to the present day. With the exception of a few specialist collections, most of the Guildhall Library archives have now been transferred to the LMA. It is free to use and open to everyone.
Back issues of London Archaeologist and other archived material can be found on ADS (http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/). Records held by Historic England such as the National Monuments Record are also online. The Greater London Historic Environment Record can be consulted by appointment at the HER office.
Other useful online resources include:
- London's Past Online (LPOL), a bibliography of published material relating to the history of the Greater London area, now part of the subscription-only Bibliography of British and Irish History (http://www.history.ac.uk/projects/digital/londons-past-online).
- Local history archives: good places to begin a search include the Local History Online resource (http://www.local-history.co.uk/Groups/london.html), the Archives Hub (http://archiveshub.ac.uk/) and The British Library (http://portico.bl.uk/).
- specialist archives, such as The Proceedings of the Old Bailey 1674-191, containing information on 197,745 criminal trials held at London's central criminal court (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/).
