Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives

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Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives, 277 Bancroft Road, London.

Tower Hamlets' Local History Library and Archives covers the area of the present-day London Borough of Tower Hamlets; the original East End of London which, until 1965, comprised of the Boroughs of Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney. If you are interested in a building in the borough, tracing your ancestors who lived here, doing a school or college project on some aspect of the borough or are just feeling nostalgic, we may well be able to help you.

For the closing event of the Communities of Liberation programme, join us for a detailed exploration of 18th century 'ru...
07/10/2026

For the closing event of the Communities of Liberation programme, join us for a detailed exploration of 18th century 'runaways' advertisements.

When : Saturday 17 October, 2-4pm
Where: Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives, E1 4DQ

This event offers a chance to engage with the lived experiences of people who resisted enslavement, while reflecting on how these records can both obscure and reveal stories of resilience, agency, and liberation. Through guided discussion and analysis, participants will be encouraged to look beyond the records and recognise the courage, resistance, and humanity of these individuals.

The workshop will be facilitated by Dr Peggy Brunache, Senior Lecturer in Public History and Archaeology at the University of Glasgow.

Book via Eventbrite https://orlo.uk/Book_Here_d8Ro5

Finally here... small but mighty!EXHIBITION: Battle of Cable StreetThursday 1st October 2026 - 20 February 2027Marking t...
03/10/2026

Finally here... small but mighty!

EXHIBITION: Battle of Cable Street
Thursday 1st October 2026 - 20 February 2027

Marking the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street, this exhibition draws on photographs, newspapers, ephemera and archival documents to revisit this pivotal moment in East End history.

It explores the events of 4 October 1936, the wider local and international context, the rise of fascism in East London, and the legacy of the Battle — from the build-up, the aftermath to its later commemorations, and the enduring relevance to contemporary political life.

The exhibition has been curated especially for the first floor landing space at Tower Hamlets History Library and Archives, outside the Reading Room.

FREE

Thank you to everyone who joined Gen on our Communities of Liberation Local History Walk We walked in the footprints of ...
03/10/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined Gen on our Communities of Liberation Local History Walk

We walked in the footprints of people of African heritage that lived, worked or liberated themselves from the streets around the Tower through St Katherine’s Dock, Wapping and St George in the East Church

Communities of Liberation Exhibition is on until 17 October 2026

Dear friendsWe are looking to source a Victorian style pub table and stool set. This could be either on loan, for free, ...
08/09/2026

Dear friends

We are looking to source a Victorian style pub table and stool set. This could be either on loan, for free, or very cheap second hand for our next exhibition.

Something similar to the image attached. If you have any local leads, please do reach out.

If you're pub landlord, who wouldn't mind loaning a set for a few months, we'd love to hear from you.

You can DM us here or email [email protected]

Thank you!

New Term Dates!Join us for our monthly term-time Under 5s Stay & Play. Explore Local History collections, meet other Par...
02/09/2026

New Term Dates!

Join us for our monthly term-time Under 5s Stay & Play. Explore Local History collections, meet other Parents & Carer's and grab a cuppa
Our session provides toys and games for under 5s, snacks and refreshments - Drop in session Friday 4 September & 2 October, 10am-11:30am

Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archive
277 Bancroft Road, Stepney, London E1 4DQ

Join us to explore a lesser-known history of the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of LondonAs part of the Communities of Lib...
25/08/2026

Join us to explore a lesser-known history of the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London

As part of the Communities of Liberation events programme and Imagining Animals, a new commission by Historic Royal Palaces.

This event highlights the story of Edward Francis — an enslaved African in the household of Thomas Dymock, Keeper of the Lions, who attempted to liberate himself from enslavement in the 1690s and found himself on trial at the Old Bailey. His story sheds light on enslavement and resistance at the Tower of London, and the Royal Menagerie as a site of power and control.

Visit the Communities of Liberation exhibition at Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives on now until Saturday 17 October to discover more Black stories of resistance, resilience and liberation in Tower Hamlets.

Visit Imagining Animals at the Tower of London from 19–31 August (excluding 25 August) and experience the Tower transformed through puppetry, music and movement. Historic Royal Palaces
Booking via https://orlo.uk/fYRvS

⚠️ UPDATE ⚠️Due to high temperature and amber alert on Thursday 13 August (tomorrow), our Reading Room will be closed al...
12/08/2026

⚠️ UPDATE ⚠️

Due to high temperature and amber alert on Thursday 13 August (tomorrow), our Reading Room will be closed all day.

Our exhibitions and ground floor event room will remain open as usual.

We are really sorry for any inconvenience this will cause.

Stay well and hydrated!

We are delighted to announce that after almost three years’ work, we have completed the digitisation of our East London ...
22/07/2026

We are delighted to announce that after almost three years’ work, we have completed the digitisation of our East London Advertiser collection.

Using our digital microfilm reader we have created fully searchable PDFs of all issues of the East End’s most important local paper published between 1913 and 2003 (with a small gap between 1996 and 1999). This means the next time you visit our Reading Room, you’ll be able to look up a personal name, street, business, or any other term you’re interested in to see if they appear in the newspaper for a given year, without having to trawl through the issues page-by-page. Pre-1913 issues of the East London Advertiser are available to search via the British Newspaper Archive, which is free to use in all Tower Hamlets libraries and idea stores.

Newspapers are an essential source for local and local family history research, often including details of births, marriages and deaths, plus commentary on the activities of local organisations, and sporting and cultural events. For more on our newspaper holdings, check our research guide: https://orlo.uk/Sx6SV

Join us for a day of celebration of West African Culture and an exploring the fascinating life of a woman called Hope. P...
21/07/2026

Join us for a day of celebration of West African Culture and an exploring the fascinating life of a woman called Hope. Please book using the Eventbrite Link for both the family and adult session. Please see programme below.

Bookings via our What's on Page

Family Celebration of West African Culture
11:00 am – 1:00 pm | All children and families welcome

Activities will include West African music, Storytelling, Tote-bag printing, exploring West African designs. Play area provided for under-5s

Lunchtime: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Refreshments & West African Food Samples

Hope's Story (Older Audience Session)
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | Recommended for ages 14+

A presentation by Dani C on Hope Esperança Booker,
a Gambian woman enslaved in the 1600s, with documented links to the Royal Africa Company

❗ Update ❗ On Thursday 9 July 2026, due to the heatwave our Reading Room will be open 10am-1pm only. Our exhibitions and...
08/07/2026

❗ Update ❗

On Thursday 9 July 2026, due to the heatwave our Reading Room will be open 10am-1pm only. Our exhibitions and ground floor events space will remain open as usual. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused

Address

277 Bancroft Road
London
E14DQ

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 4:30pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm

Telephone

+442073641290

Website

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