Family History Library

Southwark is one of the biggest inner London boroughs and has been home to many different families. If you would like to learn more about the story of your family in Southwark, the Local History Library has a number of resources that can help you:

• Local electoral registers and local rate books - these registers of local tax payments connect people to the places in which they lived.
• New Poor Law and local workhouse records -  these can help fill in gaps in an ancestor's story.
• Local directories - give details of businesses and some individuals.
• Deeds to local properties - these may provide a glimpse into an ancestor's business, lifestyle, social circle, or other family members.
• Our photograph and audiovisual collections may help bring old family stories to life.
• Microfilmed local newspapers and files of press cuttings and pamphlets can help to provide a wider context for life in the past.
• Consult our Ancestry Library Edition detailing records from Southwark and other parts of the UK.

We offer a postal copying service if you provide specific details of information you would like from our holdings.

Before you visit, we recommend that you contact us if you want to look at original records as many of them, including Poor Law and workhouse records and deeds, are stored off-site and require two weeks' notice to produce.

The searchroom is the only place you can consult our holdings, including original records, microfilm, press cuttings, audiovisual material and photographs. There is a charge to use the photocopiers, have items scanned, or to use them in a publication: please see local history library fees or contact our staff for more details.