Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives is a local government archive in East London. It holds the records of a large number of different Jewish community and religious organisations in Tower Hamlets.

Archive Description

The Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives holds a variety of collections. The Princelet Street Synagogue records cover the period 1884-1988 and include marriage records and membership records. It also holds the records of the Loyal United Friends Friendly (or Benefit) Society, the Society for Chanting Psalms and Visiting the Sick, and the records of the Brady Clubs (Jewish youth clubs originally based in Whitechapel). These include membership records from the 1940s to the 1960s, records relating to camps and photograph albums of club activities.

Perhaps the most significant body of records in the archive relating to the Jewish East End are the records of the Stepney Borough Council. This local authority was created in 1901 and survived until 1965 when the London Borough of Tower Hamlets took over. The Jewish East End was largely within the boundaries of the Borough of Stepney and the archive holds the minutes of Borough’s Housing Committee, Maternity and Child Welfare Committee and Markets Committee.

Access Information

The archives are open to members of the public. New users are required to register on their first visit and to provide photographic identification and proof of address.

The archives are open Tuesday-Thursday, and on the first and third Saturday of the month. Opening hours can be found on the website and access enquiries can be made via email to localhistory@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

Online Accessibility

The Tower Hamlets Library and Archive catalogue can be found online and the archive also holds several digital collections. These include:

• the Princelet Street Synagogue, Spitalfields, Marriage Register, dating from 1897 to 1907
• a digital gallery containing some of the archives’ 36,000 images reflecting life in Tower Hamlets over the centuries which can be searched based on key words, dates, locations and subject
• oral history projects like Mapping the Change: Old Ford Voices & Island Memories about the area of Bow known as Old Ford, including the Island (now known as Fish Island), located in the north-eastern corner of Tower Hamlets.

Street Address

277 Bancroft Road
Tower Hamlets
London E1 4DQ