Kent Archives and Libraries

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Archives and Libraries

Archives

Kent History and Library Centre
James Whatman Way
Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LQ UK

Telephone: 03000 413131
Email: historyandlibrarycentre@kent.gov.uk
Website

Kent History and Library Centre replaces the Centre for Kentish Studies, East Kent Archives, County Central and Maidstone (St Faiths Street) libraries. They house approximately 14 kilometres of documents relating to Kent dating back to 699 AD and makes these publicly accessible. Covering a vast range of subjects, the resources will be helpful whatever your interest.

For East Kent:

Canterbury Cathedral Archives
Cathedral House
11 The Precincts
Canterbury, Kent CT1 2EH UK

Telephone: 1227 865330
Email: enquiries@canterbury-cathedral.org
Website

The Archives & Library hold a huge wealth of information in the form of manuscripts, photographs, maps and other records dating back to the late 8th century. These make up an extraordinarily rich resource. In the Archives, you can find out more about the Cathedral, its history, its buildings and its community. You can explore the history of Canterbury and the surrounding area, and you can research East Kent family history.

For Greenwich, Woolwich, Eltham, Charlton, Kidbrooke once in Kent until 1885, now in London:

Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust
Charlton House
Charlton Road, London
SE7 8RE, UK

Telephone:+44 (0) 20 8856 3951
E-mail:office@rght.org.uk
Website

Our archive resources include photographs, manuscripts, records, prints, newspapers, and books. These documents cover Royal Greenwich, the former Metropolitan Boroughs of Greenwich and Woolwich, and their predecessors (Greenwich, Woolwich, Eltham, Charlton, Kidbrooke).

For Lewisham Lee, and surrounding villages once in Kent, now in London:

Lewisham Local History and Archives Centre
Lewisham Library
199 201 Lewisham High Street
Lewisham, London SE13 6LG UK

Telephone: 020 8314 8501
Email: local.studies@lewisham.gov.uk
Website

We can help you to discover the history of the borough, the history of houses in the borough (when they were built, and who lived there), the history of an area within the borough, for a school project or for general interest, your family history (ancestors in Lewisham, or general information), and local information on specific topics (for example, famous people who have lived in the borough).

In 1998, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham left the administrative county of Kent to form the Unitary Authority of Medway.

Medway Archives Centre
32 Bryant Road
Strood, Rochester, Kent ME2 4AU UK

Telephone: 01634 332714
Email: malsc@medway.gov.uk
Website

Medway Archives Centre is the place to visit for anyone researching their family history, or the history, geography and people of Medway. We cover Rochester, Strood, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, and surrounding villages and communities, including the Isle of Grain.

In 1965, the London boroughs of Bromley and Bexley were created from nine towns formerly in Kent.

Bromley Historic Collections
2nd floor Central Library
High Street
Bromley, London BR1 1EX UK

Telephone: 020 8461 7170
Email: historic.collections@bromley.gov.uk
Website

Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre
Central Library
Townley Road
Bexleyheath, London DA6 7HJ UK

Telephone: 020 3045 3369
Email: archives@bexley.gov.uk
Website
Local history research enquiries including baptism and marriage certificates

The Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre holds a variety of sources for local and family historians and people researching the history of a building or house. Our archives date from the 14th century and relate to every town, village and parish in Bexley.

Libraries

Museums

For a long list of Kent museums, go to List of museums in Kent in Wikipedia.

Maidstone Museum & Art Gallery
St Faith's St
Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LH UK
Telephone: 1622 602838
Email: museuminfo@maidstone.gov.uk
Website

Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery is a local authority-run museum located in Maidstone, Kent, England, featuring internationally important collections including fine art, natural history, and human history.

Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery
Civic Centre
Mount Pleasant Rd
Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1JN UK
Telephone: 1892 554171
Email: museum@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
Website

The history of Royal Tunbridge Wells told through art, natural history, archaeology, craft, toys and so much more. The decadence of the manor house and the spartan lifestyle of the humble hop-picker is the story of Kent's spa town.

Greenwich Heritage Centre
Artillery Square
Royal Arsenal
Woolwich, London SE18 4DX UK
Telephone: 020 8854 2452
Email: heritage.centre@rght.org.uk
Website

Greenwich Heritage Centre is housed in the old ordnance factory and store at the historic Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. The museum tells stories about the Royal Borough through objects, paintings, prints, drawings, maps, photographs and deeds.

Civil Registration Offices

The General Register Office holds a central copy of all birth, marriage, and death registrations in England. These certificates can be ordered from their website (a login is required but it is free to register and search). However, in some cases research can be more efficient working with the smaller, more specific records collections of county/district registry offices.

Sometimes research might be required to determine where a town or parish was in a former registration district, or even its current district. For a list of the historic and current registration districts and their parishes, see UKBMD: Registration Districts in Kent.

Kent and Bexley
Kent and Bexley does not include the Medway Towns (Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester and Strood) or the London Boroughs of Bromley and Greenwich.

Royal Borough of Greenwich

Apply for a copy of a certificate, Royal Borough of Greenwich

Medway

Order a certificate, Medway

Offices

Kent Register Office
Kent History & Library Centre
James Whatman Way
Maidstone, Kent
ME14 1LQ, UK

Telephone Kent: 03000 41 51 51
Telephone Bexley: 03000 41 52 52
Email:register.office@kent.gov.uk

Royal Borough of Greenwich Register Office
Births, Deaths and Marriages
Woolwich Town Hall
Wellington Street
Woolwich SE18 6PW, UK

Telephone: 020 8921 5015
Email: registrar@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Medway Register Office
Northgate
Rochester
Kent ME1 1LS

Telephone: 01634 338 899
E-mail: register.office@medway.gov.uk