Bexley Archives

We have a great selection of local sport books on our shelves at #BexleyArchives. Our newest acquisition is ‘A Pictorial History of Kent Football’ written by Richard Ralph, a fantastic collection of photographs of Kent #football cup competitions. #sport #localhistory

It was #OnThisDay in 1966 that England won the Football World Cup in London, beating West Germany 4 - 2. Closer to home, pictured here are Bexley United FC 1967 and 1968, and Bexleyheath and Welling Football Team 1951 and 1961. #football #localhistory

Ways to cool off in #Bexley in the past:

Martens Grove Swimming Pool 1955
Danson Park Swimming Pool 1938
The Lake, Belvedere Recreation Ground 1930
Moakes ice-cream cart, Bostall Heath, 1930

'Then and Now' photography is a great way to see what has changed over the years - as well as what hasn't changed!
Now on display at Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre, covering a variety of places across the borough of Bexley.
#LocalHistory #CelebratingBexley

Need an idea for a Father’s Day gift? How about a local history map or book? We have a great selection to choose from!

Our full list is at arena.yourlondonlibrary.net/web/bexley/b...

#LocalHistory #Books #Maps #FathersDay

Queeroes: Iconic Figures From History - a talk by Sheldon K. Goodman 14 June 2.30pm at Central Library Bexleyheath.
What do stories about gender, sexuality and identity from the past tell us about our existence in the 21st century?
Free tickets at www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/bexley-lib...

It was a pleasure to work with the team at the Holiday Inn Bexley on the history display for their open day. The Black Prince - a well-known landmark on the A2 junction - holds many memories: jazz music, weddings and people who have worked there over the years.

It's Friday night and where else would you go in 1962 but the Crayford Town Hall with its amazing glitter ball? On Friday 18 May it was Rock 'n' Twist night, and if that wasn't enough, on Saturday 19 May there was non-stop dancing until 11.30pm!
#LocalHistory #dancing

We have recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the opening of #DansonPark but it wasn't until June 1952 that Hall Place Gardens opened to the public, when the Duchess of Kent was received by local dignitaries and large crowds. #CelebratingBexley

What excitement to be had at the Bexley Fair in 1846 with a match of gingling, whipping the balls from the hole, contention up the pole, fireworks of golden rains and a flight of saucissons. #EYAFunandGames #ExploreYourArchive

This Saturday's 'Ten Decades of Danson Park' guided walk is now sold out! But there are still tickets left for Lesnes to Lessness on 21 June, and for Lamorbey and Halfway Street on 12 July, 2.30pm. Tickets are £5. Get in touch to book your place! #CelebratingBexley

Final book in #WoolworthsGirls series is published early May, by Erith-born author Elaine Everest who sadly died last year. She was inspired by stories about WWII at the Erith branch of Woolworths where she worked as a teen. Pictured: Woolworths Sidcup, Welling, Erith, Bexleyheath.

#WhyArchives?

In this year of anniversaries here in Bexley - including Lesnes, Crossness and Danson - the Local Studies and Archive Centre has become the place to be! Archives enable everyone to learn about our local area and take pride in our heritage. #Archive30 #CelebratingBexley

One of our favourites from our #ArchiveCollections is our planning applications. This one is for 10 Upperton Road from the Engineer and Surveyor Department of Chislehurst and Sidcup Urban District Council (a predecessor authority of Bexley) dated 1933. #Archive30

Bexley Archives, along with Central Library Bexleyheath, is getting a new roof! The library building here first opened in 1980, with the archives moving here from Hall Place in 2000. #ArchiveBuildings #Archive30

Last few tickets remaining for a talk by Dr John Price @jpaprice.bsky.social here at #BexleyArchives on 26 April 2.30pm called 'Baildon Street: The Blackest Street in Deptford?' examining Charles Booth’s Poverty Map of 1889 and the return visit of his investigator ten years later. Tickets: £5.

We enjoy working with our local community groups. One of these is Lamorbey and Sidcup Local History Society which is marking #VEDay80 on 10 May with a celebration in music – a free event - outside the United Services Club in Main Road Sidcup. #CommunityArchives #Archive30

Our #SomethingSmall for today’s #Archive30 is this memorial card for the sinking of the Princess Alice with the loss of nearly 700 passengers just after the ‘pleasure steamer’ passed Erith on the River Thames on the evening of 3 September 1878.

Our programme of summer guided walks is now out: Ten Decades of Danson Park on 17 May, Lesnes to Lessness on 21 June, Lamorbey and Halfway Street on 12 July. All start at 2.30pm and tickets are £5. Contact us to book your place: archives@bexley.gov.uk. #CelebratingBexley

We had a lovely surprise today when a satisfied customer brought us these celebratory chocolates! (Not to be eaten near any archives, obviously!). #ArchiveFoodAndDrink #CelebratingBexley #Archive30

On 13 April 1925 (Easter Monday) Princess Mary officially opened Danson Park to the public with thousands in attendance. Of course it rained. One of its greatest attractions was the boating lake, along with miniature golf, children's playground and Tea Kiosk. #CelebratingBexley #DansonPark

For #ArchiveAnimals we present the Bexley Poultry and Rabbit Club's 'Pen Show’ on 8 May 1943. There might’ve been a war on, but here we have classes for all varieties of chickens and ducks, furry rabbits or fancy ones. #Archive30

We are putting away this rather large item which was out for our borough’s 60th anniversary last week: letters patent of 1823 creating Nicholas Vansittart Baron Bexley, given under writ of the Privy Seal with the great seal of George IV attached. #SomethingBig #Archive30

In #ArchivesToday here at #BexleyArchives we have just put up brand new Bexley Snapshots in Time display banners created by our #BexleyMuseum friends at Hall Place which will be here till the end of the month before going on tour. #CelebratingBexley #Archive30

Bexley Local Studies #ArchiveBeginnings came in 1972 when records of the predecessor authorities of the new London Borough of Bexley were brought together in the new Library Service HQ at Hall Place Bexley. We stayed there until moving to Bexleyheath in 2000. #Archive30 @arascot.bsky.social

Today we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the London Borough of Bexley and some of our Archive Treasures (much older than 60 years!) were on display at our Civic Offices for staff to see. #YourArchive #CelebratingBexley
Looking forward to a month of posts for #Archive30 @arascot.bsky.social

Our first Mayor was Councillor Mrs Marjorie Barron. Bexley was one of only three London boroughs which elected women as Mayors in 1965. #1965 #CelebratingBexley

The new London Borough of Bexley’s Coat of Arms was designed to incorporate the history of its constituent parts: rivers, oak tree (borough charter), cogwheel (industry), gateway to the south, white horse (Kent), red stags (Erith). #1965 #CelebratingBexley

What will the new borough be called? After the prototype name ‘Borough 18’, in the end the historic and simple name ‘Bexley’ was chosen. Our new London Borough had a varied landscape, from industries to parks, from The Thames to the Shuttle. #1965 #CelebratingBexley

As we approach the 60th anniversary of the London Borough of Bexley, what did our area look like in #1965? Here are Sidcup House, Belvedere Power Station, Waterside Gardens at Crayford and Boathouse Café at Danson Park. #LocalHistory #CelebratingBexley