Archives on Show: Parks, Gardens and Open Spaces

Our Archives on Show events are a chance for us to show you the wide range of material we hold at The London Archives.

Whether you are new to archives and curious to see what we hold, or you are an experienced researcher that wants to learn more, these relaxed events offer a chance for you to see a selection of original materials on a changing monthly theme.

This month's theme: "Parks, Gardens and Open Spaces"

The London Archives holds a rich collection of material relating to London’s parks and gardens, the growing of fruit and vegetables and the use of open spaces for recreation.

This session aims to give an overview of the highlights of our collections, including records relating to private gardens, nurserymen and seedmen, amateur gardening societies and public gardens such as those developed by the Metropolitan Public Garden Association, as well as prints and maps from the seventeenth century onwards.

It will also look at the wealth of material in the Middlesex and London County Council records, including sources relating to the development of London’s squares, and archive material relating to the management of the City of London’s open spaces, including Hampstead Heath and Burnham Beeches.

What to expect:

• Curated display of archival material from our collections - available for you to handle and explore at your own pace.
• Informal atmosphere with staff on hand to answer queries about items on display.
• Spend as long as you like looking at the material within the session time - while it doesn't include a formal talk, members of our team will be on hand to answer questions and to discuss the selection of items.
• Each month we focus on a specific topic, type of record, or theme.

Booking Essential: You can book for a one hour session at 1pm or 2pm.

The London Archives is a free public archive focusing on the history of London, from 1067 to the present day. We preserve and share millions of historical manuscripts, maps, photographs, books which tell the story of London. You can find us in central London in Clerkenwell, nearest station Farringdon. More details on our Getting to The London Archives webpage.