Waltham Forest Archives and local studies library

Shelving with books, photo of Waltham Forest Archives at Chingford Assembly Hall.

Waltham Forest Archives and Local Studies Library are located at Chingford Assembly Hall, The Green, Station Road, London E4 7EN.

We hold on one site a wide range of manuscripts, printed and pictorial collections which can be used to research the development of our borough and its communities, the history of your house or street, or your family history in Waltham Forest. These collections are a free to use resource, available to everyone by prior appointment.

Please contact us to book your Searchroom visit, giving as much information as possible about your research topic so that we can prepare relevant sources for you in advance. We recommend that you book more than one visit if your research covers a range of topics.

We will ask you to complete a reader registration form before your first visit. For more information, please email wfa.enquiries@walthamforest.gov.uk

Local Studies Library

Printed sources include:

local newspapers from 1876 onwards
trade directories
electoral registers which are more than 10 years old
Council minutes and reports up to 2007
Ordnance Survey and other maps
secondary sources, including biographies and histories of organisations

Lists of Local Studies Library subject files (some files may contain limited information)

Biography: list of some files held in Searchroom
Buildings: list of all files held in Searchroom
Business and Industry: list of historical businesses and industries in Waltham Forest. Inclusion in this list does not imply that we hold sources for a business except as indicated.

Photo collection

The Vestry House Museum photo collection is available in the Searchroom. This comprises a vast range of images dating from the 1860s onwards, including street scenes, buildings, landmarks, businesses and events.

Opening times

Searchroom visits are by prior appointment only on two days each week:

Week 1

Wednesday 10:30am to 12:45pm and 2pm to 5pm
Thursday 10:30am to 12:45pm and 2pm to 5pm

Week 2

Friday 10:30am to 12:45pm and 2pm to 5pm
Saturday 10:30am to 12:45pm and 2pm to 5pm

Searchroom opening dates for the next two months. Appointments are subject to availability.

May 2026

Friday 8 May
Saturday 9 May
Wednesday 13 May
Thursday 14 May
Friday 22 May
Wednesday 27 May
Thursday 28 May

June 2026

Friday 5 June
Saturday 6 June
Wednesday 10 June
Thursday 11 June
Friday 19 June
Saturday 20 June
Wednesday 24 June
Thursday 25 June

Facilities

Free Wi-Fi is available in our Searchroom.

Accessibility

Chingford Assembly Hall entrance, foyer and the ground floor Searchroom are fully accessible.

An accessible unisex toilet is located in the foyer.

There is a parking bay for Blue Badge holders in front of Chingford Library next door to the Assembly Hall, but this cannot be pre-booked.

Getting here

Bus: routes 97, 179, 212, 313, 379, 385, 397 and 444 to Station Road/The Green. For Chingford Assembly Hall alight at stop L (eastbound) or stops J or K (westbound)

Rail: the overground Weaver Line runs from London Liverpool Street to Chingford Station. It is approximately a 10-minute walk from Chingford Station to Chingford Assembly Hall, or 2 minutes by bus from stop E in Station Road.

Tube: the Victoria Line terminates at Walthamstow Central. Transfer here to the overground rail on the Weaver Line as above.

Parking:
Station Road
Richmond Road

External online resources

• Local and family history
• House history

Related Waltham Forest pages

Local history societies

Social Media

Contact

Contact details

020 8496 6067

wfa.enquiries@walthamforest.gov.uk

Address

Waltham Forest Archives and Local Studies Library

Chingford Assembly Hall
The Green, Station Road
London E4 7EN