Enfield local studies and archives

Enfield local studies and archives exist to identify, acquire and preserve archival materials that document the history of the London Borough of Enfield. We make these records available to the benefit of Enfield's residents and visitors.

Address and contact details

Ridge Avenue
Winchmore Hill
Enfield
London
N21 2RH

Phone: 020 8132 1226, 020 8379 2724

Email: local.history@enfield.gov.uk

Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursdays, 11am to 3pm by appointment only.

View our catalogue

There are many types of records here at local studies. We have dedicated staff and volunteers with experience of dealing with local and family history questions. They are here on-hand to help you find the sort or record you may need to answer your questions.

Among our many records we have:

books on the local history of the area - these include transport history and biographies of famous local people
journals, pamphlets and ephemera relating to local societies, schools and organisations
local newspapers dating from 1859
over 200 maps, including the first 4 editions of Enfield OS maps in 6 inch and 25 inch scale
trade and street directories
electoral registers
over 10,000 photographs of the local area dating back to the 1860s
auctioneers’ catalogues
4 PCs for online family history research
2 microfilm readers and 1 microfiche reader
records about the 3 former local authorities, Edmonton, Enfield and Southgate
resources for teachers and schools
records dating from 1271
original maps dating from 1656

The collection continues to grow thanks to generous donations from members of the public, local organisations and Enfield Council. If you have any local historical records and photos that you are thinking of donating, we would love to hear from you.

If you are researching your family history, you can access the online family history websites Find my Past, The Genealogist, and Ancestry free of charge at the Local Studies Centre.

These websites provide: