Southwark Archives

Delve into our collection of non-conformist records for the London Borough of Southwark. These record sets relate to registers created by the Non-Conformist, or Dissenting, denominations of Southwark. These mainly cover the 19th and early 20th centuries and are drawn from Baptist, Congregational (Independent) and Methodist chapels across different parts of the borough.

• Surrey, Southwark Baptisms
• Surrey, Southwark Marriages
• Surrey, Southwark Burials

You can also explore the Southwark Congregational Registers which cover records such as registers of congregation members and sunday school registers.

Step back into the First World War through Private Henry Page’s never-before-seen sketchbooks, now available to explore on Findmypast in partnership with Southwark Archives. Discover vivid line drawings capturing the humour and hardships of trench life across France, Salonika, and Egypt—from setting up tents to enduring the elements. Browse this rare visual diary to experience the war from Page’s unique perspective, filled with heartfelt sketches he once sent home to loved ones.

The historic rate books of Southwark, London’s oldest borough, cover 1880 to 1935 and are a rich resource for family and house history. These records reveal whether your ancestor rented or owned property and list the names of occupiers and owners. Spanning gaps between census years, they offer insights into Southwark's diverse and evolving community. Explore how local taxes supported vital services while uncovering the stories of your ancestors or the history of your home.

Was your ancestor a street trader on the busy streets of the London borough of Southwark? Did they trade coal, fish, pickles or jellied eels?

Delve deeper into this collection of coal and street trader records from 1915 to 1950 to discover the goods your ancestor was trading and even the size of the pitch they were trading from.

Delve into these wartime tribunal minutes from Southwark Archives, where men appealed for exemption from military service. Recorded at the town hall, each case captures the pressures of illness, family need, essential work, or conscience. These decisions shaped lives and revealed the hidden struggles behind the front lines. What did your ancestor face when conscription came?

What choices did your ancestor face when Britain went to war? Delve into this remarkable collection from Southwark Archives, where the names and stories of local men who joined the Central Association Volunteer Training Corps in 1916 are carefully recorded. These forms reveal not just physical details and occupations but also family circumstances and personal reasons for staying on the home front. They offer a powerful glimpse into a community determined to serve in any way it could.