The London Picture Archive (LPA) provides free online access to over 250,000 images from the collections of London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Art Gallery. The material on LPA ranges from prints, drawings and paintings to maps, films and photographs and dates from 1450 to the present day. All parts of London (not just the City) are represented, as are the adjoining counties, and over 150,000 historical pictures of London streets are included.
Elephants being unloaded at Tilbury Docks, 1924. [The London Picture Archive: 302527]
There are Galleries which provide an introduction to some of the subject areas covered by LPA. The Advanced Search function enables you to refine your search by choosing various criteria. As well as searching for a street in the general search box at the top of the LPA website, you can also use the London Picture Map which provides a unique way to access images of buildings and places which no longer exist, presenting a searchable vision of a lost London which allows visitors to view pictures of their neighbourhood from bygone days.
From photographs of the construction of Tower Bridge to images of the Great Fire of 1666, images of a buildings which were never built to promotional posters for the London County Council tramways, the The London Picture Archive website presents a fascinating glimpse of nearly 600 years of life in the capital.
Please note that the London Picture Archive is NOT comprehensive in coverage of the collections it represents. More visual material is available at London Metropolitan Archives. Please email LMA Enquiries for further information.
