Exploring historical London with the London Picture Map

As an ex-pat living in London, one thing I never tire of appreciating is London’s history. Coming from a young country in comparison to England, my head boggles with just how old this city is; what it’s been through, what it’s seen, how it’s changed and sometimes, how it hasn’t.

The house I grew up in in Australia was designed and built by my parents in the early 90s. Through the 1893-1896 Ordnance Survey Maps, I can trace the street I live on in London back to the late 1800s (thankfully, the plumbing is probably a bit better nowadays… but only just). I love the idea of living in a house and on a street that has its own history. We think of our ancestors having stories, but the places they lived had stories too. And upon returning to the country my ancestors called home, I’m fascinated by the stories my new home has to tell.

Some of those stories can be discovered in The London Picture Archive’s new online London Picture Map. Launched in July 2016, The London Picture Map allows you to browse collections geographically, simply by typing in the street or postcode you want to explore. From recognisable areas such as Oxford St, to Tower Bridge while it was under construction in 1893, the photos depict the story of London from street level. Researches can also browse by topic, searching through Livery Companies, London Pubs and Second World War Bomb Damage.

Whether you’re a London local or looking for insights into the streets your ancestors called home, you can start exploring the London Picture Map online at the Collage: The London Picture Archive.