The Hampstead Garden Suburb Archives Trust is a registered charity, known as Suburb Archives. It is responsible for ensuring that the archives of the suburb are properly cared for and are accessible to all.
The archives hold an extensive and valuable collection of all kinds of material relating to the history and development of the Hampstead Garden Suburb, from its conception at the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day. The list below gives an impression of the wide range of books, documents, records and photographs contained in the archives. The archives remain the property of the Suburb Archives, but are now chiefly housed in the London Metropolitan Archives, London, EC1R 0HB (See contact details). An informative website, including information on how to access the archives held locally, can be seen at www.suburbarchives.org.
Archives In the Suburb
Full runs of three early Suburb journals: The Town Crier, The Record and Temple Fortune Notes.
A collection of national and local press reports about the Suburb from 1903 to the present day.
A collection of books which make reference to the Suburb, many of them placing it in its context as a significant phenomenon in the evolution of town planning.
Some documents and duplicates of the photographs in the LMA.
A large slide collection.
Archives at London Metropolitan Archives (LMA)
Almost 6,000 original architectural drawings of private and public buildings, together with some plans of subsequent alterations.
Some personal papers and correspondence of Dame Henrietta Barnett, the founder of the Suburb.
The minute books of the Institute Council, The Henrietta Barnett School and the HGS Trust, plus volumes listing the first shareholders, some early leases, prospectuses of the company and other business papers.
A full collection of maps and plans from the 1895 OS maps, through all the plans for the Suburb and its extensions, up to the plans prepared for the High Court during the hearing of the Scheme of Management.
Almost 2,000 photographs of Suburb scenes (houses, gardens, road junctions, woods), personalities (co-founders, architects, early residents), and events (royal visits, anniversary and other celebrations).
Audiotapes of older residents' memories of the suburb.
Programmes, press notices and photographs from the productions of the Play and Pageant Union and the Speedwell Players, as well as material lodged by other Suburb organisations, such as the Residents’ Association and the long established Horticultural Society.
The LMA have created a full online index of the Hampstead Garden Suburb archive materials held by them.
