Celebrating Bromley Historic Collections – Molly Lambert, Langley Park School for Girls

Unfortunately, in November 2015, Bromley Council closed the Bromley Museum at the Priory, Orpington, leaving many locals disappointed. However in mid-2016, the Bromley Historic Collections opened in the Bromley Central Library, to once again allow the public access to the historic collections of artefacts which tell the story of Bromley and its locals’ history.

The Bromley Historic Collections consist of three galleries: the This is Bromley gallery, the This is John Lubbock gallery, and the Special Exhibition Space gallery – which is currently occupied by the ‘Caring for the Casualties of the First World War in Bromley’ project.

On the first floor of the library, visitors will find the This is Bromley gallery, which explores the borough’s ‘rich history from ancient times to the present day’. Some highlights include a Bromley fire engine from the 1700s, various Anglo-Saxon and Roman artefacts, and a history of the infamous Crystal Palace.

Also on the first floor, visitors can also explore the ‘Caring for the Casualties of the First World War in Bromley’ project, which is currently on display as a temporary exhibition in the Special Exhibition Space. Here, visitors- regardless of whether or not they are locals, can enjoy the expansive collection of photographs, letters, medal, and various other items on display, in remembrance of the First World War.

This is a well-crafted, extremely insightful collection which I would highly recommend visiting in the near future, as unfortunately, this exhibition will only be on display until the 22nd of April, 2017, as the temporary exhibition on display in the Special Exhibition Space changes throughout the year.

Finally, on the second floor, visitors can explore the John Lubbock Gallery, which allows locals to gain some insight into ‘Sir John Lubbock’s contribution to our modern understanding of pre-history’ and ‘the development of the Victorian world view and modern science’. Included in the exhibition are items from John Lubbock’s personal collection of historical items from European archaeological digs, as well as exchanges between Lubbock and his friend, Charles Darwin.

The Bromley Historic Collections is open to anybody required that they can produce an accepted form of identity, and is free of charge for all library members.

The collections are open from 09:30 till 18:00 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, from 09:30 till 20:00 on Thursday, and from 09:30 till 17:00 on Saturday.

(All quotations reference the ‘Bromley Historic Collections – Bromley Arts and Heritage’ booklet).

Molly Lambert, Langley Park School for Girls