Lewisham Local History and Archives Centre was opened in 1990s as part of the new Central library in Lewisham. The collection was originally housed in Manor House, Lee. The Centre is on the 2nd floor of the library. The Archive contains original material covering the history of the London Borough of Lewisham, including the ancient parishes of St Margaret, Lee, St Mary, Lewisham, and St Paul, Deptford. The collection includes art paintings, photographs, prints and museum objects as well as the parish records and archives from 1600s onwards. The art collection numbers over 300 works and was accumulated through donations, bequests and purchase by the original municipal boroughs of Lewisham and Deptford. It focuses on Lewisham and includes professional and amateur works that record the scenes and history of the borough, such as Emilio Tafani's paintings of his fellow Second World War fire wardens based at Sydenham School. It came under the management of the Archive Service in the 1960s when the current borough was formed.