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View of Valence House cellar

Behind the Scenes at the Museum »

Go behind the scenes at the museum and see parts of the house and collections not usually on public display in this video.  

Wheel from The Duke, one of the lIttle Ships of Dunkirk

Our Little Ship of Dunkirk »

Steering wheel from a Samuel Williams tug, 'The Duke'. The tug was one of the Dunkirk Little Ships, and was taken to Dunkirk from Ramsgate…

Model of Dagenham Village found in Valence House Museum

It’s a small world! »

A scale model depicting Dagenham Village in c1940. Dagenham is first mentioned in a charter of Barking Abbey from the year 687. It was then…

Tudor Lady's costume

Barking bands together »

A Tudor costume, worn in scene 8 of the Barking Pageant, 1931. In 1931 Barking Town Urban District Council celebrated gaining its charter (an official…

A watercolour painting of the Civic Centre

Dagenham’s civic heart »

A watercolour of the Civic Centre painted by the architect E.Berry Webber, 1936. The Civic Centre, Dagenham, is a Grade II listed building. It is…

Wedding gift given to Wren/Kemp

‘Here’s to the happy couple!’ »

This is one of four wedding gifts that were given to Frederick Walter Wren (1876-1944) and Harriet Kemp (1877-1954) to mark their wedding in 1898.…

The papers of Henry Sidney Williams, a soldier in World War One

First World War Pocket Book »

Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre, recently acquired the pocket diary of Henry Sidney Williams. The diary records his training in Winchester and then…

Pupils at Creekmouth School circa 1910

Too Cool for School… »

Our school log books are a name rich resource perfect for anyone doing research into their family tree who knows their relatives either attended or…

Becontree Mural by Chad McCail

This Used to be Fields Mural »

We constantly strive to develop the collections to ensure that they remain relevant and engaging for our current, as well as future visitors. In turn,…

First page of Walter Perren's First World War Memoir

My Memories of the Great War »

We hold a absolutely fascinating manuscript memoir, written by Walter Perren, who served with the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment during the First World War. The…

Close up of the 16th century wall painting at valence house

Half Human Beasts »

There is a fabulous sixteenth century wall painting on the first floor of the museum, which was rediscovered behind a false wall during renovations that were…

Watercolour of Church Path in Barking by William Frogley

Frogley Manuscript »

William Holmes Frogley’s manuscript is more than just an unpublished history, it is an illustrated guidebook, providing a very personal insight into the buildings, streets…

Portrait of Herbert C Fanshawe.

The history of the Fanshawe family, by H. C. Fanshawe »

This definitive work on the influential Fanshawe family was published in 1927. Over 500 pages long, it includes pedigrees of many different branches of the…

Ford Machinist Strike Commemorative Plate

‘Everybody out!’ »

The Ford women's strike was one of the most important since the Matchgirls' Strike of 1888. Their struggle, commemorated by this souvenir plate, remains an…

Model Boat

‘Are you being saucy, Jack?’ »

Salt-water fishing from Barking was mentioned as early as 1320, when its fishermen were prosecuted for using nets with too small a mesh. The industry…

Fanshawe Family portrait

‘A case of extreme hardship’ »

John Robert Widman - a portrait, historical, landscape and animal artist - was born in Lambeth on 22 August 1788 to John Wildman (also and…

Mast head from one of the last Fairlop Frigates

‘This strange craft with mast and rigging all complete’ »

Taken from one of the last Fairlop Frigates (small scale ships on wheels) used in the Fairlop Fair parade, this mast head is believed to…

Page from the minute book of the Amalgamated Workers Union

Workers Rights »

The minute books of the Dagenham Branch of the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers are a goldmine for researchers wanting to delve into the…

Section of the Dagenham Bomb Map showing Valence Park and the surrounding area

Dagenham Bomb Map »

Barking and Dagenham suffered terribly from bombing incidents throughout the six years that Britain was at war with Germany. This bomb map was produced by…

Bomb Damage in Dagenham showing largely demolished houses

‘Make do and mend’ »

Madge Carter kept a diary throughout most of her life. Sixty-five diaries survive at the Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre. These diaries…

Page of an account book for Parsloes Manor

‘Wig powder, shuttlecocks and a holiday to Southend’ »

This account book lists the household expenses and income earned through the selling of straw, hay and livestock on the estate at Parlsoes Manor from…

Egbert Smart

The changing landscape of Barking and Dagenham »

This substantial and important collection comprises over sixteen thousand photographic negatives, together with related negative registers and contact print albums, created by Egbert E. Smart,…

Valence House Museum
Becontree Avenue
Dagenham
RM8 3HT

tel: 020 8227 2034opens phone dialer
valencehousemuseum@lbbd.gov.ukcreate new email

Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday (10am-4pm)

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