Search Go to internet banking About HSBC Citizenship Investor relations News and insight Careers About HSBC > Company history > HSBC’s archives HSBC’s archives Share Print At work in the bank in 1890s What’s in the archives HSBC's archives are one of the most important business collections in the world. The archives contain the historical records not only of HSBC, but also of many of the banks which have been acquired by HSBC and its predecessor companies. The archives reflect the colourful and eventful history of HSBC – the core of annual reports, minute books and accounting ledgers is supplemented by a huge variety of material which records how our staff lived and worked, and the business environments in which our customers operated. The archives include letters, photographs, cartoons, films, advertising, banknotes, architectural drawings and interviews with staff – all of which can shed light on the social, economic and political history of those communities and countries where HSBC has done business. The archives of HSBC are supervised globally by the Group Knowledge Management department and managed by different teams around the world. The team in London is responsible for the records of HSBC Holdings plc and also the historic records of HSBC Bank plc (formerly Midland Bank), HSBC Bank Middle East (formerly The British Bank of the Middle East) and the Mercantile Bank of India. The London team also has stewardship of the records of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation up to 1993. The team in Hong Kong is responsible for the modern records of HSBC in the Asia-Pacific region and also for some historic records relating specifically to Hong Kong. The archives teams in France and the USA are responsible for the historic records of HSBC in those countries. Archive contact details The archives of HSBC are open to the public, by appointment, and are used by researchers for a huge variety of reasons including family history; business, economic and social history; architectural research; and background research for radio and television programmes. The London archives are open Monday to Thursday, by appointment only. To arrange an appointment, please complete the registration form below and return to history@hsbc.com. Access to the archives is governed by our 'conditions of access', which are available to view here. Researchers will be provided with a copy to sign on arrival on the day of their appointment. Researcher registration form: Electronic Conditions of access: Electronic If you have an enquiry and would like to contact the Archives team in London, please get in touch at: E-mail: history@hsbc.com Telephone: +44(0) 20 799 16392 or +44(0) 20 799 21719 HSBC Group Archives HSBC Holdings plc 8 Canada Square London E14 5HQ United Kingdom HSBC also has archive units in Hong Kong, France and the USA. Please contact them at: Hong Kong: archivesasp@hsbc.com.hk France: stephanie.jandin@hsbc.fr USA: US.Corporate.Archives@us.hsbc.com More about HSBC’s history The HSBC Group: Our story How a local bank in Hong Kong grew into a global financial institution. Download ‘The HSBC Group: Our story’ HSBC’s history in Asia-Pacific HSBC has a long and rich history in Asia – providing banking services to governments, companies and individuals. Read more Frequently asked questions Learn about the founding of HSBC, the significance of the lions and the origins of our iconic hexagon logo. in News and insight A tour of HSBC’s archives Trace the roots of HSBC back over 235 years as the archive team opens up the Group's history vaults to pick out their favourite artefacts. Read more Celebrating Shakespeare What links HSBC to England’s greatest writer? The bank’s Global History Manager, Sara Kinsey, explains. Read more in Fast facts A snapshot of HSBC's global network and how each of the four business lines contributes to the Group's strategy. 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