The London Borough of Lewisham includes the ancient parishes of St Margaret, Lee and St Mary, Lewisham, also the parish of St Paul, Deptford. (The ancient parish of Deptford was divided in 1730 into the parishes of St Nicholas and St Paul. The parish of St Nicholas is now in the London Borough of Greenwich.)
The borough also includes the following districts: Bellingham, Beckenham (part), Blackheath (part), Brockley, Catford, Crofton Park, Downham, Forest Hill, Grove Park, Hatcham, Hither Green, Ladywell, New Cross, Southend, Sydenham.
This area was in the county of Kent until 1889 when the London County Council was formed. The exception was the Hatcham/New Cross area of Deptford, which was in Surrey.
Deptford was in the Greenwich Registration District. Lee and Lewisham were in the Lewisham Registration District.
For more details see administrative history.