Sunday School Stories | Archive
Most people don’t know that we house an archive of records, books, artefacts and hidden gems from our last 200+ years and local London history. For the first time, this untapped treasure trove of stories will be featured publicly.
It tells the tales of Nonconformist Christians and their 100-year journey from persecuted minority to being part of the establishment and of Union Chapel’s unique history as one of the UK’s most respected music venues.
Sunday School Stories Project will transform the currently decaying, inaccessible collection into a restored and fully catalogued archive for the first time inviting the community to discover the everyday life at Union Chapel with insights into the lives of real local people and their ambitions for a better world.
From gig posters, books, artefacts, artwork, memorabilia, and more, we're finding insights into the lives of real local people and their ambitions for a better world, and of Union Chapel’s unique history as one of the UK’s most respected music venues and work with arts for social change.
MUSIC | SOCIAL JUSTICE | NONCONFORMIST HERITAGE | SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE
What's happening now?
Bear with us whilst we search through our vast archive so that we can
- catalogue and digitised to bring you an online archive
- connecting the hidden pieces together to tell Union Chapel and local stories both online and in our hall
- showcase the archive in our Sunday School Hall space through an artistic and accessible interpretation that will be co-created with and for the community
- using archival items to inspire artistic events in our Sunday School Stories programme
Who is involved?
- Union Chapel Archivist
- Union Chapel Participation Manager
- History Detective Volunteers
- Friends of Union Chapel
- Islington Local History Centre
- London Borough of Islington
Thanks for the support!
Thanks to the Friends of Union Chapel for their donation of £3000 towards the the digitisation of the archives and for their ongoing assistance through their Archive Working Group.
Thanks to Islington Archaeology & History Society for their donation of £1000 towards our archive work.
We are extremely grateful to our supporters, partners and volunteers as we continue on our Sunday School Stories adventure.
[logos of partners involved & NLHF]