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.

Skip to recent discoveries here.

See what items inspired our cross-arts community activities here.

Get involved here.

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

Recent Discoveries

Bear with us whilst we search through our vast archive and research the incredible stories and lives behind the pieces... but here's some bits you might find interesting to give you a taste!

- Lantern Plates: circa 1904

A collection assumed to have been taken by one of the first female photojournalists, Frances Benjamin Johnston, including a lantern plate image of President Roosevelt.

- Mencap's 'Little Noise Sessions' programme: 19-27 November 2006

Acoustic music festival in aid of Mencap charity, curated and hosted by broadcaster and Mencap ambassador Jo Whiley. The festival returned for many years and features live performances from Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, KT Tunstall, The Kooks, Plan B, Paolo Nutini, Guillemots, Mystery Jets, Jamie T, The Fratellis, The View, Bat for Lashes, Mika, Noel Gallagher, James Morrison, The Automatic, Newton Faulkner, and more.

Watch clips from the many returning years of Little Noise Sessions here.

- Fountain Meen: Union Chapel's organist 1880-1909

Josiah Fountain Meen was born 14th September 1846, and was Union Chapel's organist from 1880 till his passing in 1909. He lived next door to Union Chapel on Compton Terrace, was a member of The Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain and also the organist at St Mary’s in Stoke Newington.

- Wood Block Negative Tintypes: circa 1930s

Depicting our minister teaching students as well as young girls attending a gym class.

- 1828 Minute Book

Noting two organists, who were women, with a salaries of £20 per annum.

- Live Shows Throughout The Ages

1. Winter Programme 2008: December events at Union Chapel; highlighting a performance by Baby Dee - a classically trained singer/song-writer American transwoman
2. Programme of a concert by the 32nd North London Troop of Boy Scouts, 24 May 1917: with a ticket price of 1 penny!
3. Islington Festival 1972: "Church Choirs and singers of all denorninations combine to perform this magnificent choral work [The Creation by Haydn] in one of the Borough's largest church buildings" Saturday 8 July
4. Reviews of Ahmad Jamal's Union Chapel show (undated): Jazz pianist and composer who was a favourite of Miles Davis and very influential to his music during the 80s-90s

- Collection found under out feet!

During the current renovation and retrofit of the Sunday School Hall, even more hidden gems have been unearthed from beneath the floorboards and added to our archive! Photos depict a letter to the teachers, school report, cigarette and matchstick packets, an a beautifully preserved clay pipe, and more.

- Inauguration of the Organ: 1867 and 1878

True celebrations spanning two different Union Chapel buildings: 1867's organ was built by G. M. Holdich, with it's Inauguration concerts' programme shown here, whilst our world-famous, rare, and historic organ - still being enjoyed by audiences and helping musician development today - was built by Henry 'Father' Willis in 1878 with the Inauguration programme shown here.

Both programmes present a full description of the music that was to be enjoyed, fundraising efforts, and the specification of each organ's components. 

Inspiring our Activities

Sunday School Stories runs free cross-arts participatory activities for all ages, inspired by items and stories of our 200+ year archive, the result in moving artwork and music co-produced with our communities:

Hidden Treasures | July 2025

Inspired by our copy of The Primary Department book by E. J. Archibald, our chapel architecture, live music events, organ performances, and more.

Over three bustling workshops, adults from different walks of life came together to get creative.

Mosaics were crafted depicting images that come to life from lesson suggestions featuring tales of nature and programmes for special occassions, such as Harvest and Christmas - led by Tessa Hunkin & Rada Stilianova | Click to reveal archive items and concept artwork.

Artistic postcards and vocal improvisation sent messages of thanks to important figures such as our Victorian period minister Henry Allon and organist Fountain Meen, musicians Amy Winehouse and The Jubilee Singers, Ghandi who autographed Union Chapel's past minister Charles James Barry's bible, suffragettes and teacher, philosopher, and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, and more - led by Lucinda Sieger | Click to reveal archive items.

Zines of collages and moving messages were created based on advice and lessons from The Primary Department that encouraged the importance of rest, quietness, and reflection for the development of children's mental and physical health - led by Zoë Gardner | Click to reveal archive items.

Find out more and see workshop and artwork photos here.

Rainbow Streets: Then & Next | June 2025

Pride exhibition of art & song.

We joined with our neighbours at the Estorick Collection to celebrate Islington's rich LGBTQIA+ heritage in an exhibition of artwork, co-created by Year 9 students of Elizabeth Garrett School, inspired by archival items from Islington Local History Centre's Pride archive that depict a long legacy of incredible stories, people, and organisations pushing for equality in our local area. All accompanied by a community co-produced playlist of inspiring LGBTQIA+ artists from across genres and the globe. | Click here to reveal archive items used, with descriptions.

Find out more, play the soundtrack, and see workshops and artwork photos here.

Want to get involved?

Oral Histories "The People's Story"

We're interviewing fascinating people connected to Union Chapel or our local area and diverse community to tell the real life stories that encompass our shared heritage. If you'd like to take part, please email the brief details of what you'd like to share to [email protected]

Or, if you have a story to tell of your own memories or family ties of Union Chapel or local stories, get in touch at [email protected]

Want to help us co-produce catalouging or communicating our archive? Apply to become a History Detective Volunteer at unionchapel.org.uk/work-at-union-chapel

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

Further reading:

The archive is made up of various materials from photos, minutes, posters and miscellaneous objects, spanning the last 200+ years. The early history of nonconformist congregationalism, has been well preserved within the many minute books showcasing the day-day activities, as well as the changing attitudes over two centuries. Regarding its more modern history, Union Chapel - whilst still an active church, is also a world-renowned venue space; that continues to host many music and other live performances since the 1980s. This only adds to an already valuable archive, as not only do we hold religious history but also world music and performance history, making it a unique archive. Some of its archive material can only be found in Union Chapel and it is one of the very few to hold both religious and music history. Usually, church records are moved to their local diocese or a university for retention such as the non-conformist archive "Dr Williams's Library" recently acquired by University College London. However, here at Union Chapel we are in the process of building a designated space due to be ready in 2026 to keep hold of our records, which will allow people to research from this archive directly. Its religious and arts archives are being preserved and consulted in their place of origin, making it a treasure trove for those interested in music, performance, religious, social justice and gothic architectural history.

Around 15 congregational churches in London - Union Chapel is one of them and one of the very few to hold its own archives that will be available for public viewing.

Click here for SUNDAY SCHOOL STORIES PROJECT homepage

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.