North Kensington Social Justice Archive project

Recording social justice and inequality

For over 150 years, North Kensington has been at the centre of many campaigns and fights for social justice and equality. In the Spring 2023, the Council made a commitment to support the development of an archive in the North Kensington area to create a home for these stories.

Discovery Phase

The first stage of this project was the Discovery Phase. The purpose of this six-month phase was to create an opportunity for independent input from the communities of North Kensington and get a better understanding of what was wanted from the Social Justice. UCL Consultants were appointed to progress this piece of engagement. Their final report is below. The report is 109 pages in total, but an Executive Summary is provided in pages four to 16, which gives an overview of the project and its recommendations.

Document

North Kensington Social Justice Archive: discovery phase report. November 2024 PDF, 2.69 MB, 109 pages

Physical copies of the report available at:

• North Kensington Library
• Kensal Library
• Archives and Local Studies, Kensington Centra Library

Council response

A full response from the Council and timeline for how the project plans to progress will be presented alongside the report to the Family Services Select Committee for further consideration and scrutiny on Tuesday 4 February 2025. This is a public meeting: details can be found at Family Services Select Committee.

Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, Deputy Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Employment, Culture and Economy, said:

“North Kensington is a special part of London that has been the backdrop to countless historic moments, campaigns and fights for social justice. We support the creation of a North Kensington Social Justice Archive to make a centralised home to commemorate and reflect on the important contributions from local people and groups. My thanks to UCLC for their work on the discovery phase report, and also to the community in North Kensington for their ongoing contribution, support and patience as we work to create a Social Justice Archive we can all be proud of. 

“In February, the Council will share our proposed response to the Discovery Phase report for further consideration by our Select Committee, which will scrutinise how we will co-design the Community Steering Board, and our action plan which maps out the archive’s development, incorporating the accepted recommendations including the natural home for the archive being in North Kensington Library. I have heard loud and clear that the community want to see this important project delivered, and that is what I am committed to doing.”

Dr Pablo Sendra, Associate Professor of Planning & Urban Design at UCL, and author of the report, said:

“This has been a fascinating project. During the discovery phase of the North Kensington Social Justice Archive, we engaged with community archives, residents interested in local history, young people, and various groups and individuals that have contributed to social justice and supported communities in North Kensington. Local people are eager to see a Social Justice Archive where they can celebrate, share, and learn about the history of the area. As many residents put it, a place to learn about the past and inspire a more socially just future.”

Next steps

Work is continuing on the archive and you can get involved:

• if you have stories you want to share with the archive, or collections or documents which may be of interest, email the team at [email protected] to arrange a discussion
• there will be a discussion on how the archive plans to establish a Community Steering Board at the quarterly North Kensington Community Forum, at North Kensington Library on Thursday 16 January at 6pm. Anyone is welcome to attend
• if you would like to receive direct updates on the project’s progress, please email the team at [email protected] to be added to the distribution list

For any other questions, [email protected].