Islington Local History Centre aims to collect material that reflects the life and times of Islington from its origins as an Anglo-Saxon hilltop village to London inner-city area. The Centre holds a wide range of resources on the history of the borough, including archival material, books, maps, illustrations, newspapers, trade directories and photographs.
Click on the links below to explore what’s on in the Centre, online resources and blogs about the local history of Islington.
What’s On
Find out the latest displays, activities and events taking place in the Islington Local History Centre.
Islington Local History Centre Online Catalogue
Search the Islington Local History Centre online catalogue for records held in the collection including local reference books, the Sadler’s Wells Theatre Collection and the Walter Sickert Family collection. This is not a complete list of everything held in the Centre, further information on what is held can be found on the Islington Council website.
Streets with a Story: The Book of Islington
Explore an A-Z of Islington and Finsbury’s roads, streets, buildings and open spaces – both old and new
Choose to Challenge: Islington’s Inspirational Women (1547-2021)
Learn about women of Islington from a variety of professions and how they challenged society.
Meet Me At The Aggie
Take a look at an online presentation showcasing the Islington Local History Centre’s collection of Royal Agricultural Hall posters.
Trade – often copied, never equalled
Trade, opened in 1990, was an iconic part of the LGBTQ+ scene and the capital’s first legal after-hours dance club. Find out about it’s interesting history in this post.
Visits to the Centre for research are by appointment only. Book an appointment by emailing local.history@islington.gov.uk
More information about the Islington Local History Centre can be found on the Islington Council website including opening hours, special collections and more details on what records are held in the Centre.
Follow @IslingtonLHC to keep up to date with events and for tweets about archive items and collections held in the Islington Local History Centre.
