We have recently secured a rare find for our archive: a copy of the catalogue for the Art Spectrum exhibition held at Ally Pally in 1971. The event was notable for including Yoko Ono among the exhibitors, and for a visit to the Palace from Yoko and John Lennon.
Check out photos from the exhibition and visit below, as well reflections on the importance of capturing these stories for our archive from the Palace’s Curatorial and Interpretation manager, Kirsten Forrest.
How did we manage to get hold of this catalogue? It came up at auction in Amsterdam last year. I knew this was a rare opportunity and was confident that the item fitted our charity’s collections policy criteria, as well as our limited budget. I got approval for the archive acquisition, submitted a bid online and won!
How do you find out about historic memorabilia like this? Sometimes memorabilia, photos and stories come to us when people or families have been to a concert, exhibition or ice skating, and see that we are collecting and sharing our history. We recently had a fascinating case of a family spotting a relative in a photograph we had included in a BBC News report. It was brilliant to meet the family and reconnect them with the story of their father and grandfather. Alternatively, sometimes I might spend years trying to find a particular poster or piece of ephemera at auction or on Ebay.
Why is it important to maintain an archive? Using collections and archive creatively helps tell the stories of our communities and the unsung heroes who have held up the Palace for 150 years. It is an important part of maintaining and building connections. The Park and Palace have a special place in the hearts of Londoners in particular. I believe that pride of place is a huge factor in feeling good and having a positive sense of belonging. Our hope is to promote this culture, providing great experiences and lasting memories for all our visitors.
What is it like to seek out these amazing stories and moments of history? Working in a heritage venue with listed building status, means that we have an eclectic 150-year history to draw on and reveal. We are always on the lookout for new stories and pieces for our archive. The significance of a concert ticket, photo or poster isn’t always obvious at the time, but there are many ‘firsts’ and ‘lasts’ to commemorate at the Palace. Collections are the physical evidence of a huge range of activity, stories and emotions dating back to the 19th century, and we are still making history with events held here, so our archives continue to grow.
How might people support us in maintaining and building our archive? Of course, if you have any stories from your own family or local history you would like to share, we would love to hear from you. You can always support our charity through a donation too, which will help us to care for the heritage of the Park and Palace and to keep building our educational and engagement programmes for future generations. But everyone can help in their own way, whether it is taking part in our Creative Learning activities, visiting events, going to the Theatre, having a round at the Pitch and Putt, sending in a selfie or just taking your litter home after a picnic. After all it’s your Ally Pally!
Discover more about our history here