(Friday 21 November 2025); Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust is honoured to receive a £6,000 grant from the Business Archives Council (BAC) to support the cataloguing of its historic archive. The physical collection spans more than 150 years of significant social, architectural and cultural history at North London’s historic Alexandra Palace.
It includes thousands of photographic images and negatives, architectural plans and drawings, structural artifacts, business records and memorabilia dating from 1859 to the present day. Together they offer a fascinating insight into the story of Alexandra Palace, including the launch of the world’s first public television service by the BBC in 1936, to the site’s use as a refugee centre and internment camp during both World Wars.
Since 2010, the Business Archives Council (BAC) has awarded an annual cataloguing grant to support the preservation and accessibility of business archive collections, across both private and public sectors. The programme supports those with collections of significant academic, social, and historical value to be catalogued and preserved, ensuring they remain available for researchers, historians and the public. It also provides opportunities for archivists, early-career professionals, and volunteers to gain practical, hands-on archive experience.
Alexandra Palace is a beacon of Victorian architecture, and one of London’s most iconic landmarks. The Grade II Listed building stands at the heart of 196 acres of award-winning green space and welcomes four million people each year. During the restoration of the Palace’s East Wing and Victorian Theatre in 2016, thousands of records and artefacts were rediscovered, shedding new light on the Palace’s rich and varied past. “We’re absolutely thrilled that the Business Archives Council has recognised the importance of our archive” says Kirsten Forrest, Curatorial & Interpretation Manager, Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust. “This funding will help us to preserve and share our stories with everyone, ensuring that the collection remains accessible in the future for everyone to enjoy.”
The grant will also fund the appointment of a project archivist to assist the high-level cataloguing of material and enhance the Palace’s work with The National Archives Discovery platform, Haringey Archive and Museum Service, and the Hornsey Historical Society.
“This marks an important step forward in protecting the history of the Park and Palace for generations to come” adds Emma Dagnes OBE, Chief Executive, Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust. “The archive offers a rare insight into Alexandra Palace’s role in modern Britain, from our Victorian beginnings to our present as a cultural destination in the capital. Opening up these records will inspire others, strengthen relationships with local communities, embed heritage work across the borough, and help share this wonderful collection with so many people in new and innovative ways.”
Alexandra Park and Palace is truly unique as one of the last surviving multi-purpose Victorian entertainment venues in the UK. The archive will continue to play an important role in the Trust’s year-round creative learning and heritage programmes, including plans to celebrate the 90th anniversary of television in 2026 and Haringey’s year as London Borough of Culture for 2027.
Image caption: L-R: Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust Julia Melady (Archive Volunteer), Kirsten Forrest (Curatorial & Interpretation Manager), Katherine Harding (Head of Fundraising)