Leeds Caribbean and African Communities Celebrated in New Historic England Photographic Collection
The Chapeltown Photography Project, led by photographer and local resident Solomon Charles-Kelly, worked with communities over 5 months to record the collective experience and vibrant character of the North Leeds suburb today.
Historic England has added a new photographic collection celebrating Leeds Caribbean and African communities to its national Archive.
The image collection includes depictions of everyday life in and around Chapeltown, including thriving community gatherings at the Leeds Caribbean and African Centre, and local cultural events such as the Leeds West Indian Carnival and an event celebrating 500 years of Black British music.
Solomon also captured local community events such as an evening with retired nurses from the Windrush generation, who shared their personal recollections of the nursing profession, and the fight for health equality around conditions such as Sickle Cell.
As the Chapeltown Photographer-in-Residence, I had the unique opportunity to really interact with the spirit, identity, and culture of the Chapeltown community in Leeds.
The project allowed me to connect with the place I have always called home, and to document the stories and experiences of the African and Caribbean community that, to me, form its heart.
This residency was an invaluable chance to celebrate Chapeltown's past, present, and future through a body of work that reflects the area's richness, diversity, and resilience.
After the Second World War, members of the African-Caribbean community settled in Leeds and made Chapeltown their home. The area has since become synonymous with the community, partly due to events such as the annual Leeds West Indian Carnival, the second largest of its kind after Notting Hill.
The project was supported by the Leeds-based non-profit Lens Lab Project. Throughout the residency Solomon worked closely with community members in Chapeltown including elders, young people and local organisations.
His work aimed to encourage the community to take part in the image-making process and explore their own local histories, as well as challenging negative perceptions about the area.
Solomon’s work is a fantastic addition to the Historic England Archive, creating a legacy for the Caribbean and African community in Chapeltown today and for generations to come. Ensuring the Archive reflects everyone’s heritage is an important part of our work and this project has been a great opportunity to develop our collections.
The project was motivated by the rediscovery of photographs from 1983 of the opening of the Leeds Caribbean and African Centre. Images of the centre's 40th anniversary celebrations feature alongside Solomon's work in the Historic England collection.
Both collections can now be viewed online on the Historic England Archive as a snapshot of the community in the present day.
The Leeds Caribbean and African Centre is immensely proud of our recent collaboration with Historic England, Lens Lab Project, and Solomon Charles-Kelly. Together, we have beautifully captured the vibrant spirit, rich heritage, and dynamic culture of our community, ensuring that our legacy is preserved for future generations
Lens Lab Project's mission is to promote engagement in photography across Yorkshire and the wider region. In this context, we were excited to help select Solomon Charles-Kelly for this residency early in his career and to work with him to provide technical, logistical, and curatorial support for this work.
We are especially thrilled that this work will be included in Historic England's archives, for future generations to see a snapshot of this vibrant community at this point in time.
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