Living London visits the Feminist Library

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The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. ― Marcel Proust

Over the years I’ve stumbled upon a myriad of awe inspiring places across London- within these places I’ve often met extraordinary people with stories both unique and inspiring. I set up the Living London website to share the everyday explorations, experiences, encounters and imaginings that make up my London, the city I love and I live.

Living London is made up of a collection of London places, photographs, stories, descriptions and poems. It’s designed to inform and to inspire. The best way to use this website is to click EXPLORE–& to see where you end up. http://livinglon.co.uk/

Feminist Library

I went back a few days later, it was still raining and it was still dark and iFeminist LibraryI went back a few days later, it was still raining and it was still dark and it was still cold and I pressed the buzzer and a voice let me up and I when I reached the third floor, I met Lottie and Yasmin and Gemma and Christine and they were each a rare mixture of baddass and lovely. Gemma showed me around, she took me to the room filled with historical archives from around the world, Iran to South America and afterwards she took me to another room, cosy and full of books with lovely titles like ‘a sense of adventure.’ and we talked for a bit, about different things and then she left me to explore on my own and so I did, I flicked through the 'Encyclopedia of Feminism’ and I discovered Room 101, a secret dusty room filled with unsolicited junk, and unread scriptures and badges with slogans and mysterious lost property and the wall paper was peeling off, the paint too, though it was a warm, and kind and welcoming space. Somewhere you could easily let time slip away…A few weeks later Lottie got in touch and asked if I wanted to help organise a film night and that they would like to show Settling In, our documentary film. She suggested I I could even invite my Nepalese friends and that we could do an arts and crafts workshop. I went along to see her, and to meet Tracey, who runs a Women in Film club in Peckham and we all shared ideas, and everyone knew everyone through someone else, and someone else was me and it felt like home and it felt like London… Feminist Library, Lambeth North, https://feministlibrary.co.uk/  t was still cold and I pressed the buzzer and a voice let me up and I when I reached the third floor, I met Lottie and Yasmin and Gemma and Christine and they were each a rare mixture of baddass and lovely. Gemma showed me around, she took me to the room filled with historical archives from around the world, Iran to South America and afterwards she took me to another room, cosy and full of books with lovely titles like ‘a sense of adventure.’ and we talked for a bit, about different things and then she left me to explore on my own and so I did, I flicked through the ‘Encyclopedia of Feminism’ and I discovered Room 101, a secret dusty room filled with unsolicited junk, and unread scriptures and badges with slogans and mysterious lost property and the wall paper was peeling off, the paint too, though it was a warm, and kind and welcoming space. Somewhere you could easily let time slip away…

A few weeks later Lottie got in touch and asked if I wanted to help organise a film night and that they would like to show Settling In, our documentary film. She suggested I I could even invite my Nepalese friends and that we could do an arts and crafts workshop. I went along to see her, and to meet Tracey, who runs a Women in Film club in Peckham and we all shared ideas, and everyone knew everyone through someone else, and someone else was me and it felt like home and it felt like London…