Our new monograph on the city of Freetown, Sierra Leone has (finally) been published – open access and you can download it here. It’s a major output stretching to 240 pages across a chunky 250x250mm format and is the third book in our series on sharing the archives of the United Africa Company. The other two books are on Kingsway Stores and The Photocard collection.
Photocard and Kingsway catalogue
Our approach in Freetown was to identify and write brief historical narratives on the city’s development using archival photographs mainly from the Unilever UAC collection, alongside recent photographs. Archival work took place at Unilever, Bodlean Library, UK National Archives, as well as at Fourah Bay in Freetown – and this informed our fieldwork and photography. The approach is a classic ‘before and after’ set of images with descriptions. There isn’t an architectural guide book or detailed study of Freetown and it’s architecture – which is quite shocking considering the quality of the work and the architects involved (including Nickson and Borys; Jame Cubitt; Ronald Ward and many others….)
Freetown An Architectural Gazetteer
As well as covering the major buildings in the city we include an extended essay on Fourah Bay College, and a write up on Bonthe at Sherbro that we were fortunate to visit. We’re particularly proud of the Bonthe work – and there is certainly a lot more research to undertake into its history and architecture.
New research update : Ali, N., Idowu, G. Demolition-driven urbanism and the loss of coastal heritage in Makoko, Lagos. Nat Cities (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-026-00411-5
“Makoko is a nineteenth-century fishing neighborhood and major small-scale business hub in Lagos, Nigeria. It is located on prime land in the Yaba local government area. An estimated 250,000 people live there, on top of stilted housing on water and concrete structures on land. Water-based residents are predominantly from the Egun minority group, and land-based residents are largely Yoruba. Following a demolition in 2012, the community’s baales (chiefs) and the Lagos state government signed a memorandum of understanding in 2014. The memorandum of understanding stipulated, among other provisions, the removal of structures within 100 m of the high-voltage power line that traverses Makoko. Although contested, the agreement functioned as a provisional settlement between customary governance and state authority.
Now, this memorandum of understanding has been broken. Since 23 December 2025, the Lagos state government has demolished an estimated 3,000 homesin Makoko’s waterfront areas, extending well beyond the agreed perimeter (based on conversations with residents and video and photographic evidence between 5 and 20 January 2026). The progressive expansion of the demolition zone — from an initially negotiated, legally proscribed 30 m to an arbitrary 522 m from the power line— highlights a governance approach characterized by shifting spatial criteria and insufficient procedural transparency. During the past three years, the stilted houses on the waterfront have steadily expanded towards Third Mainland Bridge, as seen on ArcGIS — which does not explain the transgression of the agreed perimeter. There are only speculations about why the government broke the memorandum of understanding, which held for almost 11 years.”
Author information
Nura Ali, Liverpool School of Architecture, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UKNura Ali
Gowon Idowu, Traditional medicine practitioner, Lagos, Nigeria, Gowon Idowu
I’ve been visiting buildings in Accra that I don’t know much about today.
SSMIT Pension House: super bit of brutalism near the ministries. This building looks after the state pensions – but who designed it? Perhaps a forgotten Nickson & Borys? Rather nice open staircase and precise brise soleil…. I can’t find any references to it in my collections or at the RIBA library catalogue. I’ll have to check WABA Journal again, but don’t recall ever reading about this significant building?
Accra Technical Institute. My reliable sources say it’s designed by none other than James Cubitt. Could be – it resembles his early work at KNUST, Kumasi. OR should I have gone to the Accra Technical College? But the dates for that institution don’t seem to add up.
Then there’s a delightful commercial building in Jamestown. It resembles the UAC Kingsway Store in Sekondi. It definitely wasn’t a Kingsway, but perhaps was linked to the UAC?
Finally “Betty House”. A rather large house in what was a prestigious neighbourhood in Jamestown at Korle Wokon. Historically important as the residence of Nana Akufo-Addo’s father and served as HQ for Ghana’s first political party, the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) after its formation in 1947.
Bringing the Kingsway Stores Home: Our Exhibition Opens in Accra15 Jan – Easter
On 15th January, we celebrated the opening of “Shopping Emporiums of West Africa: The Kingsway Stores” at Jamestown Cafe and Gallery in Accra, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing research into the architectural and commercial legacy of the United Africa Company. The launch evening brought together an engaged audience including President of the Ghana Institute of Architects Tony Asare, Dr Abena Busia, and Ronnie Micallef, the incoming High Commissioner of Malta in Accra, for what proved to be a thought-provoking discussion about retail modernism, colonial commerce, and architectural heritage in West Africa. David Kojo Derban gave a wonderful opening talk to contextualise the exhibition, along with a wider welcome from cafe and gallery owner architect Joe Owusu Addo.
The exhibition represents the culmination of over 5 years of collaborative research examining the Kingsway department store chain, which operated across West Africa throughout much of the twentieth century. Working alongside Unilever archivist Claire Tunstall and colleagues Ewan Harrison, Rixt Woudstra, Paul Robinson, and Michele Tenzon, we’ve traced the fascinating story of these iconic shopping emporiums from their inception through the independence periods of West Africa and beyond.
This work forms part of our broader investigation into the United Africa Company, published last year by Bloomsbury as “Architecture, Empire, Trade.” In our recent Journal of Design History article, co-authored with Ewan Harrison, Irene Appeaning Addo, and Oluwaseun Muraina, we wrote that “Kingsway responded to independence by instrumentalizing a particularly modernist domesticity through a series of didactic marketing efforts and the construction of boldly modernist new stores.” The article reveals how these stores weren’t simply places of commerce but architectural statements where “modernism is here revealed as complexly imbricated with colonial and neocolonial profit-seeking.”
The exhibition itself has journeyed from Liverpool to Ghana, carefully packed and stored at Jamestown Cafe before being installed in early January. Two freestanding pavilions display archival photographs from the Unilever Archive, accompanied by newly commissioned 3D-printed models created by Liverpool School of Architecture students and archival films that bring the stores’ bustling atmosphere to life. The pavilions themselves, fabricated using CNC routers by our expert technical team at Liverpool lead by James Galliford, echo the modernist architectural language of the stores they document.
What makes presenting this exhibition in Accra particularly meaningful is the opportunity to share this research in the very city where the first Kingsway store stood. The ruins stand next door to the gallery – a poignant reminder of this commercial and architectural heritage. Through collaboration with Allotey Bruce Konuah, we’ve extended the exhibition beyond the gallery walls with vinyl street banners installed on both the gallery exterior, creating a dialogue between past and present. The banners also contain QR codes so visitors and passers-by can freely download the catalogue.
Our commitment to sharing this research extends beyond this single exhibition. We were interviewed on Asaase Radio morning show and it was great to share our work with a broader audience across Ghana. Following the exhibitions run in Accra through to Easter, we hope to tour the exhibition to other venues, continuing the conversation about how retail modernism, colonial commerce, and architectural heritage intersect. This exhibition reminds us that architecture is never merely about buildings; it’s about the economic, social, and political systems that produce them.
I finally visited the Nubuke_foundation today – a contemporary arts centre in East Legon, Accra . A very exciting structure that was fun to explore . I got there early and had the entire place to my self. Exclusively en situ concrete with the main gallery on piloti the space is lit from the large windows at either end of the linear structure. The shaded outside space under the gallery creates an exterior garden gallery (and cinema), and a carefully cast cantilevered staircase leads up the main entrance. The doors have the Le Corbusier inspired eccentric pivot, found frequently in Chandigarh, and there are certainly other motifs redeployed from the Modernist 5 points. It’s not derivative or cliched though – far from it. The building responds very well to the site and the vast -louvred window facades at each end offer fine views whilst being shaded from the concrete that projects beyond.
The campus was designed by Baerbel Mueller of http://www.nav-s.net/ and Foreign Affairs ([A]FA), Institute of Architecture, University of Applied Arts Vienna.
Elsewhere I had a less successful attempt to visit the Backyard Community Club – every time I visit it’s closed – but hopefully I’ll get full access soon. Designed by DeRoche Projects, it is the first project in Ghana using a precast rammed earth system. The modular precast elements provide shade whilst allowing cross ventilation. They also integrate cleverly into a bench for observers to watch the games. As well as tennis, there’s a kitchen garden and other gathering spaces for coaching and social events.
I’m intrigued by the precast panels and would like to learn more about the detailing. How was it possible to transport rammed earth – surely there’s a significant amount of cement in these panels to hold them together, and how is the top of the panels protected from the heavy rain? I’ll have to investigate further. Read more and see far better photos here: https://www.archdaily.com/1036713/backyard-community-club-deroche-projects. We saw at nearby Dot Atelier the flashing interventions being made around the windows to project the adobe ‘sandcrete’. I admire both buildings for experimenting and developing such uplifting and carefully designed spaces.
The Kingsway Exhibition has been sent to Accra and carefully stored at the Jamestown Cafe for a few months now. We were finally able to unpack the vast pallet on Friday morning and spent the weekend constructing the two pavilions and installing the light boxes and panels.
The exhibition is being extended and reimagined through a further collaboration with Allotey Bruce Konuah on a series of vinyl street banners that will be installed on the exterior walls of the gallery space, as well as on the old ruined Kingsway Stores portico located next door.
The opening night is 15th January and all welcome. The exhibition will remain until Easter before it moves on…
Thank you to James Galliford and the Liverpool School of Architecture Technical Team for their expertise on the fabrication and installation, and to Claire Tunstall and Unilever Archives team for all their help and support sourcing the images and visuals.
We’ll be setting up the Kingsway Stores exhibition at Jamestown Cafe and Gallery, Accra, this week. The two pavilions have made their way from Liverpool to Ghana and are ready for installation. The opening is on Thursday 15th January from 6pm – all very welcome. We’ll be based at the cafe from Friday 9th – so if you’re in the vicinity please call in. The exhibition will run until Easter and then we’ll tour it to other venues, with details to be confirmed.
It’s devoted to our work-in-progress on the Polish architect ZdzisÅ‚aw Borysowicz – complete with lots of photos, basic biog on ‘Borys’ and how we managed to finally find out more on this fascinating architect….
This report presents findings from a comprehensive survey of 48 archives, collections, and repositories across Northwest England that contain significant West African historical material (1880-1980). We should have an interactive map of the archive locations published here shortly….
Here is a list of the archives consulted and key information for each collection/location/repository:
The research reveals a substantial but under-explored archival landscape that offers exceptional opportunities for advancing historical research into West Africa and its relationship with Northwest England. The collections span diverse themes including colonial administration, trade networks, missionary activities, healthcare, urban development, and cultural exchange, providing rich source material for interdisciplinary research projects.
Research Scope and Methodology
Geographic and Temporal Parameters
The survey focused on historical West African material from former British colonies including Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, with additional consideration of materials from Congo, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, and Niger. The temporal scope encompasses the period 1880-1980, capturing the late colonial period through to early post-independence developments.
Thematic Categories
Research materials were categorised across key themes:
History and heritage studies
Urban design and city planning
Public health and medical history
Architecture and built environment
Trade and commercial networks
Religious and missionary activities
Colonial administration
Collection Assessment Framework
Each archive was evaluated using a systematic approach that assessed:
Type and format of materials (books, photographs, manuscripts, ephemera, artifacts)
Primary thematic focus
Volume and extent of holdings
Accessibility and research potential
Relevance rating (1-5 star system that reflected how useful the archive would be to our research interests in the built environment and history)
Key Findings: Archive Landscape and Research Potential
Distribution and Scale
The survey identified 48 archives across Northwest England, primarily concentrated in the Merseyside region but extending to Manchester, Lancaster, and Chester. Seven archives achieved the highest relevance rating (5 stars), each containing over 20 linear metres of diverse West African materials spanning multiple themes and formats.
Material Types and Research Applications
The collections encompass diverse formats offering multiple research approaches:
Documentary Sources:
Colonial administrative records
Trade and shipping documentation
Medical and health records
Urban planning documents
Personal correspondence and diaries
Visual Materials:
Photographs documenting colonial life, urban development, and cultural practices
Architectural drawings and city plans
Maps and surveys
Artistic representations
Material Culture:
Artifacts and objects
Textiles and decorative arts
Ceramics and sculptures
Models and architectural elements
Corporate Archives: Exceptional Research Resources
Unilever and United Africa Company Archives: The Unilever archives, particularly the United Africa Company (UAC) collection, represent one of the most comprehensive corporate archives relating to West African economic history. UAC, established in 1929 through the merger of the Royal Niger Company and the African and Eastern Trade Corporation, became the largest trading company in West Africa. The archives contain:
Extensive Trading Records: Documentation of palm oil, cocoa, groundnut, and timber trades spanning decades
Infrastructure Development: Records of store construction, transport networks, and commercial facilities across West Africa
Labour and Employment: Personnel records, training programs, and workforce development initiatives
Technology Transfer: Documentation of agricultural techniques, processing methods, and industrial development
Local Partnerships: Records of relationships with African traders, suppliers, and business partners
Post-Independence Adaptation: Materials documenting corporate strategy during decolonization and nationalist movements
These materials offer unique insights into corporate colonialism, the mechanics of extractive economies, and the complex negotiations between European capital and African societies. The collection provides essential source material for understanding how global commodity chains operated at ground level and their impact on local communities.
Barclays Bank Archive: The Barclays collection contains extensive documentation of banking operations across West Africa, including:
Colonial Banking Development: Records of branch establishment, credit systems, and monetary policy
Financial Networks: Documentation of money transfers, currency exchange, and international finance
Agricultural Finance: Materials on crop financing, seasonal credit, and agricultural development programs
Commercial Lending: Records of business loans, trade financing, and commercial development
Post-Colonial Banking: Materials documenting the transition to independence and continued financial relationships
The banking records provide crucial insights into how financial systems shaped economic development, facilitated trade networks, and influenced social relations across West Africa. These materials are particularly valuable for understanding the mechanics of colonial extraction and the evolution of financial institutions in post-colonial Africa.
Thematic Strengths for Research Development
Urban Development and Planning: The Archives contain substantial materials on colonial urban development, infrastructure projects, and city planning initiatives. These sources offer opportunities to examine how European urban planning concepts were implemented in West African contexts and their lasting impact on contemporary cities.
Medical and Public Health History: Rich documentation of colonial health initiatives, medical practices, and public health campaigns provides foundation for research into the history of medicine in West Africa, disease management, and the development of healthcare infrastructure.
Commercial and Trade Networks: Extensive shipping, banking, and commercial records illuminate the economic relationships between Northwest England and West Africa, offering insights into trade networks, commodity flows, and economic development patterns. Of particular significance are the Unilever archives (including the United Africa Company records) and the Barclays Bank archive, which contain unparalleled documentation of corporate operations, trading networks, and financial systems that shaped West African economic development throughout the colonial and post-colonial periods.
Religious and Cultural Exchange: Missionary records, religious materials, and cultural documentation provide resources for examining religious transformation, cultural exchange, and the complex dynamics of colonial encounter.
Colonial Administration: Administrative records and governance documents enable research into colonial policy implementation, administrative structures, and the mechanics of imperial control.
Research Opportunities and Applications
Interdisciplinary Research Potential
The diversity of materials supports multiple disciplinary approaches:
Historical Research:
Comparative studies of colonial administration across West African territories
Economic history of trans-Atlantic trade networks
Social history of colonial encounters and cultural exchange
Urban Studies:
Evolution of colonial cities and urban planning
Infrastructure development and its contemporary implications
Architectural history and building practices
Medical History:
Development of tropical medicine
Public health initiatives and their outcomes
Medical knowledge transfer and adaptation
Cultural Studies:
Missionary activities and religious transformation
Cultural exchange and hybrid practices
Art, material culture, and aesthetic transformation
Collaborative Research Framework
The geographic concentration of archives creates opportunities for:
Multi-Archive Projects: Researchers can access complementary materials across institutions, enabling comprehensive studies that draw on diverse source types and perspectives.
Network Building: The established archive network provides foundation for collaborative research initiatives, shared resources, and coordinated access to materials. The University of Liverpool and AHUWA are particularly well-positioned to serve as coordinating institutions/centres for multi-archive research projects, leveraging their expertise in West African studies and established international partnerships.
Digital Humanities Applications: The variety of materials (textual, visual, material) offers opportunities for digital humanities projects, including digitization initiatives, database development, and online exhibitions. The University of Liverpool’s digital humanities infrastructure and AHUWA’s focus on accessibility make this an ideal location for developing innovative digital approaches to archival research.
Strategic Recommendations for Research Development
Institutional Research Capacity: University of Liverpool and AHUWA
University of Liverpool Research Infrastructure: The University of Liverpool is exceptionally well-positioned to capitalise on this rich archival landscape. As a leading institution in historical research with strong connections to West African studies, the university offers:
Established Research Expertise: Faculty with specialized knowledge in African history, colonial studies, and economic history
Interdisciplinary Capabilities: Departments spanning History, Geography, Politics, Development Studies, and Business that can support multifaceted research approaches
Digital Humanities Infrastructure: Technical resources for digitisation projects, database development, and online exhibitions
Graduate Research Programs: Capacity for training new researchers in archival methods and West African historical research
International Partnerships: Existing relationships with West African universities and research institutions
AHUWA Research Centre: The Architecture, Heritage, and Urbanism in Western Africa (AHUWA) research centre provides a specialized institutional framework for maximising the research potential of these archival collections. AHUWA’s mission and expertise make it ideally suited to:
Coordinate Multi-Archive Projects: Develop comprehensive research initiatives that draw on materials from multiple archives
Foster Collaborative Research: Facilitate partnerships between UK and West African researchers
Support Community Engagement: Connect archival research with contemporary West African communities
Promote Policy Relevance: Ensure research contributes to contemporary development and policy discussions
Develop Digital Platforms: Create online resources that make archival materials accessible to global researchers
The combination of Liverpool’s institutional resources and AHUWA’s specialised focus creates an unparalleled opportunity for developing the research potential of Northwest England’s West African archives.
Priority Research Areas
1. Comparative Colonial Studies The archives support comparative research across different West African territories, examining variations in colonial policy, administration, and outcomes.
2. Economic History Networks Trade and commercial records enable mapping of economic relationships, commodity flows, and the development of trans-Atlantic commercial networks. The Unilever/UAC and Barclays archives are particularly valuable for examining corporate colonialism, financial systems, and the evolution of global commodity chains. These collections support research into topics such as:
The role of European corporations in shaping West African economies
Banking and financial networks in colonial and post-colonial Africa
Labour relations and industrial development
Technology transfer and agricultural modernization
Corporate responses to decolonization and African nationalism
3. Urban Development Studies Planning documents and architectural materials provide foundation for examining colonial urban development and its contemporary implications.
4. Medical and Public Health History Healthcare records offer opportunities to examine the development of tropical medicine, public health initiatives, and medical knowledge transfer.
Methodological Approaches
Cross-Archive Analysis: Researchers should develop strategies for working across multiple archives to build comprehensive pictures of historical processes and relationships. The corporate archives (Unilever/UAC and Barclays) can be particularly productive when analysed in conjunction with government records, missionary materials, and local documentation.
Digital Integration: Consider developing digital platforms that integrate materials from multiple archives, enabling new forms of analysis and presentation. The University of Liverpool’s technical capabilities and AHUWA’s research focus provide ideal foundations for such initiatives.
Community Engagement: Explore opportunities for community-based research that connects archival materials with contemporary West African communities in Northwest England. AHUWA’s community engagement expertise and Liverpool’s diverse population create opportunities for participatory research approaches.
Future Research Directions
Emerging Themes
The archive survey suggests several promising research directions:
1. Infrastructure and Development: Examining colonial infrastructure projects and their long-term implications for contemporary development challenges.
2. Knowledge Transfer: Investigating how knowledge, practices, and technologies moved between West Africa and Northwest England.
3. Cultural Networks: Exploring the cultural connections and exchanges that developed through colonial relationships.
4. Corporate Colonialism and Business History: The Unilever/UAC and Barclays archives provide exceptional opportunities for examining the role of European corporations in shaping West African development, including studies of extractive economies, corporate-state relations, and business adaptation to decolonization.
5. Post-Colonial Continuities: Examining how colonial-era relationships evolved in the post-independence period, with particular attention to ongoing corporate and financial connections.
Methodological Innovation
The archives offer opportunities for methodological innovation in:
Digital humanities applications
Multi-sited archival research
Community-based research approaches
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Conclusion
The West African archival materials in Northwest England represent a significant and underutilised resource for historical research. The diversity of collections, spanning multiple themes and formats, provides foundation for innovative research projects that can advance understanding of West African history, colonial relationships, and their contemporary implications. The exceptional corporate archives, particularly the Unilever/UAC and Barclays collections, offer unique insights into the mechanics of colonial economies and corporate power in Africa.
The established network of 48 archives, combined with the research capacity of the University of Liverpool and the specialized expertise of AHUWA, offers exceptional opportunities for collaborative research, comparative studies, and interdisciplinary projects. With seven archives containing substantial holdings and many others providing specialized materials, researchers have access to comprehensive source bases for addressing complex historical questions about corporate colonialism, financial systems, and economic development.
The University of Liverpool’s institutional strengths and AHUWA’s focused mission create an ideal environment for developing the research potential of these collections. Their combined expertise in West African studies, digital humanities, and community engagement provides the foundation for innovative methodological approaches and collaborative research initiatives that can significantly advance historical understanding.
Moving forward, the research community should prioritize developing collaborative frameworks that maximise the potential of these collections, with particular attention to the corporate archives that offer unique insights into the mechanics of colonial extraction and economic development. The foundations established through this survey, combined with Liverpool’s institutional capacity and AHUWA’s specialised focus, provide the groundwork for a new generation of research that can significantly advance historical understanding of West Africa and its relationship with Northwest England.
Transnational Architecture Group 