The Latymer Foundation: Building Belonging Through Its Archive
Summary: The Latymer Foundation has redefined the role of its archive, shifting from passive preservation to active participation. Under Archivist Polly Foley and Alumni Relations Manager Sian Davis, the archive has become a strategic tool for alumni engagement and fundraising. By using SocialArchive’s digital platform, Latymer has reconnected with alumni, supported families searching for personal stories and grounded campaigns in shared history. This approach demonstrates how archives can go beyond storage to become strategic assets that build belonging and inspire long-term support.
When people think about archives, they often picture old rooms filled with filing cabinets and forgotten photos. But for The Latymer Foundation at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, the archive has become something very different: a tool for connection, storytelling and relationship-building.
Led by Archivist, Polly Foley and Alumni Relations Manager, Sian Davis, Latymer is showing how the past can be a powerful part of the present, especially when it comes to engaging alumni and supporting fundraising efforts.
Moving From Silo to Strategy
When Polly first joined the team at Latymer, her work in the archive was largely separate from the rest of the school. She wasn’t part of the development office and often felt like the archive’s role was limited to historical record-keeping.
Pupils would often leave after seven years without ever having visited the archive, a missed opportunity to connect them to the school’s 400-year history.
As the school began preparations for its 400th anniversary, Polly recognised a chance to reposition the archive. By aligning more closely with alumni relations and development and integrating the archive into engagement efforts, she helped shift its role from passive preservation to active participation.
Digital Archives, Real-World Impact
One of the most meaningful changes came with the adoption of SocialArchive, a digital archiving and engagement platform, that allowed Latymer to share content more widely and interactively.
Through the platform, Polly reconnected with an alumnus from the Class of 1958. Their conversation started when he helped identify a forgotten teacher in an old photo. That exchange, small on the surface, became the start of something more.
Having not returned to the school in more than 50 years, the alumni in question eventually accepted an invitation to attend the 400th anniversary celebration. As Polly shared, “He said he would never have come to it if we hadn’t had those interactions behind the scenes first.”
Filling in the Blanks of Family History
Not every archive request is about nostalgia. Some are deeply personal.
When a family reached out looking for a photograph of a Latymerian who had been killed in World War II, Polly found an unlabelled prefects’ photo from 1944 and a list of names, but the names weren’t assigned to faces. She contacted an alumnus from 1945 who lived locally and might remember the boy.
Polly described what happened next: “Straight away, he said, ‘There, front row, on the left.’ I said, ‘Are you sure? This photo would have been taken in 1944. We’re now in 2022. How can you be so sure?’ He said, ‘I don’t know, but I am.’”
The family later confirmed the identity using a photo from his wartime squadron. In the process, a gap in the school’s history, and a missing piece of one family’s personal story, was filled.
Supporting Campaigns with Stories That Matter
The archive isn’t just helping individuals reconnect, it’s also supporting the Foundation with campaigns.
When Latymer launched a fundraising appeal to do with boating at the school, Polly prioritised gathering archive material related to it. The archive produced decades of team photos, the successful rowing teams and stories, that were turned into digital content and used in fundraising communications.
As Polly put it, “It really brings a campaign alive.”
By grounding a fundraising appeal in shared memories and pride, the campaign became more than a financial ask, it became a celebration of collective identity.
The Role of Storytelling in Alumni Engagement
Sian Davis, Alumni Relations Manager at Latymer, sees the archive as a vital part of her work. She explained that archives help alumni connect to their own place in the school’s longer story and create a strong sense of belonging.
As alumni grow older, many begin to reflect more deeply on where they came from and what shaped them. According to Sian, there’s growing curiosity among alumni to understand the school’s backstory, and how they fit into it.
She noted that archives aren’t just about old books or buildings anymore. Storytelling is what brings them to life. “Pull out the stories — it’s all about storytelling. Storytelling is key.”
A Model for Other Schools
Latymer’s approach offers a clear model for other schools and universities looking to make better use of their archives:
Integrate archives into alumni engagement and development strategies
Use digital tools to share stories at scale and invite interaction
Treat archives as emotional assets, not just historical ones
Connect with current pupils early to build long-term engagement
At Latymer, the archive isn’t a quiet corner of the past, it’s a living part of the school’s community. Whether reconnecting alumni after 50 years, helping families reclaim lost stories, or supporting active fundraising campaigns, the archive is now a central player in building relationships that last.
As Polly noted, “Archives connect alumni in ways that other mediums just can’t.”
Ready to turn your school’s history into a tool for engagement and belonging? Get in touch with our team or book a demo to explore what’s possible.
Key Takeaways:
Latymer shifted its archive from record-keeping to relationship-building by integrating it with alumni relations and development.
Digital tools like SocialArchive make archives accessible, interactive and central to engagement strategies.
Archives can reconnect alumni after decades, fill personal gaps in family histories and strengthen school identity.
Storytelling transforms archival material into meaningful connections that inspire participation and generosity.
Schools that treat archives as living assets can enhance alumni engagement, enrich campaigns and create deeper, lasting connections across their community.
FAQs:
Why did Latymer reposition its archive?
Latymer recognised that the archive was underused and siloed. By integrating it with alumni relations and development, it became a tool for connection, not just preservation.
How has digital archiving changed alumni engagement?
With platforms like SocialArchive, alumni can interact with content, contribute their own memories and reconnect with the school in more meaningful ways.
Can archives support fundraising campaigns?
Yes. By providing historic photos, stories, and shared memories, archives give campaigns emotional depth, making appeals feel authentic and community-driven.
What impact has the archive had on individual alumni?
It has reconnected alumni after 50 years, inspired return visits, and even helped families recover lost pieces of personal history.
What can other schools learn from Latymer’s approach?
That archives are more than historical records; they are emotional assets. By integrating archives into engagement and campaign strategies, schools can strengthen belonging and inspire long-term support.
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