A trailblazing female wrestler who took her fight from the ring to the courtroom, and a famous gorilla whose celebrity status once filled national newspaper columns, are among the remarkable Leeds stories being showcased in a new exhibition at Abbey House Museum.
Titled ‘In the Picture’, the display brings together an eye-catching selection of objects, paintings and photographs drawn from the extensive Leeds Museums and Galleries collection. The exhibition has been launched as part of ‘Leeds 400’ — the city-wide programme marking 400 years since Leeds was granted its first royal charter by King Charles I.
Organisers say the exhibition is designed to spotlight lesser-known chapters of Leeds history while celebrating the people, places and moments that have helped shape the city’s identity.
Kitty Ross, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ curator of social history, who has been bringing the exhibition together said:
“Each of these objects has left its own unique and lasting mark on the history of Leeds and on the different people and communities who have called the city home through the centuries.
“Seeing how some of those people have also responded to them creatively through mediums like photography and artwork gives a fascinating insight into how individual and collective perspectives change over time and how different generations interpret and celebrate their local heritage.”
Among the standout exhibits are a leotard and championship belt once worn by Leeds-born female wrestler Sue Brittain — known outside the ropes as Marjorie Farrar, who lived in Pudsey. During her career, she fought a series of legal battles to be allowed to compete, including a landmark case in 1979 when she used equal opportunities legislation to challenge the then Greater London Council during a two-day court hearing.
After winning, she went on to face Jane St John at Wimbledon Town Hall in what became the first women’s wrestling bout staged in London since the 1930s. The items are displayed alongside a photograph of Brittain in her ring gear and several trophies from her career.
Also featured is the skeleton of Mok the gorilla, who in life was one half of a primate celebrity couple. Captured in Central Africa, Mok was initially kept in a cage in the lobby of a Paris hotel before being bought by London Zoo and transported to the capital in 1932. From 1933, Mok lived in a specially built gorilla enclosure alongside a female gorilla named Moina.
The pair became a public sensation, regularly appearing in national newspapers of the day.
However, knowledge of exotic animals and their needs was far less advanced at the time. Mok, a natural herbivore, was fed a diet that included steak and chicken — an approach believed to have dramatically shortened his life. He died of kidney disease at London Zoo on January 14, 1958, with Moina dying a short time later.
Mok’s mounted specimen and skeleton were later purchased by the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. Today, his skeleton is displayed at Abbey House Museum alongside a detailed pencil drawing by Cecil Stuart Tresilian depicting Mok at London Zoo.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture said:
“The story of Leeds is completely unique and, over the course of hundreds of years, has been shaped by a quite astonishing variety of people and events.
“As we celebrate what is a landmark moment in the city’s history this year, it’s a fitting time to explore our museum collection and encourage people living here today to think about all the things which make Leeds such a special place.”
Other highlights in ‘In the Picture’ include a vintage tricycle once owned by a family living on Bankside Street in Harehills — photographed riding it in 1888 — an evening dress worn by a Leeds woman for the 1937 Coronation, and a beautifully made double bass crafted by Leeds artisan Mark William Dearlove, a violin and bass maker associated with the Great Industrial Exhibition of All Nations at Crystal Palace, London, in 1851.
The exhibition is one of many events and activities taking place across Leeds as part of Leeds 400, with residents, community groups and organisations encouraged to visit and to celebrate the milestone in their own way.
For more information on ‘In the Picture’, please visit In the Picture: Objects in Focus | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and Exhibitions
More information on getting involved with ‘Leeds 400’, including hosting your own events, can be found at Leeds 400 – a year of celebration | Leeds.gov.uk
