Ruth Martin

Michael Morpurgo A Lifetime in Stories
9th February 2019
1 min read

Museum steps inside the stories of Michael Morpurgo

Captivating tales penned by one of the nation’s best-loved children’s storytellers have come to life in a new exhibition in Leeds. Curated by Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books, Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories opens on February 8 at Leeds City Museum, and takes families on a playful journey through hugely…
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Chippendale and gin
10th April 2018
2 mins read

Museum-goers set for a gin-credible history lesson, by George!

A delicious taste of the elegance, opulence and extravagance of life in Georgian Britain will be served up to museum-goers in Leeds. The rise of London gin shops and traditional Georgian jellies will be among the topics covered during a fascinating talk at Leeds City Museum, currently home to a stunning collection of furniture…
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Thomas Chippendale Leeds City Museums
21st February 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Original Chippendale drawings

In the 18th Century, a furniture maker from Leeds came up with a revolutionary new idea to sell his fabulous designs to potential customers. In a ground-breaking stroke of marketing genius, he produced the first “furniture catalogue”, filled with hand-drawn images of the beautiful pieces he could craft to order. The book was called…
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Thomas Chippendale exhibition
8th February 2018
4 mins read

Exhibition celebrates stunning craftsmanship of Thomas Chippendale

Thomas Chippendale, 1718-1779: a celebration of British craftsmanship and design launches a nationwide programme to mark the tercentenary in 2018 of the birth of Thomas Chippendale senior, celebrating his life as furniture maker, designer and entrepreneur. The exhibition will show key pieces from the Royal Collection, Paxton House, Newby Hall, and Dumfries House displayed…
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Chippendale
31st January 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Chippendale lady’s secretaire

A beautifully elaborate example work by a word famous Leeds master craftsman, this beautiful lady’s secretaire will be going on display at Leeds City Museum next month. Made by none other than Thomas Chippendale, the stunning cabinet was created in 1773 and fashioned from specially-imported Chinese lacquer panels. Originally made for the State Bedroom…
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Skeletons Our Buried Bones
9th October 2017
1 min read

2023 case study- Skeletons: Our Buried Bones

It’s one of the most stunning, bold and thought-provoking exhibitions Leeds has ever seen. Now one of the curators behind Leeds City Museum’s incredible new Skeletons: Our Buried Bones has backed the city’s bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2023. Ruth Martin, the museum’s curator of exhibitions, has worked with colleagues from…
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For All Seasons
2nd August 2017
1 min read

Object of the week- vintage bucket and spade

If you’re heading to the beach this summer, an essential item on your seaside checklist is sure to be a bucket and spade. And as this charming vintage set shows, sandcastle-building and beachcombing are popular seasonal traditions which stretch back generations. At more than a century old, the two spades and their accompanying bucket…
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Trixie umbrella
5th July 2017
1 min read

Object of the week- Trixie umbrella advert

Canny companies have often employed the colourful imagery of the changing seasons to sell their products. And as this cute vintage advert for Trixie Umbrellas shows, the weather in particular can prove to be an excellent marketing tool. Tapping into the traditional idea that April is a month of unpredictable showers, the ad dates…
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Leeds, Leeds Star
8th May 2017
1 min read

Colourful game’s the perfect way to start a New Year

Different cultures across the world have found a myriad of colourful and diverse ways to celebrate the start of a new year. Everything from breath-taking fireworks to eye-catching dragons have become part of the different ways countries mark the passing of one seasonal cycle and the beginning of another. In Japan, one tradition sees…
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Leeds, Leeds Star
24th April 2017
1 min read

Vintage seaside set illustrates summer tradition

If you’re heading to the beach this summer, an essential item on your seaside checklist is sure to be a bucket and spade. And as this charming vintage set shows, sandcastle-building and beachcombing are popular seasonal traditions which stretch back generations. At more than a century old, the two spades and their accompanying bucket…
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Leeds, Leeds Star
17th April 2017
1 min read

Hundred year-old creations are a cracking Easter eggs-hibit

At almost a century old, these colourful decorative creations could be among the oldest Easter eggs in Leeds. The cardboard eggs date from the 1920s and are part of a special Easter display in Leeds City Museum’s exciting For All Seasons exhibition. The lavishly-painted eggs would originally have been filled with gifts and chocolate…
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Leeds, Leeds Star
10th April 2017
1 min read

April showers inspired quirky spring-themed advert

Canny companies have often employed the colourful imagery of the changing seasons to sell their products. And as this cute vintage advert for Trixie Umbrellas shows, the weather in particular can prove to be an excellent marketing tool. Tapping into the traditional idea that April is a month of unpredictable showers, the ad dates…
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Leeds, Leeds Star
3rd April 2017
1 min read

For All Seasons- Embroidered picture

Embroidered and printed more than a century ago, this beautiful picture draws on classical art and poetry to depict the cycle of the changing seasons. Currently on display at Leeds City Museum the picture was created in 1913 and shows four flamboyantly-dressed women who represent a different season of the year. Influenced by the…
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Leeds, Leeds Star
27th March 2017
1 min read

For All Seasons- 70s summer dress

When summer finally arrives and the temperature rises, it’s not just the weather that brightens up. The merest hint of sunshine is usually the cue for us to shed our winter woollies and put on lighter, more colourful clothes. And that was certainly true for the tiny owner of this 1970s summer dress, currently…
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Leeds, Leeds Star
20th March 2017
1 min read

For All Seasons- Grey partridges

Across the British countryside, bird’s nests are filled with clutches of newly hatched chicks. The arrival of spring is traditionally the time when eggs, which have been carefully nurtured and protected by mothers, begin to hatch and newborns like these grey partridges tentatively make their way into the world. These particular chicks are currently on…
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