Leeds residents are being invited to share treasured keepsakes, photographs and family heirlooms to help tell the story of the city as part of a historic new exhibition.
Leeds Central Library is asking local people to contribute to an upcoming display marking 400 years since Leeds was granted its first City Charter by King Charles I. Opening this September, the exhibition will bring together heritage treasures from the library’s special collections alongside striking images of Leeds captured by artists and photographers over the centuries. The display will also feature material selected from the library’s extensive Leodis archive, offering a fascinating glimpse into the people, places and moments that have shaped the city’s history.
Among the images featured are evocative scenes from the city’s past, including a 1970 photograph titled simply ‘Butch and Mates’, showing a group of unidentified children playing outside rows of terraced houses on Servia Hill. Librarians hope the photograph, along with others being shared ahead of the exhibition, will inspire residents to look through their own family albums and collections of memorabilia and submit objects that capture what Leeds means to them.
Contributions could include photographs, personal stories, artwork or fanzines that reflect significant moments, memorable people or experiences with a deep personal or community connection.
Antony Ramm, Leeds Central Library’s special collections librarian said:
“Leeds 400 is all about bringing the history and heritage of Leeds to life and commemorating one of the defining moments in the city’s long story. But it’s also about the many people, events and communities who, through the ages, have contributed to making Leeds such a unique and remarkable place in millions of small but significant ways.
“For this exhibition what we’d really love is for people to share some of those personal moments and memories which define what Leeds really means to them so they can be part of celebrating this very special year.”
Councillor Asghar Khan, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing and hubs said:
“It’s wonderful that the library is playing such an important part in celebrating Leeds 400 and giving local people the chance to be involved in marking such a historic occasion for the whole city.
“Leeds has been built by the many vibrant and diverse communities who have made the city their home over the centuries and by exploring and sharing their stories and memories, we can showcase exactly why this is such an incredible place.”
Historic items set to feature in the exhibition include a microfilmed collection documenting the life and career of pioneering Leeds feminist Mary Gawthorpe, alongside a unique copy of Ralph Thoresby’s Ducatus Leodiensis, widely regarded as the first written history of Leeds.
They will be displayed alongside more modern material from the library’s collections, including tickets from gigs and performances by famous acts, as well as a fascinating selection of fanzines created by football and sports fans from across the region. The exhibition will form a key part of the city-wide Leeds 400 celebrations, marking four centuries since Leeds was granted its first City Charter in 1626.
Residents are being invited to share their stories, objects and photographs ahead of the exhibition by emailing localandfamilyhistory@leeds.gov.uk
More information about Leeds 400 and the wider programme of events can be found on the Welcome to Leeds 400 – A Year of Celebration
