Part IV of a short series of stories from the glory days of the Circus in Leeds and the surrounding area. All the stories can be found in the History of Leeds Circus tab at the top of this page, continuing with today’s fourth and final topographical look at the various Circus sites in and around Leeds……
Author: Leeds Libraries
Peterloo and After: 19th-century Radicalism in Leeds
Earlier in 2019 Librarians in the Local and Family History department of the Central Library curated a small display of books and other stock showcasing the rich tradition of radical politics in 19th-century Leeds. Reproduced below are the exhibition’s descriptive text cards, along with some sample images of the relevant stock. Please contact the Local…
People of Leeds #4: Olga Denver
The fourth in an occasional series looking at forgotten contributors to the history of Leeds. This week, we tell the story of Olga Denver, circus-performer and friend to Hollywood stars. You can read more about the history of the circus in Leeds elsewhere on the blog, or view all entries in this People of Leeds series. …
Hungarian Refugees in Leeds
This week we welcome history student Haaris Mahmood, a previous guest contributor, with a brief history of Hungarian refugees in Leeds during the events of 1956. This article makes extensive use of the Central Library local newspaper archive, which can be found in our Local and Family History department. Specific articles used by Haaris in…
Fake News 21st July 1924
Fake News is a new project, by Tim Knight, which uses Local and Family History’s newspaper archive to publish a fictional front page every month. Curated from cuttings of The Yorkshire Post and The Yorkshire Evening Post—Leeds’ oldest continuous newspaper—Fake News will explore the goings-on, mishaps and miscellany of Yorkshire through the ages. Today’s edition, hot…
So Palatial a Structure: The Grand Hotel Scarborough and Cuthbert Brodrick
Today’s Secret Library blog is written by John Heywood, author of Beside the Seaside: A History of Yorkshire’s Seaside Resorts. When I was asked to write a brief article, it set me thinking as to how I could link elements of the book to the City of Leeds. If I had been at the Library at…
‘Report into the Investigation of the Series of Murders and Assaults on Women in the North of England between 1975 and 1980’
This week we hear from independent researcher Francesca Roe, who describes how an unassuming document in the Central Library collections casts light on the Yorkshire Ripper investigation and its failings. Between 1975 and 1980, Peter Sutcliffe – better known as the Yorkshire Ripper – murdered 13 women in the North of England. The terror…
Memories of Leeds Central Library
Do you have memories of working in the Leeds Municipal Building on Calverley Street? Leeds Library Service is keen to hear from you, as their local history Librarians begin an exciting new project exploring the heritage of one of the city centre’s most iconic Victorian buildings. First opened in 1884, the Municipal Building has variously…
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