A Brief History of Leeds Antiquarians: Part I

This week, Librarian Antony Ramm gives the first part in a brief history of Antiquarians in Leeds, as told using books, manuscripts and other treasures held at the Central Library. You can find future instalments elsewhere on this blog, as well as a research guide detailing the relevant library collections available. Hans Sloane (1660 – 1753)…

Exploring Emily Brontë

Librarian Antony Ramm highlights some books that take an oblique look at the Emily Brontë story… Last Monday marked the 200th-anniversary of Emily Brontë’s birth, and there have been a wide range of articles in the local, national, specialist and social media describing and analysing both Emily’s life and her masterpiece: the novel Wuthering Heights (1847)….

Cuthbert Brodrick: The Architect of Victorian Leeds

Work placement student from The University of Huddersfield Haaris Mahmood, talks us through a brief history of the impact the architect Cuthbert Brodrick had on the city of Leeds. The city of Leeds is rich in architecture and other designs, which is at times taken for granted. As some residents from Leeds have said, ‘the…

When Football Did Come Home

Librarian Antony Ramm looks at a Central Library book of autographs that record the still-unrepeated success of 1966… So, in the end, it didn’t come home – and I think most of us knew it wouldn’t. But – as most of us do know – it did indeed come home in July of 1966, when…

Leeds Rugby Research: Can You Help?

This week on the Secret Library we here from Peter Benson, of the Leeds Rugby Heritage Group, who are making a call for names and information about some early players of the game in Leeds… One of the Leeds Rugby Heritage Group objectives is to identify, record and research every person who has played for…

Arches of Loaf: The Royal Bread Structures of Leeds & Rothwell

Librarian Antony Ramm digests the strange stories of the weird & wonderful phenomena of the ‘bread arch’ in Leeds’ history… It’s doubtless a tenuous connection to make, but the recent wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle put us in mind of the many Royal visits to Leeds over the past years and centuries. Among…

The Monopoly Man in Leeds: Waddington Plc

University of Huddersfield history student and library volunteer Haaris Mahmood continues his series of articles for The Secret Library, by looking back over the achievements of the Waddington company in the first-half of the 20th-century… In recent years the evolution of gaming has proved to be revolutionary with many new platforms being established such as video games and virtual…

People of Leeds #2: Cedric Clarke

University of Huddersfield history student and library volunteer Haaris Mahmood continues his series of articles for The Secret Library, by looking back over the life of Cedric Clarke: Leeds’ first Councillor of African-Caribbean heritage. This is also the second entry in our occasional People of Leeds series, where we explore the lives and achievements of lesser-known…