Each week our Collections Manager Rhian, brings you our ‘Rare Book of the Week’ on social media. Too good to be lost in the daily deluge of tweets and instagrams we wanted to bring you a round-up of some of our favourites. The theme this time is nature. How stunning is this Granulated Cuttle illustration?…
Category: Art & Literature
Pearls in the Strong Room
Everyone is familiar with the sight of poppy sellers in the run-up to Armistice Day, but did you know that there was another campaign of remembrance before that? Library Digital Assistant Becky takes us hunting for Pearls in the strong room. Rachel Tretheway’s moving book, Pearls Before Poppies (361.76) relates the story of an appeal…
The Chimney Corner: Secret Books from the Secret Library #3
The third in a newly-regular series looking at books and other items randomly selected from our vast collections. In this entry Librarian Antony Ramm takes a look at an obscure (to us) religious manuscript… The first thing to say about today’s entry – the enigmatically-titled Manuscript – is the sheer solidity of its binding. And…
The Chimney Corner: Secret Books From The Secret Library #2
The second in an irregular (very irregular) series of books and other items selected from our vast collections. In this entry Librarian Antony Ramm takes a look at a rather nice presentation book with some eye-catching illustrations… The book – if we can even call it a book – was produced to commemorate a special…
Eating People is Wrong? Cannibals and Heroes on the First Crusade (1096–1099)
This week on the Secret Library Heritage Blog we have guest author Hannah Mackenzie. Hannah is a PhD candidate at The University of Leeds and has recently delivered an incredible talk with us at the Leeds Central Library on this fascinating subject. You can learn more about Hannah and her exciting research on her university…
The Leeds Arts Club
This week we hear from Library and Digital Assistant Ruairí Lewis who talks us through the fascinating history of the Leeds Arts Club through library stock and collections… Among our local history collections are a few volumes on the history of the Leeds Arts Club, and its fascinating founder, Alfred Orage. Very little has been…
The Golden Wedding | Frank Kidson & Arthur Grimshaw
Part two from guest writer Agnes Leonowicz The Golden Wedding was a play written in 1910 for the City of Leeds School of Music by Frank Kidson and Arthur Grimshaw, which was said to be to raise money for Leeds Infirmary. The play was a musical collaboration of folk and romanticism, combining Grimshaw’s musical skills…
The Golden Wedding | A Musical Context
Today begins a two part article from guest author Agnes Leonowicz. Part II follows on Friday The Golden Wedding was a play written in 1910 for the City of Leeds School of Music by both Frank Kidson and Arthur Grimshaw, which was said to be to raise money for the Leeds Infirmary. The play…
The Secret Library | Leeds Libraries Heritage Blog 