Frozen kickabout scores a place in library’s historic new exhibition

His meticulous, handwritten account is among the astonishing array of memorabilia, public donations and archive material on display at Leeds City Library as part of an exhibition to mark 400 years since Leeds was awarded its first city charter.

Lucas, a schoolmaster at Leeds Grammar School, kept his exhaustive diary of local events between 1712 and 1716, jotting down any and all occurrences which he deemed worthy of note.

One of those happened on December 16 and 17, 1715 when Lucas wrote that “a frost began which continues very severe (with abundance of snow)” during which he saw “hundreds of men playing at foot-ball upon the river.”

His note is the first known written mention of the sport ever being played in Leeds.

Lucas’s book is just one of the historic exhibits now on display at the library, with the exhibition reaching back through the centuries while also exploring more contemporary chapters in the city’s story.

Other fascinating objects on show include a copy of the Chartularium Kirkstallense, compiled by antiquarian Thomas Wilson, which contains around 200 documents related to Kirkstall.

Wilson gathered them from the sale of a museum in the 1740s and from a chest found in Chapel Allerton which was believed to have lain undiscovered since the Dissolution.

As part of his archive, Wilson acquired an original property deed from 1460 which today is the oldest document related to Leeds in the City Library’s collection.

Also on display is a truncheon used by a police constable at the time of the Chartist Riots of 1842, a wave of protest, industrial unrest and strikes sparked by Parliament’s rejection of a petition for social reform.

And among the more contemporary exhibits is a collection of gig tickets and zines collected at famous Leeds performances and venues including the renowned Duchess of York, which once hosted some of the biggest names in music history.

They are joined by a series of public donations as well as documents related to when Leeds celebrated it’s tricentenary.

Antony Ramm, Leeds City Library’s special collections librarian, said: “It’s been a fascinating and quite humbling experience bringing together so many different aspects of the story of Leeds, and it really has emphasised how rich, varied and completely unique the history of the city is.

“Because of the diligence of historians like John Lucas, today we’re able to picture amazing scenes like a game of football in the middle of an 18^th century winter and to get a first-hand account what life was like in Leeds hundreds of years ago.

“But what’s become very apparent in creating this exhibition is that through the ages, so many people from very different eras and communities have all become historians in their own way, collecting and keeping the objects, heirlooms, photos and memories which capture what Leeds has meant to them.

“Thanks to each of them, our visitors can get a real sense of how the city has grown, changed and evolved as we celebrate this very special year.”

The exhibition is one of the key elements of the city-wide Leeds 400 programme commemorating the bestowing of Leeds’s first City Charter by King Charles I in 1626.

The granting of the prestigious charter 400 years ago changed the course of the city’s history, incorporating it as a “free borough” and a “body corporate and politic.”

Councillor Asghar Khan, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing and hubs, said: “It’s incredible to see all these wonderful Leeds stories together and for our visitors to have to opportunity to celebrate and be inspired by centuries of history and heritage.

“The library archives are a truly unique resource and an ever-evolving record of the city’s unique history, so there can be no better place to host this exhibition during what is a landmark year for Leeds.”

Leodis, 400 Years of Leeds in the Leeds Libraries Collection is open now at Leeds City Library. For more information, please visit: Leodis: 400 Years of Leeds in the Leeds Libraries Collections | Leeds Library

More information about Leeds 400 and the events programme can also be found at: Welcome to Leeds 400 – A Year of Celebration | Culture Programmes

ENDS