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City Library Leeds 400

24 Sep 2026

The first written record of a game of football in Leeds is among centuries of incredible stories captured in a new exhibition celebrating a historic civic milestone. The impromptu kickabout took place on a frozen River Aire in the depths of a harsh 18th century winter and is documented in a remarkable Memoranda Book penned by historian John Lucas.

City Library Leeds 400: The first written record of a game of football in Leeds is among centuries of incredible stories captured in a new exhibition celebrating a historic civic milestone. The impromptu kickabout took place on a frozen River Aire in the depths of a harsh 18th century winter and is documented in a remarkable Memoranda Book penned by historian John Lucas.
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