Leeds Libraries have launched a season of exhibitions and talks marking the 400th anniversary of the first Leeds Charter, issued in 1626, which gave the growing town its first measure of self-government.
The centrepiece is Leodis: 400 Years of Leeds in the Leeds Libraries Collections, an exhibition running at Central Library from 16 September to 11 November, drawing on archival material ranging from 17th-century manuscripts to football fanzines. Alongside it runs a full programme of local history talks, opening on 17 September with a talk on Maud Hummerston, the city’s first female librarian and first Children’s Librarian.
Other talks explore lesser-known corners of the city’s history: the arrival of Goth subculture in 1970s and 80s Leeds, the story of Leeds’ stained glass industry, the wool-trading Templars of Temple Newsam, and Ralph and John Went to Church, on a little-known incident involving the first Black person in the Leeds historical record. Local history workshops are also running in community hubs including Holt Park, Pudsey and Wetherby, with more locations to follow.
The full Leeds400 programme, including dates and booking details for individual talks, is listed on the Leeds Inspired website.
