Caption: This image of Woodhouse Moor from 1906 forms part of the collection
All the people, so many people are invited to go to a new exhibition at Abbey House Museum on the Parks and green spaces in Leeds.
The Victorian origins of most of the city’s parks will be on display from Saturday 23rd January onwards as Abbey House museum hosts an exhibition of Park Life. The exhibition looks at how the green spaces around Leeds were secured amongst the smoke and grime of industrial Leeds.
Among the items on show is equipment for the traditional game of knur and spell (or “poor man’s golf”) which was played on Hunslet Moor contrasting with an early croquet set. The displays will feature both wild animals and those kept in captivity (especially when Leeds actually had a zoo in the 1840s).
As well as many items from the Leeds museum collections, Abbey House is also borrowing in a few star items including a Leeds Carnival costume from the City of Leeds High School, instruments from Otley Brass Band and a uniform of Garforth Brass Band. There is also a chance to watch historic film footage (courtesy of the Yorkshire Film Archive) showing Golden Acre Park in the 1930s and the Leeds Children’s Day events in Roundhay Park.
Leeds City Council executive member for Leisure Councillor John Procter said:
“The Park Life exhibition is going to be very interesting. Leeds is a very green city, and it will be great to see what the processes were to keeping the city so green.”
The exciting look of the exhibition is a result of a new partnership with students from the Leeds Metropolitan University School of Architecture, Landscape and Design and Abbey House Musuem. The displays have been designed and constructed by a student team who won a competition in which over 40 students submitted designs.
The exhibition opens on Saturday 23rd January, 12pm and runs until the end of December 2010.
For further information on the exhibition and Abbey House, visit; http://www.leeds.gov.uk/abbeyhouse/
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For media enquiries please contact:
Catherine Milburn, Learning and Leisure Communications Assistant
on 0113 247 8285, Email: catherine.milburn@leeds.gov.uk
