The Hoard remains in Leeds

A Display of the West Yorkshire Hoard © Leeds Museums and GaAlleries

Leeds Museums and Galleries have successfully acquired the West Yorkshire Hoard, and it will now stay permanently in Leeds!

Along with our contribution, generous grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, The Art Fund, The Headley Trust, Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society and the Goldsmith’s Company, as well as almost £14,000 in public donations, ensured that these amazing finds will now stay in their home museum.

A huge thank you to everybody who donated to the appeal, it really made a huge difference and without your help these nationally significant finds would not have been saved for the public.

You can still see the West Yorkshire Hoard on temporary display in The Leeds Story gallery in Leeds City Museum.

What happens now?

Now the objects are staying in Leeds, the museums service are working on developing a new permanent display for the objects within The Leeds Story gallery.  They will be involving partners such as the Institute for Medieval Studies at Leeds University to develop ongoing research which will feed into the interpretation of the finds.  Leeds Museums and Galleries also hope to develop a small publication on The West Yorkshire Hoard by the end of the year.

If you want to find out more, Curator of Archaeology, Katherine Baxter, will be giving a free half-hour lunch time talk on the hoard in The Leeds Story Gallery as part of the Festival of British Archaeology, on Tuesday 24th July 12.30-1pm.

 

A display of the West Yorkshire Hoard © Leeds Museums and Galleries

 

 

Members get going with IT training

Jean gets to grips with the Internet as she researches Stratford-upon-Avon ready for her trip

Jean gets to grips with the Internet as she researches Stratford-upon-Avon ready for her tripJean, Joyce, Maureen and Nadine got to grips with their mice, double clicks, jargon and internet shopping at Leeds Library this week as they took part in IT training especially for members of the Friends.

Organised by Leeds Museums in conjunction with Leeds Library Service, the first of two pilot sessions took place at Leeds Central Library and we welcomed four ladies who were both nervous and excited to get started.

For those of you out there who are anxious or feel that computers and the internet aren’t for you, ask them how it went and you might be surprised to find that you too, want to try your hand.  Jean, Joyce and Nadine all have computers at home but never switched them on as they felt they might break them.  By the end of the session they were dragging and dropping and clicking and pointing along with the best of them.  First time experiences included shopping for books on Amazon, booking cheap train tickets, researching trip destinations to London and Shakespeare’s stomping ground, Stratford-upon-Avon and finding a website to buy hard to find cast iron candlestick holders by a specific designer.

We will see what everyone remembers next week when we take a look at websites like this and Leodis, the photographic archive of Leeds.

Maybe this is something to ooffer to members again in the future, but in the meantime don’t forget that the Leeds Library Service offers free IT training that you can access from the Central Library or even your local branch.  Don’t be afraid to ask your librarian about what is on offer – everyone starts somewhere.  There is also a dedicated number to call for enquiries which is 0113 2476016 and the staff are all hugely helpful and approachable.

Bronty Golf Co. Ltd, Pudsey

Bronty Golf Co. Ltd Factory Mould

Bronty Golf Co. Ltd IronsWe recently helped Leeds Museums to acquire a group of items made by Bronty Golf Co. Ltd, Pudsey (a major name in golfing circles).  The items include three original factory moulds (acquired by the vendor when manufacturing ended in Leeds about 15 years ago).

These moulds are highly sought after by American golf collectors, but the vendor wanted the best examples to come to the Leeds museum collections. They are for the best-selling models: the Bronty “Chipmaster” and Bronty “Rustler” (plus a putter). Other items include 9 golf clubs, 1 display stand, 6 putting hoops, 7 golf balls and 1 brass putter head.

The company traded for over 30 years and produced thousands of golf clubs but went into decline due to cheap far east imports and it failed to develop with the big name golf companies. It is however famous for its Rustler putter range, chipmaster and pitchmaster chippers.

A selection of these items will be displayed at Abbey House Museum from 21st January 2011 as part of the “Performance” exhibition.

Family Events at Leeds Museums

Family Fun at Abbey House Museum

We support the work of Leeds Museums for all audiences, so for families over the next few months, here is a snapshot of what Leeds Museums has to offer you.

During March

SatARTday 3rd March, 10am to 3pm, Artspace @ Leeds Art Gallery
A fun workshop for families to explore new art ideas and ways of making.  Each event will introduce a new artwork.
Saturday 10 March, 2pm to 4pm, Abbey House: Abbey House Investigations
Grab a police helmet and squeeky truncheon and join our team of detectives to solve this week’s mystery object, history mystery or time tangle!
Saturday 17 March, 10am -12 noon, Leeds Museum Discovery Centre: Swan songs
Discover bygone objects and learn how changes inb social history brought about their extinction.
Sunday 18 March, 11am -12 noon and 1:30pm – 3:30pm: Frirndly Flowers
Make your own beautiful tissue paper flower bouquet for Mother’s Day. Give them to a special person who has been a Mum to you of keep them yourself!
 
During April
Tuesday 3 to Thurs 5 April, 11am to 3pm, Leeds City Museum: Make your own Historic Hats
Come along and have a go at making your own hat, you can make yourself look like a Pharaoh or design your own Easter bonnet.
  
Tuesday 10 April, 2pm, Thwaite Mills: Wash Day
Join Molly the washer woman as she does the weekly wash!
Saturday 21 April and Sunday 30 April, all day, Leeds Art Gallery
Creative activities to spark the imagination inspired by paintings by artist, Fiona Rae.
Saturday 28 April, 11am to 3pm, Leeds Art Gallery: Picture Lending Scheme
Join Leeds Art Gallery’s picture lending scheme and borrow artworks to take home for just £4 per month (minimum loan period 3 months). Select your pictures at the Gallery on Saturday 29 October. For more information visit: www.leeds.gov.uk/picturelending

 

Find out more about what’s going on across the Museums throughout the year on the Museums and Galleries website.

 

 

The Campaign Ends…

Cabachon Ring found in Leeds. Part of a hoard found in West Yorkshire © Trustees of the British Museum

Fundraising for the West Yorkshire Hoard is now closed. Sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed so far toward the acquisition of the fantastic West Yorkshire Hoard.  For a complete list of supporters, other than those who chose to remain anonymous, visit our page on supporters.

Keep your eye on this space to see the results of the campaign which will be publicised shortly.

You can still currently see the Hoard on display at Leeds City Museum and hopefully this is where it will stay.