The Thoresby Society

08/10/2026

Our next Evening Lecture will be:

𝟏𝟖𝟕𝟓: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬

This talk will be in-person and online. The talk is FREE but booking is essential:
https://www.thoresby.org.uk/events/

📆Date: Thursday 15 October

🕧Time: 6pm

📍Location: The Leeds Library, 18 Commercial Street, Leeds, LS1 6AL

♿Accessibility: This event will be held on the first floor of the library which can be accessed via a lift from the ground floor entrance, which is at street level. Alternatively, there is a stair lift available from the ground floor foyer, which is also at street level.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸:

This lecture will examine the background to the opening of the Yorkshire College of Science in 1874 and its formal inauguration in 1875. In particular, it will highlight both national movements in higher education and local priorities. The lecture will continue by tracking the development of the Yorkshire College (no longer “of Science”) in the establishment of the Victoria University and, from 1887, as a constituent college of that University. The lecture will conclude by considering the breakup of the Victoria University, resulting in the creation of the University of Leeds in 1904.

03/10/2026

🎉 Our next new video is here!🎉

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗻 (𝟭𝟳𝟳𝟭-𝟭𝟴𝟯𝟲), ‘𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁’ 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀

In this illustrated talk, Christopher Webster reveals why Watson, once regarded as Yorkshire’s leading architect, deserves to be far better known today.

This lecture was given on Thursday 17th September 2026.

In this illustrated talk, Christopher Webster reveals why Watson, o...

26/09/2026

🎉 We have two new videos 🎉

First up is 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝

In 2020 Chris Hindle delivered the lecture '𝗔𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿: 𝗟𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 ’𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀’. In this new lecture Chris Hindle revisits Archie Scarr, the 'Mayor of the Masses'. This lecture was given after the AGM on 16th April 2026.

Archie Scarr: The ‘Mayor of the masses’ revisitedLecture after the...

17/09/2026

Just how do 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 record 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬?

In our collections we have examples of :

⭐Postcards
⭐Diaries
⭐Photos
⭐Scrapbooks
⭐Autobiographies
⭐Memoirs
⭐Oral Histories
⭐Letters
⭐Emails
⭐Documents

Each one tells a story, each one documents 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. To find out more, visit us this 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

📍Location: The Leeds Library, 18 Commercial Street, Leeds, LS1 6AL
🎟No need to book, simply turn up on one of the following days:
🕛Thursday 17 September: 1030-18.00
🕛Friday 18 September: 1030-1600
🕛Saturday 19 September: 1030-1545

♿Accessibility: This event will be held on the first floor of the library which can be accessed via a lift from the ground floor entrance, which is at street level. Alternatively, there is a stair lift available from the ground floor foyer, which is also at street level.

17/09/2026

There's still time to book tickets this evening's lecture.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐧 (𝟏𝟕𝟕𝟏-𝟏𝟖𝟑𝟔), ‘𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭’ 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬

This talk will be in-person and online. The talk is FREE but booking is essential:
https://www.thoresby.org.uk/events/

📆Date: Thursday 17 September

🕧Time: 6pm

📍Location: The Leeds Library, 18 Commercial Street, Leeds, LS1 6AL

♿Accessibility: This event will be held on the first floor of the library which can be accessed via a lift from the ground floor entrance, which is at street level. Alternatively, there is a stair lift available from the ground floor foyer, which is also at street level.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸
In this illustrated talk, Christopher Webster reveals why Watson, once regarded as Yorkshire’s leading architect, deserves to be far better known today.

It was Howard Colvin, probably the country’s most important writer on the British architects of this period, who published the praise for Watson, quoted in the title. Another eminent writer assessed him as having ‘almost a monopoly of architectural work in Yorkshire’. He did, indeed, produce a succession of fine buildings including mansions, public buildings, churches and chapels. In Leeds, his commissions included two outstanding chapels, designs for Lotherton Hall and Parlington Hall, and some important, large-scale, housing schemes. At least one of the detached villas in what is now the University campus can be confidently attributed to him. And some of his designs are of national importance.

Why is he not better known? Watson was quiet and kept out of the limelight. For many years, he had as a partner J.P. Pritchett, a surveyor, who increasingly became the ‘public face’ of the practice. Several writers over the past 75 years have, without any convincing evidence, sought to promote Pritchett’s role in the practice to the extent that Watson has been almost air-brushed from history. The forthcoming book on Watson will re-establish him in his rightful place as the county’s principal architect. It is a remarkable story and a cautionary tale for would-be historians!

11/09/2026

On Monday evening at 6pm the Thoresby Society are having a joint zoom event with the Dortmund Anglo German Society. There will be 30 minute talks (in English) on the history of each city from the earliest days, followed by a discussion. Booking the event is available through our website.

10/09/2026

Our next Evening Lecture will be:

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐧 (𝟏𝟕𝟕𝟏-𝟏𝟖𝟑𝟔), ‘𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭’ 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬

This talk will be in-person and online. The talk is FREE but booking is essential:
https://www.thoresby.org.uk/events/

📆Date: Thursday 17 September

🕧Time: 6pm

📍Location: The Leeds Library, 18 Commercial Street, Leeds, LS1 6AL

♿Accessibility: This event will be held on the first floor of the library which can be accessed via a lift from the ground floor entrance, which is at street level. Alternatively, there is a stair lift available from the ground floor foyer, which is also at street level.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸
In this illustrated talk, Christopher Webster reveals why Watson, once regarded as Yorkshire’s leading architect, deserves to be far better known today.

It was Howard Colvin, probably the country’s most important writer on the British architects of this period, who published the praise for Watson, quoted in the title. Another eminent writer assessed him as having ‘almost a monopoly of architectural work in Yorkshire’. He did, indeed, produce a succession of fine buildings including mansions, public buildings, churches and chapels. In Leeds, his commissions included two outstanding chapels, designs for Lotherton Hall and Parlington Hall, and some important, large-scale, housing schemes. At least one of the detached villas in what is now the University campus can be confidently attributed to him. And some of his designs are of national importance.

Why is he not better known? Watson was quiet and kept out of the limelight. For many years, he had as a partner J.P. Pritchett, a surveyor, who increasingly became the ‘public face’ of the practice. Several writers over the past 75 years have, without any convincing evidence, sought to promote Pritchett’s role in the practice to the extent that Watson has been almost air-brushed from history. The forthcoming book on Watson will re-establish him in his rightful place as the county’s principal architect. It is a remarkable story and a cautionary tale for would-be historians!

04/09/2026

We would be delighted for you to join us for Heritage Open Days 2026 👇👇

👀Visitors to the Thoresby Society at the Leeds Library will be able to watch and enjoy a continuous slide show of a selection of our large collection of lantern slides of views of Leeds and some of our collection of old maps, books and documents.

🎟No need to book, simply turn up on one of the following days:

🕛Wednesday 16 September: 1030-1600
🕛Thursday 17 September: 1030-18.00
🕛Friday 18 September: 1030-1600
🕛Saturday 19 September: 1030-1545

09/08/2026

We had a lovely time yesterday on our excursion to Halifax. 🌞

We discovered so much about the town and it's history. Special thanks to our tour guide Peter Brears who shared his expert knowledge with us. 👏

Halifax has some beautiful buildings. We particularly liked the Coffee Cali building with its rose-coloured Tudor-style woodwork. 🤩

After lunch we headed to the Bankfield Museum which is housed in the Victorian mansion built by Colonel Edward Akroyd in the 1830s.

📆Our next excursion will be to Lawnswood Cemetery on 17th October.

You can book your place on our website: https://www.thoresby.org.uk/events/

02/08/2026

Our next excursion will be to Halifax. We're really looking forward to this one!

𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐚𝐱 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬
📆 Date: Saturday 8th August
🕙 Time: 11 am - 12:30 pm
📍Location: Meet at Halifax train station

🍽 Make your own arrangements for lunch

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦
🕙 Time: 2:30 pm - 4 pm
🚌 We will take a bus to the museum

🎟 This event is free but booking is essential:
https://www.thoresby.org.uk/product/halifax-tour/