Leeds University unveils a gallery of hidden treasures

But now, through a new £1.9m gallery, a collection of 200,000 rare books and hundreds of thousands of manuscripts have a home worthy of their status.

Among the items in the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery are a copy of the 1623 Shakespeare First Folio, a 4,500-year-old Babylonian clay tablet, a draft manuscript in the hand of a 14-year-old Felix Mendelssohn, the Nobel Prize given to Russian writer Ivan Bunin in 1933 and a map and compass used by Bertie Ratcliffe, the first prisoner to escape back to Britain from Germany during the First World War.

Many of the exhibits come from the university’s Brotherton Collection, which built on a library of rare books and manuscripts bequeathed by Lord Brotherton, the Leeds industrialist who funded the building of Brotherton Library 80 years ago, and have never been publicly displayed before.

Three exhibition spaces will host permanent exhibitions, community events and a temporary display space that will mark important anniversaries and events.

The first will examine the role of conscientious objectors in the First World War, while later this year an exhibition will mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare.

Dr Stella Butler, keeper of the Brotherton Collection, said: “This new gallery is allowing us to put a collection that has been hidden away in a far corner of the University open to the public, allowing us to shout about their treasures.”

The gallery has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players – a grant of almost £1.4m from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a generous private donation from the Brotherton-Ratcliffe family have supported the University in showcasing the treasures.

Dr Butler added: “If your interests are in travel, our Special Collections have some amazing maps. If cooking is your passion, we have Tudor cookery books, while for book lovers, we have examples of the very first books ever printed in England alongside exquisite contemporary bindings.

“There really is something for everyone in this exciting new gallery and we’re very proud to share these treasures with our visitors. We believe that, whatever their background and interests, they will find something to enjoy in this stunning setting.”

The new gallery, which mirrors The Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery at the opposite end of the Parkinson Building, also includes a temporary exhibition space that will enable the University to uncover the stories locked up in its collections.

The first such exhibition will mark the centenary of the introduction of conscription in Britain, exploring what happened when able-bodied men refused to fight for their country.

Dr Butler added: “We’ve had the difficult pleasure of selecting 100 or so items from more than 200,000 rare books and hundreds of thousands of manuscripts and objects. Our delightful challenge will continue because even the ‘permanent’ display will be changing regularly, to make sure we conserve these precious objects, giving us the opportunity to show the depth and breadth of the collections.”

Fiona Spiers, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “This is an extraordinary collection and one with great significance nationally and internationally. We are delighted to be able to fund this fantastic new gallery, which will allow people to explore the incredible range of artefacts for the first time.”

Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery is open 10am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday and 1-5pm on Monday. Admission is free. It is closed on Sundays and University holidays.

See The Yorkshire Post Magazine on Saturday for a tour of the new gallery.