Abbey House Museum have just opened a small single case display of items relating to the 150^th Anniversary of the first rugby game ever played in Leeds.  This is in partnership with the  Leeds Rugby Foundation Heritage Committee and most of the items are loans from their members, plus a couple of items from our collections and from the Central Library – the full list of objects is attached.  The display will be at Abbey House (at the bottom of the oak stairs) until the end of August.

The new community gallery display is scheduled to open on 29^th July and is on the subject of play through the eyes of five very different Leeds people, filmed and interviewed by Jan Wells and Gabrielle should have a few more details about this.

A display of objects on loan from the Leeds Rugby Foundation Heritage Committee

1. Ball – Old Leeds R.L.F.C Rugby ball (lent by Leeds Rugby Foundation Heritage Committee)
2. Trophy cup, presented to John Holmes from his team mates, 1967 (lent by the Holmes family)
3. Trophy, Leeds R.L.F.C. Player of the Year 1978, John Holmes (lent by the Holmes family)
4. Trophy, L.R.L.S.C. Player of the Year,  J. Holmes 1982-1983 (lent by the Holmes family)
5. Silver tray awarded to John Holmes in 1990 by the Leeds Rugby League Football Club “to commemorate his final appearance after an outstanding career for the Leeds club from 1968 to 1990. (lent by the Holmes family)
6. Programme, Leeds Rugby League Football Club, Leeds vs Salford, Northern rugby league championship match, 1971 (Leeds Museum collections)
7. Programme, The Rugby League Challenge Cup Competition, Final Tie, Hunslet v. Wigan, Saturday May 8th 1965, Wembley Empire Stadium (Leeds Museum collections)
8. Northern Rugby Football Union Official Guide, Season 1897-8 (private lender)
9. Photographs of Headingley before the ground was built (circa 1888). (lent by Leeds Rugby Foundation Heritage Committee)
10. Minute Book – Hunslet Cricket Club minute book 1883, with entries leading to the formation of the Rugby team.  (lent by Geoff Gunney)
11. Programme – Hunslet Hawkes 2008 (lent by Leeds Rugby Foundation Heritage Committee)
12. The Yorkshire Rugby Football Guide, Season 1883-4 (private lender)
13. Yorkshire Rugby Football Union Official Guide, Season 1893-4 (private lender)
14. Programme for Hunslet Rugby League football club, Hunslet v Blackpool borough, rugby league championship division two, 1983 (Leeds Museum collections)
15. Cap from Leeds Parish Church Rugby Club 1891/92. At that time they were probably the most successful Rugby team in Leeds.  (private lender)
16. England International Cap 1911 awarded to John Abbott King. He was born in Kirkstall in 1883. A Headingley player, he won 12 England caps.  He was declared Missing in Action during the First World War. (private lender)
17. Kirkstall Cap, awarded to J. Tupper Illingworth who played for Kirkstall and Leeds St John’s in the 1880s (private lender)
18. Programme,  Hunslet C.F &A Club, Jubilee Souvenir Programme, Hunslet V Dewsbury, Saturday February 12th 1938 (lent by Leeds City Libraries)
19. Programme, Northern Rugby Football League League Championship Final, Hunslet v St. Helens, Saturday 16th May 1959 (lent by Leeds City Libraries)
20. 1896-7 cap belonging to William Glover who started playing for Leeds at this time (William Glover collection, lent by the Beresford family)
21. Medals and photograph relating to William Glover (William Glover collection, lent by the Beresford family)
22. David Heron’s Great Britain International jersey which he wore in the 1982 test V Australia (lent by Leeds Rugby Foundation Heritage Committee)
23. Wembley jersey – Hunslet v. Wigan final 1965 (lent by Ray Abbey)