Abbey House Museum showcases 200-year-old children's books
2025-01-28
Category: entertainment

Children's books dating back more than 200 years have gone on display in Leeds.The Story Time exhibition at Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall features tales from the early 1800s, including The Mice And Their Picnic: A Moral Tale, published by Mary Belson Elliott in 1809.Toys based on TV characters including Pinky and Perky, Bugs Bunny and The Wombles are also on display, alongside vintage games and jigsaws made by the Leeds firm Waddingtons.Curator Kitty Ross said the exhibition would "hopefully bring back some special memories for visitors".
She said: "Storytelling, play and reading are truly timeless elements of our childhoods which span every generation and are such an integral part of our early years."What is fascinating is how our approach to these subjects has changed and evolved over time and how our enduring love of stories has been a driving force behind the creation of so many different genres of books, games, toys and entertainment."
Among the Waddingtons collection is original artwork for the firm's circular jigsaws from the 1960s, which were rescued from a bin by a former company employee.The firm was responsible for devising Monopoly and Cluedo, among other family board games.Leeds City Council announced plans to close Abbey House Museum, which stands opposite the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey, at the end of last year. Shutting the museum, which is around 100 years old, was proposed to save the  cash-strapped council money, though the authority insisted no final decision had been taken.Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.