Thoresby Society


The Thoresby Society is the historical society for the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, and the surrounding district. It was founded in 1889 and named after the historian of Leeds, Ralph Thoresby.

History and name

The Society takes its name from Ralph Thoresby, the first historian of Leeds and a pioneer in the field of local history. It was founded in 1889 and by the end of that year had 172 subscribers. By 1912 this had grown to 397, and by 1986 reached 528. The society's activities have included publication of transcriptions of local records and of original research, lectures, and "the educational and social pleasures of imaginatively organised excursions".

Aims

The objects of the Society, as set out in the Memorandum of Association, are:
To be the premier history society of Leeds and its neighbourhood and accordingly to cultivate an interest in the history of Leeds and its neighbourhood through the collection and preservation of books, documents and other matter that may assist this purpose;
To promote the dissemination of knowledge by all appropriate means of the history of Leeds and its neighbourhood and to promote a wide public interest therein;
To oversee the publication of documents, monographs and papers relating to the history of Leeds and its neighbourhood.

Library and archives

The Society maintains a large library of books relating to the history of Leeds and District, and conserves an archive of papers and images relating to Leeds.
The Society's Library was moved in 2015 into the Leeds Library, where it is available for public access.

List of publications

First series