New book features 900 biographies of people who made Leeds famous

Leeds - A Biographical Dictionary contains more than 900 biographies of people who have helped put Leeds on the map down the decades.

The 350-page volume turns back the clock to the Leeds Mummy c.1100 BC before plotting biographies of people who have made Leeds and the surrounding area famous through the centuries through to the present day.

Questions the book answers include how are Alice Porter, William Potts and Henry Price connected to Leeds? Who was Edward Sheldon? Why is Elizabeth Beecroft important? And what did Celia Fiennes think of Leeds?

It has been written by one of Leeds's leading historians Dr David Thornton who has published over a dozen books on the city’s history. They include companion title Leeds - A Historical

Dictionary of People, Places and Events which was published in 2013.

David said: "Throughout my years as a researcher and writer on Leeds history I have been struck by the lack of definitive reference books pulling together key information on the city in an accessible format.

"Certainly, there have been many important books on Leeds, both on the city generally and on different facets of its history, but there has always been a need for reference works organised on a systematic basis.

"If such reference works exist they encourage historians, researchers, writers and those with enthusiasm for the city’s history to go further and to produce more detailed publications which in turn benefit everyone. Given my frustration it seemed that the best thing I could do was to produce such books myself!"

He added: "However, doing so is not a quick task - the biographical dictionary being published today took eight years - but my hope is that those who use the book will believe the time has been well spent.

* Leeds - A Biographical Dictionary by David Thornton is priced at £19.99 (plus P&P) and is available from Amazon or the publisher Beecroft Publications via: beecroftpublications.co.uk/thornton.html***********************

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Thank you

Laura Collins