Mary-Ann Ochota presents Secret Leeds

Thursday 7th November
5.30 – 7 pm
Laidlaw Library, University of Leeds

Pay What You Decide

Hosted by TV presenter and author Mary-Ann Ochota we welcome local history buffs to a series of short presentations and a panel discussion with local experts from the University of Leeds, West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service and Leeds Archives on the compelling secrets hidden in Leeds’ archaeology, archives and libraries with ideas about how you can use these troves to bring the past to life.

Drawing on her research for books Hidden Histories and Secret Britain, on British landscapes and archaeological artefacts, and her time on location for TV shows including Time Team and Mystic Britain, Mary-Ann will share some of her own most memorable archaeological journeys. She’ll also detail the key ingredients you need to make historical research come to life and resonate with an audience. After all, our research only matters if people know and care about it!

Before this exciting event you may view some rare journey-themed items from the University of Leeds’ special collections in the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery located nearby in the Parkinson Building on the UoL campus. Drop in to the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery to see a range of journey-themed items from Special Collections, from 16th-century maps and fictional literary lands to passports and travel diaries. Find out about the Victorian cycling adventures of two Headingley sisters, the activities of a border-crossing spy, and plan your travels around 17th-century Britain.

Please drop-in to the gallery between 4 – 5.15 pm on 7th November (no need to book!)

Mary Ann Ochota

Mary-Ann Ochota is a British broadcaster specializing in anthropology, archaeology, social history and adventure factual television. She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the author of Hidden Histories and Secret Britain.

Stefanie Davidson

Stefanie has been a professionally qualified archivist and records manager for over 25 years. Currently working at the West Yorkshire Archive Service with responsibility for collections management strategy and development across the county, she has previously worked in business archives and also in Scottish local authority archive services. She has contributed to the development of the Digital Preservation Handbook (available online at Home – Digital Preservation Handbook (dpconline.org) and also to the National Archives Data Protection Toolkit for Archives.

David Hunter

David has been an archaeologist for over 30 years and has extensive experience of excavation and survey projects. These range from Roman villas, Whitby Abbey and Anglo Scandinavian York to Georgian farms and RAF airfields and power stations. He is the West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service’s Principal Archaeologist, advising the 5 district councils on their archaeological remains and, when threatened by development, the best ways to research and preserve their significance and importance.

Kevin Linch

Kevin is Associate Professor of Modern History in the School of History, University of Leeds. He specialises in the history of Britain and Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly the armed forces in the era and their social, political, and cultural impact. Passionate about archives and their value, he works with Leeds University students on projects involving local archives and research projects. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and author of The British Army, 1783-1815.

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