Exhibition 'Caught in the Russian Revolution: The British Community in Petrograd, 1917-1918' in Treasures of the Brotherton
Wednesday 1 March - Monday 31 July 2017.
Monday - 1 - 5pm. Tuesday - Saturday - 10am - 5pm.
This exhibition marks the centenary of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which changed the course of world history.
Offering a unique perspective on this violent episode, the exhibition focuses on the British community in St Petersburg, renamed Petrograd at the start of the First World War.
The community was well established from the 18th century. Several generations of families helped to develop the city's infrastructure and commerce. The Revolution in February 1917 disrupted all their lives and the Bolshevik seizure of power in October destroyed any hope for their future in Russia.
This exhibition draws on the Leeds Russian Archive, which includes eyewitness accounts in the form of diaries, letters, and photographs to explore a pivotal moment in world history. The exhibition celebrates 35 years of the Leeds Russian Archive at Special Collections in Leeds University Library.
The exhibition is curated by Richard Davies, archivist of the Leeds Russian Archive since its establishment in 1982.
