📷 John Atkinson Grimshaw, Moonlight Scene near Leeds, 1881. Kirklees Museums and Galleries
📷 Godfrey Bingley, Cardigan Road, looking north, snow, 1888. MS 1788/1/259

📷 Part of a piece by William Rainie in the Ayr Academy Christmas souvenir for former students. LIDDLE/WW1/DF/EDU/34. Image credit Leeds University Library

📷 Handmade new year card featuring the actress and singer Winnie Collins created by George, a soldier in Mesopotamia. LIDDLE/WW1/GA/CCP/2. Image credit Leeds University Library.

📷 Greeting inside a Christmas card designed by Maurice and Jane de Sausmarez. MS 2270/1/2/4/7. Image credit Leeds University Libraries. © Courtesy of Jane de Sausmarez.

An inspiring read, it’s one of many blogs written by staff and students about their research of materials in Cultural Collections. So, whilst the winter break is upon us, wrap up with a blanket, pour yourself a hot tea and uncover some great reads - your certified break from doomscrolling! 📖🍵

In our latest blog post, bit.ly/StoriesfromCC, let Hannah tell you some of the human stories behind handmade cards and letters from our World War I Liddle Collection. She also looks at poetry and post-war art – reminders that Christmas has always been a moment for creativity and human connection. 💗

From the trenches to the art studio, and from frozen Moscow streets to Irish landscapes, items in Cultural Collections tell a story of winter in all forms. As we celebrate another year, these fragments from the past remind us that compassion and the human spirit are what truly keep us warm.

📷 Utagawa Hiroshige II, Shiba Temple in a Snow Storm. Oban yooye, Meisho Yedo Hiakkei, The Hundred Views of Yedo, Famous Places, 1859-60. LEEUA 1923.069

📷 The Sisters, Geroge Frederic Watts, 1856. Image credit: Watts Gallery – Artists' Village
📷 Yoruba batik panel, L.A, c.1970 - 1984. ITC 2014.52

📷 n.a, Two Men with Globe, 19th C. Image credit: Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
📷 n.a, Introduction to Botany. Plate 2 botanical drawings, Early Education WAK.