Uncover the history of Lyddon Hall
Posted 1 day ago
Wed 30 Sep, 2026 09:09 AM
If you’ve walked past, visited or lived in Lyddon Hall, you might not know about the remarkable history behind one of our University residences and its connections to the anti-slavery movement in Leeds.
It may be home to many of you, but the building has a much longer and more complex story.
In 2024 a blue plaque was unveiled at the residence to recognise the people connected to the building who played a part in the international movement to abolish slavery.
The wording on the plaque reads:
Virginia Cottage, now Lyddon Hall, was the home of Quaker abolitionists Mary and Wilson Armistead – leading members of the Leeds Anti-Slavery Association. Ellen and William Craft, who stayed with them, were described as “fugitive slaves” in the 1851 census. African American abolitionists who campaigned in Leeds also include Henry “Box” Brown, William Wells Brown, Frederick Douglass, Sarah Parker Remond and Moses Roper.
This Black History Month, we're taking a closer look at that history and the stories behind a place that many of our students call home.
From Virginia Cottage to Lyddon Hall
Lyddon Hall was built in 1828 by the Boyne family and was originally known as Virginia Cottage, named after the US state where the tobacco that helped create the family's wealth was grown. That wealth was derived from the forced labour of enslaved people of African descent.
Several decades later, however, the building became associated with a very different part of the story.
It became the home of Mary Armistead and Wilson Armistead, prominent members of the anti-slavery movement in Leeds.
Wilson was a Quaker merchant and President of the Leeds Anti-Slavery Association, while Mary served as the association's librarian. In the 1860s, the couple used the house as a place to collect goods and raise funds to support newly emancipated people in the United States.
Leeds and the fight against slavery
The Armisteads were part of a much wider network of abolitionists.
African American abolitionists including Frederick Douglass, Sarah Parker Remond, William Wells Brown, Henry "Box" Brown and Moses Roper visited Leeds as part of campaigns against slavery. Their names are now recognised on the blue plaque at Lyddon Hall.
The plaque also commemorates Ellen Craft and William Craft, who emancipated themselves from slavery in the United States and later travelled to Britain, where they continued campaigning for abolition. The Crafts stayed with the Armisteads at another Leeds residence while lecturing in the city. Wilson recorded them in the 1851 census as "fugitive slaves", an act of protest against the US Fugitive Slave Act.
Ellen (left) and William (right) Craft. Credit: New York Public Library Digital Collections.
These connections are part of a wider history of Leeds as an important centre for abolitionist activity and campaigning against slavery in the United States.
Remembering this history today
The blue plaque at Lyddon Hall was commissioned by Leeds Civic Trust following years of work involving University researchers and people across the city.
Research by Professor Bridget Bennett from the University's School of English helped uncover and bring greater recognition to these connections.
Lyddon Hall's history contains a striking contrast. The building began as a home connected to wealth generated through the labour of enslaved people, before later becoming a home to people actively involved in the movement against slavery.
Today, as a University residence, it gives us an opportunity to learn about both sides of that history and the people whose experiences and activism shaped it.
This Black History Month
This Black History Month, you can take part in our scavenger hunt which begins on 5 October at Lyddon Hall! Take a moment to find the blue plaque and discover a piece of history that's right here on campus.
