About That Big Event

Well, it happened. Last week my exhibition A Copper’s Eye: Tom Harper’s Leeds 1890-1920 opened at Leeds Libraries. Then Monday night saw the event to go with it. Was it a big deal? Yes, it really was, the culmination of the biggest thing I’ve done in my life.

A celebration of Tom and Annabelle Harper, yes, as the series them ended with the publication of Rusted Souls (the Morning Star termed the series “a testament to historical crime fiction”). But it also celebrated a slice of Leeds history, the period covedred in the books, with some of the real events who were in the books.

I astonished everyone by turning up in a suit and tie, the first time most had ever seen me dressed up, and not even directly from a court appearance. I talked, but there were also mirco lectures from suffrage historian Vine Pemberton Joss, on the 1894 Local Government Act and the 1908 Suffragette Riot. Dr. Anna Reeve explained how ancient Cypriot poterry ended up in The Iron Water (fitting, as she told me about it in the first place).

The great political figure Tom Maguire was represented, with one of his poems set to music and performed by industrial ballad singer Jennifer Reid. You can listen to it here.

And the Harpers? Daughter Mary was there in the flesh (played by Amy McCann. Annabelle couldn’t make it, but we did have a recording of a speech she gave when campaigning to become a Poor Law Guardian in 1897. Hear her right here.

The librarians were oncredible, putting out some wonderful artefacts and helping things to go far more smoothly than they should with no run-through or rehearsal.

People seemed to like it. About 50 showed up on a rainy Monday night, and the Lord Mayor told me she’s a fan of the books.

I was drained when the adrenaline finally left my system. But I was happy. I think I’ve written Tom and Annabelle into the fabric of Leeds history, and that’s the best tribute I can pay them. They were Leeds.

Meanwhile, here’s a gallery of some of the sights and sounds from Monday night for those who couldn’t attend. And remember, you can still but Rusted Souls.