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The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery offers innovative art exhibitions from the University Art Collection and displays treasures from the Leeds University Library Special Collections.

Part of Leeds University Library Galleries, the art gallery was established in 1970, at the heart of the University of Leeds campus.
Admission to the Gallery is free to all.
The University's exceptional art collection includes stunning examples of European and British painting, drawings, and prints from the 17th century to the present day, as well as small collections of sculpture, ceramics, miniatures, and photographs.

The Gallery also offers a lively programme of public events, including talks, craft workshops, and exhibition receptions.

You can buy programmes and books related to exhibitions from the online shop.

The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery is an Arts Council England Accredited museum and an Arts Award Supporter organisation.

Join the Friends of University Art and Music

The Friends of University Art and Music (FUAM) is an organisation that supports and promotes artistic and musical activities at the University of Leeds. They use the money raised to sponsor University concerts and to buy new artworks for the University Art Collection.

For a modest annual subscription, Friends enjoy discounts and priority booking for concerts, plus invitations to private viewings and events at The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery.

Find out more on the Friends of University Art and Music website.

Take a look inside

Peek inside the gallery with our 360 degree virtual tour.

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Part of Leeds University Library Galleries, The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery is a hidden gem at the heart of Leeds University campus.

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The University has acquired an array of works of art throughout its history, and we have a number of galleries where you can view our impressive collection.

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Discover remarkable items from Leeds University’s Special Collections in the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery, found within the Parkinson Building on Woodhouse Lane, Leeds.

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Special Collections | Library | University of Leeds

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The Library is transforming student study with state-of-the-art learning spaces where knowledge is shared and new skills learnt with our Skills@Library service. We create, manage and make available huge digital and print collections for study and research. We facilitate open access publishing and research data management to support and inspire research at all levels.

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Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures 

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Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures 

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Arts, Humanities and Cultures Faculty Student Advisory Board (SAB)

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The SAB is a group of 12 undergraduate and taught postgraduate students from Schools across the faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures who can speak from their own experience to advise decision makers in Student Education.

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Friends of University Art and Music (Leeds)

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Friends of University Art and Music (Leeds)

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Membership scheme to support funding for Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery.

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Audrey and Stanley Burton 1960 Charitable Trust 

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Audrey and Stanley Burton 1960 Charitable Trust 

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Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures and Professor of Modern History

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Profile

I was born near Sheffield, and was educated at Henry Fanshawe School in Dronfield, in North-East Derbyshire. From 1980, I read for a BA in Medieval and Modern History at the University of Birmingham, graduating with first-class honours in 1983.

After a year spent as a Repairs Ordering Clerk in the Housing Department of Sheffield City Council, I returned to academic life in October 1984 to research for a PhD at the University of Sheffield, funded by the British Academy, on 'The British general election of 1931'. That election was, and remains, the largest landslide in British history, with the Conservative-dominated National government, led by the former Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, winning 554 of the 615 seats in parliament to Labour's 46. I was awarded my PhD in 1988.

I was appointed to a one-year Temporary Lectureship in History at the University of Exeter in 1987, winning an open-ended contrast the following year and later being promoted to Senior Lecturer, and eventually, in 2002, Professor. I was Head of the Department of History between 2004 and 2007, and from then until 2010 was Deputy Head and Director of Research of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. I was Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Transfer in the newly-formed College of Humanities from 2010 to 2014. I then served as Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College from August 2014 to December 2019.

In January 2020 I joined the University of Leeds as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures.I am also a Professor of Modern History at the University.

Responsibilities

Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures

Professor of Modern History

Research interests

My research centres on twentieth- and twenty-first century British political history, the history of party, and the history of international Communism in the era of the Communist International.

I have worked extensively on the history of the Labour party, and also on Communist party history, but - recognising that political parties cannot be seen in isolation - have also written on aspects of Conservative and Liberal history.

In addition, and importantly, I have always sought to place British political history within much wider economic, social, cultural and international contexts.

Past projects

In 1991, Oxford University Press published the monograph based on my PhD thesis as The British General Election of 1931. The book made heavy use of archival sources, and was particularly innovative in its use of the papers of local party organisations. The book's key point was that the Labour party's defeat that year, although heavier than might otherwise have been expected, was not, in itself, surprising, and that the sensational events that led to the demise of the second Labour government and the formation of the National government in August 1931 were not, in themselves, game-changers in determining the course of British politics in the 1930s: instead, they exacerbated trends that would, in all probability, have come into play how ever the election had been fought.

Shortly after that book was published, I visited Yaroslavl' in Russia as part of a Nuffield Trust-funded delegation looking into the teaching of History in Russian schools and universities in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. In discussions with Russian academics, it became clear that, if I went to Moscow, I would be able to access the papers of the Communist International relating to the British Communist party, which up to that point had been effectively closed to foreign researchers. From 1993 to 1996, therefore, I spent a total of almost 4 months in Moscow, as the first British historian to work extensively on the newly-opened archives. The end result was my book The British Communist Party and Moscow (Manchester University Press, 2000). There, I argued that, while Soviet influence and the Communist International were obviously hugely important, the party was also an outgrowth of a certain strand of British radical and revolutionary traditions.

My next single-authored monograph was published by OUP in 2009. Parties at War investigated the organisation of all the major parties in Britain during the Second World War. This project was funded by the British Academy and the AHRC and made very extensive use of constituency-level records, as well as national party records and the papers of politicians. It demonstrated the complex ways in which the war affected party organisation over the course of the war, showing, in particular, that the agency of party leaders, officials and activists was vital in sustaining party as the organising basis of liberal democracy. It also showed how, during and after the war, different groups chose to narrate and re-narrate their own experiences in, and of, wartime to suit current political debates and concerns.

The fourth edition of my History of the British Labour Party - the first edition of which was published in 1997 - appeared in 2014. It has become a standard single-volume history of the party.

More recently, I collaborated with Richard Toye on an edition of the diaries of Cecil Harmsworth for the Royal Historical Society's Camden Series. Harmsworth was a younger brother of the press barons, Lords Northcliffe and Rothermere, but was also a Liberal MP in his own right, who achieved minor office during and after the Great War under Prime Minister David Lloyd George. The diaries, which we purchased for the University of Exeter Special Collections at auction, had been hitherto little known, and we were able to produce a full-length scholarly edition which casts significant fresh light on backbench politics and the decline of the Liberal party between 1908 and 1922.

Current project

I am currently completing a major research project on the life and career of the politician Arthur Henderson (1863-1935).

Henderson was a pivotal figure in the early history of the British Labour party, a one-time Gladstonian Liberal who became one of the first Labour MPs, three times Labour's leader, architect of its 1918 constitution, and a senior minister in the first two Labour governments of 1924 and 1929-31. He was also important as a leading lay Wesleyan Methodist, and as a trade unionist, while in his later years he emerged as one of Labour's foremost foreign policy practitioners. After serving as Foreign Secretary between 1929 and 1931, he went on to serve as president of the (ultimately abortive) World Disarmament Conference at Geneva (1932-34), being awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1934.

This major figure lacks a detailed modern biography covering all aspects of his work: this project aims to use hitherto under-utilised sources to provide such a study. The book will not just offer a view of one politician's life, however, but will illuminate the rich complexities and inter-dependencies involved in the development of a viable democratic Labour politics in Britain.

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

PhD History

BA Medieval and Modern History

Professional memberships

Fellow of the Royal Historical Society

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Student education

As Executive Dean of the Faculty I take a very close interest in student education, having oversight of, and ultimate responsibility for, student education within the Faculty as a whole.

In the past I have run a wide range of modules on subjects such as 'Twentieth Century Britain', 'The History of the British Labour Party', 'British Party Politics in the Second World War', and 'International Communism in the Age of the Comintern'.

I have been extensively involved in History curriculum refresh and reform. For almost thirty years I was continuously an external examiner for undergraduate programmes at a very wide range of institutions in England and Wales, and also for a number of years at the University of Malta.

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Postgraduate Research

Leeds is an excellent location from which to research on twentieth and twenty-first century British history, and I would be very happy to discuss possible projects with potential applicants.

I would be especially keen to supervise students in the following broad areas, although the list is by no means exclusive:

The history of the Labour party.

Conservative party history.

The history of the Liberal party.

Communist party history.

Studies of electoral politics, at either a regional or national level.

The careers of politicians.

The history of politics and political parties in Yorkshire/northern England in the twentieth-century

Religion and politics in twentieth-century Britain.

Of course, each of these categories in itself contains numerous possible PhD research topics: the categories are merely broad indications of the kinds of fields that are available.

In the past I have supervised PhDs on a wide range of subjects, including the following:

James Parker, 'British trade unions and the Labour party in the 1930s', 2018 (AHRC funded)

Philip Child, 'Affluence and the tower block: Labour attitudes to social housing and urban poverty in affluent Britain, 1951-70', 2017 (AHRC funded)

Simon Peplow, 'The British riots of 1981',2015 (AHRC funded) (published as Race and Riots in Thatcher's Britain, Manchester University Press, 2019)

Richard Wevill, 'The Washington Embassy and Anglo-American relations, 1945-48', 2010 (published as Britain and America after World War II: Bilateral Relations and the Beginnings of the Cold War, I. B. Tauris, 2012)

Michael Callaghan, 'John Aloysius Costello: The forgotten Taoiseach', 2009

Susan Hess, 'Evacuation in World War II Devon', 2007

Neil Riddell, 'The second Labour government, 1929-31, and the wider Labour movement', (British Academy funded), 1995 (published as Labour in Crisis, MUP, 1999)

Garry Tregidga, 'The Liberal party in the South-West of England, 1929-1959', (University Research Fund funded), 1996 (published as The Liberal Party in South-West Britain since 1918, University of Exeter Press, 2000)

Michael Kandiah, 'Lord Woolton's chairmanship of the Conservative party, 1946-1951', 1993

I have also acted as an external examiner for around 30 PhDs at a number of universities in the UK and abroad.

Research groups and institutes

Centre for Global Health Histories

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>

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the history of british political parties

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the history of international communism and the communist international

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Profile for Professor Andrew Thorpe, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, University of Leeds

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Higher Education Funding Council for England 

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Higher Education Funding Council for England 

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Special Collections Collection Development Policy 

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Special Collections Collection Development Policy 

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Museums Association

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Guidance on Ethics of collection care including receiving gifts and donations

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Museums and those who work in and with them should:

maintain and develop collections for current and future generations

acquire, care for, exhibit and loan collections with transparency and competency in order to generate knowledge and engage the public with collections treat museum collections as cultural, scientific or historic assets, not financial assets.

Upholding the principle

2.1 Preserve collections as a tangible link between the past, present and future. Balance the museum's role in safeguarding items for the benefit of future audiences with its obligation to optimise access for present audiences.

2.2 Collect according to detailed, published and regularly reviewed policies that state clearly what, how and why the museum collects.

2.3 Accept or acquire an item only if the museum can provide adequate, continuing long-term care for the item and public access to it, without compromising standards of care and access relating to the existing collections.

2.4 Conduct due diligence to verify the ownership of any item prior to purchase or loan, and that the current holder is legitimately able to transfer title or to lend. Apply the same strict criteria to gifts and bequests.

2.5 Reject any item for purchase, loan or donation if there is any suspicion that it was wrongfully taken during a time of conflict, stolen, illicitly exported or illicitly traded, unless explicitly allowed by treaties or other agreements, or where the museum is co-operating with attempts to establish the identity of the rightful owner(s) of an item.

2.6 Discuss expectations and clarify in writing the precise terms on which all parties are accepting transfer of title. Exercise sensitivity towards donors when accepting or declining gifts and bequests.

2.7 Deal sensitively and promptly with requests for repatriation both within the UK and from abroad.

2.8 Acknowledge that responsible disposal takes place as part of a museum's long-term collections development policy and starts with a curatorial review. Ensure transparency and carry out any disposal openly, according to unambiguous, generally accepted procedures.

2.9 Recognise the principle that collections should not normally be regarded as financially negotiable assets and that financially motivated disposal risks damaging public confidence in museums. Refuse to undertake disposal principally for financial reasons, except where it will significantly improve the long-term public benefit derived from the remaining collection. This will include demonstrating that:

the item under consideration lies outside the museum's established core collection as defined in the collections development policy

extensive prior consultation with sector bodies and the public has been undertaken and considered

it is not to generate short-term revenue (for example to meet a budget deficit)

it is as a last resort after other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored.

2.10 Refuse to mortgage collections or offer them as security for a loan. Ensure the financial viability of the museum is not dependent on any monetary valuation placed on items in its collections. Resist placing a commercial value on the collections unless there is a compelling reason to do so, and for collections management purposes only.

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Maintaining and developing collections for current and future generations

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University of Leeds Libraries

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This policy sets out our approaches addressing content including sensitive, offensive or outdated language while recognising historical context, to ensure audiences do not feel excluded or misrepresented.

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Leeds University Library

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All our material is valuable and unique, and should be handled with care so we can keep it safe for future researchers to use.

Material in the Special Collections is reference only - it can only be used in our research centre. You can view one book or archive item/box at a time, but can request up to 10 per visit

How to handle our historic items

Please do:

Handle the material with clean hands (no hand lotions) and minimise handling where possible.

Use a pencil for note-taking - accidents with ink can cause permanent damage.

Keep loose documents in their original order and handle one at a time; please ask before you remove an item from its sequence for copying.

Use the foam book supports and weights.

Close books when you are not using them; we provide acid-free bookmarks.

tell us about any accidents or damage.

Please don't:

Mark, annotate or deface the materials.

Lean on books or manuscripts or rest things on them.

Fold or bend back books or documents; ask the team for help if there's text you can't see.

Food and drink is not permitted in the Special Collections research centre. There are many refreshment areas on campus - the nearest is in the Parkinson Building.

Copying and personal photography

We offer digitisation services.

You can use your own digital camera to photograph material for personal study and private research, unless specific copying restrictions apply. If you are unsure, please ask a member of staff.

We ask that you sign a personal study declaration form first. Also please make sure the flash is switched off.

Access protections

Not all material listed in the catalogue is available to view. There are a number of access protections that may apply.

Publishing and reuse

Conditions apply if you want to publish or reuse material you have looked at in the Special Collections research centre.

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Regulations for handling the valuable and unique books and manuscripts in Special Collections.

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Some material also contains sensitive information or is subject to Data Protection regulations.

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The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

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The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

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Arts Council England Museum Accreditation Scheme  

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Arts Council England Museum Accreditation Scheme  

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Department for Culture, Media and Sport 

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Department for Culture, Media and Sport 

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Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery Summary Statement

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Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery Summary Statement

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The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery offers innovative art exhibitions from the University Art Collection and displays treasures from the Leeds University Library Special Collections.

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1. Excellence is thriving and celebrated in the arts, museums and
libraries
2. Everyone has the opportunity to experience and to be inspired by the
arts, museums and libraries
3. The arts, museums and libraries are resilient and environmentally
sustainable.
4. The leadership and workforce in the arts, museums and libraries are
diverse and appropriately skilled
5. Every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the
richness of the arts, museums and libraries

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The Data Protection Act 2018 controls how your personal information is used by organisations, businesses or the government.

The Data Protection Act 2018 is the UK's implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Everyone responsible for using personal data has to follow strict rules called 'data protection principles'. They must make sure the information is:

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The Data Protection Act (DPA) controls how personal information can be used and your rights to ask for information about yourself

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At our conservation unit in Special Collections, we aim to ensure long-term access to our material and raise awareness of issues that affect its condition.

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Leeds University Libraries Vision for 2023 

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Leeds University Libraries Vision for 2023 

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Knowledge for all: Leeds University Libraries Vision for 2030

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University of Leeds Libraries are one of the major academic research libraries of the UK, with globally significant collections and a strong service ethos. Knowledge for all consists of four strategic programmes and three underpinning themes to support the University strategy Universal Values, Global Change.

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University of Leeds Libraries Library Regulations

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University of Leeds Libraries Library Regulations

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Leeds University Library regulations for use, admissions, conduct, borrowing and copyright.

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The Library core values govern the way we work, our approach to customers and to each other. We believe in:

Engagement and collaboration

Customer-focus

Innovation and improvement

Valuing each other

Being part of a wider community