In historical records the first mention of Leeds (as Ledes) which can be depended upon, is in the Domesday Book of 1086. The town centre was originally made up of a cluster of buildings near the parish church of St. Peter. In 1207 a new town was founded by Maurice Paynel, the Lord of the Manor and it ran between the parish church and the corn mills. Over the years the spelling of Leeds changed from Ledes to Leedes and this is shown on the first map of Leeds that was created by John Cossins in 1725 known as ‘A New and Exact Plan of the Town Leedes’.

Like most of the land in Yorkshire around that time Leeds was let by the de Lacy family to the Paganel family. Many years later, from a descendant of the Paganels, Maurice de Gaunt, Leeds received their first charter in November 1207.

By the 13th Century Leeds had certain rights of self – government. At the time of receiving the charter records show that Leeds had at least one man who was something of a scholar known as Ralph de Leeds for his name appears on it as a witness and he claims to have transcribed the document himself.

1147 – Cistercian monks settled at Kirkstall and from 1152 began to build Kirstall Abbey

1207 – The population of Leeds was small and remained so for a long time

1379 – At the time of the Poll Tax in this year records show that the maximum population was                          only approximately 300 people and was one of the smallest towns in Yorkshire.

1470 -  It was obscure enough to be described as being "near to Rothwell", which in the            fifteenth century had the rights of a market town.

1552 – Education began in Leeds and was founded by William Sheafield, believed to have  been the priest of St Catherine in Leeds. He left St Catherine’s and set up an   establishment where he would teach scholars, youths and children. This was the   origins of what is now known as Leeds Grammar School

1626 – The town received its first charted of incorporation from Charles I.

1644 – Epidemic of the plague broke out which resulted in a death toll of 1300

1646 -  Charles I came to Leeds as a prisoner

1660- Parliament representation of Leeds ended in this year until the Reform Act of 1832

1699 – Aire and Calder Navigation was introduced

1714 - Queens Court was built for a wealthy cloth merchant

1718 – The first publication of a newspaper began – it was called The Leeds Mercury

1755 - The streets of Leeds were first lit with oil lamps

1770 - Leeds pottery began

1794 – Work began on the canal between Leeds and Liverpool. It was later completed in           1816.

1801 – The first census of Leeds shows that the population had now risen to 30,000. This  made Leeds the 5th largest town of the time. the During this time the streets were  dirty and many of the houses suffered from overcrowding. As a direct result of this a  cholera epidemic broke out in 1832 killing 700 people. A second epidemic hit Leeds  in 1849 this time claiming more than 2,000 lives.

1824 – A free dispensary was opened for the poor and then in 1868 a General Infirmary was  built

1845 – Beckett Street Cemetery was opened

1846 – The first modern police force was formed in Leeds

1849 – Another outbreak of cholera affects the City only this time the death toll is in excess of  2000 people

1858 – The Town Hall was built

1872 – Trams, pulled by horses first appeared and then they were replaced by electric trams  in 1894.  The first library for the public opened this year also

1888 – The first moving pictures  were taken of traffic crossing Leeds bridge

1891 – Leeds gained its first electricity supply

1893 – Leeds was granted City status
 
1901 – The population  was now approximately 178,000

1925 – St James Hospital was founded

1933 – Leeds civic hall was built

1939 – 1945 - Leeds was hit during World War II in which 77 people were killed by bombs  and 197 building were destroyed

1964 – The Merrion Shopping Centre was built

1968 – Radio Leeds began broadcasting

1970 – Leeds polytechnic opened which then became Leeds Metropolitan University in 1992,  Leeds was also pedestrianised this year

1974 – The boundaries of Leeds was extended to incorporate 10 other boroughs and urban  districts

1993 – Quarry House, NHS management headquarters was opened.

1995 – The Royal Armouries museum opened

1997 – The Thackray medical museum opened as did the White Rose Shopping Centre.

The population of the Metropolitan district of Leeds is approximately 724,000 with the actual population of Leeds City being approximately 421,000.

With the best of intention all of the above information is true, correct and given in good faith, however, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within the above.

Equally we recommend that should you need or want to find out more you should conduct more detailed independant research.