Speculative Lunch: Meet the Cecil Roth Collection et al

Seminar Room 1
Leeds Humanities Research Institute
29-31 Clarendon Place
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT

This event is for all colleagues interested in exploring the Jewish studies material in Special Collections: Research – Access – Display – Engagement.

Convenors:
Joanne Fitton (Special Collections)
Eva Frojmovic (Centre for Jewish Studies, School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies)
Stephen Muir (School of Music)
Jay Prosser (School of English)

Background:
Special Collections are custodians of a number of unique, partly uncatalogued and unpublished, materials relevant to research on Jewish culture and Jewish/non-Jewish relations. Foremost among them is the collection of manuscripts and printed books (in Hebrew, English, and a range of other languages) which the historian Dr Cecil Roth (1899-1970) built up (more info on here). While individual items are internationally known, the scope of his work as a collector, and the content of the collection, remain underexplored, and a re-assessment, also as part of a history of collecting, is overdue. Other resources, especially uncatalogued ones, will also be considered.

Aims of this event:
The lunch event aims to bring together colleagues with an interest in this material, or a curiosity about the Jewish minorities in the UK, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and some former colonial countries such as India. The main chronological scope of the Special Collections material is on the early modern period and into the collector’s lifetime, including the Holocaust.

The short-to-medium-term aim of the lunch is to put together a working group of people with overlapping interests, apply for a Sadler Seminar series that would enable us to involve relevant collaborators from outside Leeds, and ultimately (medium-long term) support grant applications.

Bookings:
This event is free to attend, but if you wish to take part you are required to book a place in advance. To reserve a place at the event please email LHRI. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Further information:
Please see here for further information about the latest programme or to propose your own Speculative Lunch.