Monopoly's historical links to Leeds suburb revealed in exhibition

The photo credit goes to Cara Thorpe, who works for the BBC.

There's a brand-new Monopoly exhibition to check out at Leeds City Museum.

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The exhibition includes a tale that is not widely known - it reveals how the initial game of Monopoly was played in a neighbourhood of Leeds in the UK.

The exhibition showcased at Leeds City Museum traces the past of the famous board game that has a connection with West Yorkshire.

According to the Leeds Civic Trust, the game's close links to Leeds should be acknowledged and recognized as a positive aspect to celebrate.

One of the things exhibited is a unique version of the game that pertains to Leeds, dated back in 1993. It has a selection of local landmarks, including Vicar Lane and Crossgates station. The game was a limited edition, and only 500 sets were manufactured.

The blog section sourced the image from the BBC, photographer's name Cara Thorpe.

The latest display of Monopoly is available for everyone to visit until September 1st.

Monopoly was given its first license in the United Kingdom in 1935, specifically to a company located in Leeds named Waddingtons.

In 1936, before the official launch of the game complete with famous London landmarks, Norman Victor Watson, who was the managing director and later became the chairman of John Waddington Ltd, had the honor of being the first person to play the game in the entire country.

Waddingtons Games was purchased by Hasbro in 1994. Presently, Monopoly is enjoyed by over one billion participants around the world and is played in 114 countries.

There is a blue plaque honoring Mr. Watson that is currently being showcased in the Leeds exhibit. Afterward, the plaque will be transported to his previous residency located in Horsforth, which is set for this coming September.

Martin Hamilton, director of the Leeds Civic Trust, expressed awe at the fact that the initial match of Monopoly took place in Horsforth.

The picture shown above is attributed to Cara Thorpe at the BBC. Rewritten: The source of the image featured is from the BBC, captured by Cara Thorpe.

Norman Victor Watson hosted the initial Monopoly game in the United Kingdom at his residence located in Horsforth.

A large portion of the exhibit was gifted by the Watson lineage, who maintained a relationship with the organization Waddingtons for three generations, which lasted for 80 years.

In addition to the version of the game made for Leeds, the exhibit showcasing the history of Waddingtons and Monopoly offers a fancy set from the 1960s that has tokens made of silver and gold. There's also a set from the 1940s that was specifically made for helping prisoners of war breakout from Germany.

According to Matt Story, the head keeper of Leeds City Museum, Waddingtons had a duty to provide assistance for the war. They were producing maps on silk fabric that were stitched into clothes, so that prisoners of war could use them to escape.

He mentioned that there was a Monopoly edition which was created and published containing authentic currency and maps for the benefit of incarcerated individuals.

This aspect of the entire history is quite fascinating.

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The exhibit at the City Museum showcases an exclusive version of Monopoly which has been embellished with tokens made from silver and gold.

The showcase intends to provide knowledge and enjoyment, signifying the beginning of a Monopoly "invasion" in Leeds during the summer season.

LeedsBID, a business organization, is planning a one-of-a-kind immersive experience in the city, set to take place from July 27th to September 1st.

The objective of this family-friendly event is to recreate the property trading game within the city and its significant locations by LeedsBID. To regain control of the city, participants are required to use their intellect to solve a variety of visual, mathematical, and verbal challenges.

The head of LeedsBID, Andrew Cooper, expressed his excitement about the upcoming showcase of Leeds' version of the popular British board game, Monopoly. He mentioned the significance of Waddingtons, a company based in Leeds, that played a crucial role in the availability of the game in many households across the country. Cooper eagerly anticipates families from all over enjoying the landmarks and locations in Leeds' interpretation of the iconic board game, such as Old Kent Road, Pall Mall, and Mayfair.

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