King Charles coronation: Old Leeds royal celebration images unearthed

More than a century of Leeds coronation memories have been rediscovered in the city's archives

Pictures of coronation celebrations going back over 100 years have been unearthed in Leeds to mark King Charles being crowned later this month.

The collection includes images of street parties, decorated buildings and trams and even a sheep being roasted.

Louise Birch, senior Librarian at Leeds Libraries, said it was "fascinating to see how people had marked the occasion in their own way".

The coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May at Westminster Abbey.

The images show Leeds decked out in finery to mark a series of auspicious regal occasions

The images dug out of the archive show the streets, workplaces and communities of Leeds decorated for the coronations of Edward VII in 1902, George V in 1911 and Elizabeth II in 1953.

Among the photographs found in the Leeds Libraries records is a photo believed to have been taken at the old Kirkstall Tram Works on 2 June 1911, which shows a tram specially illuminated to celebrate the coronation of King George V.

The archive also shows how staff at John Barran and Sons, a wholesale clothing manufacturer in Chorley Lane, marked the same occasion.

They are seen stoically seated at their Singer sewing machines, wearing flowered bonnets in a workshop filled with bunting, paper chains and rosettes displaying a portrait of the new king.

The nostalgic gallery shows how different workplaces and communities marked previous coronations in Leeds

An image from 1911 shows how the people of Bruntcliffe also got in on the act, with a whole sheep being roasted as part of a celebration meal for local residents.

Meanwhile, more than half a century later in 1953, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was marked by residents on Copperfield Lane taking the unusual and perhaps slightly dangerous step of suspending a giant paper crown above their street.

For the 1953 coronation, residents on Copperfield Lane in Leeds suspended a giant paper crown over the road

Louise Birch curated the collection of images from an online photographic archive which included more than 68,000 images of Leeds taken over the centuries.

She said: "It's fascinating to see how different communities in Leeds celebrated what were clearly important and historic moments for the city and the nation - and how coronations have brought people together to mark the occasion in their own way.

"Images like these give us a unique insight into the lives of those who have lived and worked in Leeds over the years, capturing and preserving a single moment in time."

This photograph is believed to have been taken on Commercial street in 1902 to mark King Edward VII's coronation

Councillor Mary Harland, Leeds City Council's executive member for communities, said: "We're extremely fortunate to have such a vast and comprehensive archive of images which captures the changing face of Leeds and how our city has evolved over the centuries.

"It's also incredible to reflect on how our communities have united in celebration for coronations over the past 100 years, as we look forward to the coronation."

One of the oldest pictures in the collection is of Rothwell which dates back to the coronation in 1902

Parades, crowds and street parties are expected to be held again on 6 May to mark the first coronation in 70 years.

Large crowds will head to central London to witness the King's Procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.

The Coronation Service at 11:00 BST will be followed by the Coronation Procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.