Legendary Harrogate historian's treasure trove of town's past to be revealed in major exhibition

A treasure trove of Harrogate heritage built up over decades by the town’s legendary historian Malcolm Neesam before his death is to be unveiled to the public for the first time.
By Graham Chalmers
Published 4th Mar 2024, 11:18 BST
Updated 4th Mar 2024, 13:21 BST
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Launching on March 16, The Mercer Art Gallery is to present an exhibition of the precious items relating to Harrogate life and landmarks from Mr Neesam’s collection as work gets under way to catalogue this significant historical archive.

Called Harrogate’s Historian: A First Look at the Walker Neesam Archive, the exhibition will also give visitors an insight into how Malcolm arranged his work until his passing in June 2022.

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Featuring a retailed recreation of Malcolm’s study, copies of books that he wrote or owned, and original documents that Malcolm collected, the exhibition will demonstrate the huge amount of work that Malcolm dedicated to research and writing over nearly 50 years, leaving a truly invaluable legacy.

Flashback to 2018 - Late historian Malcolm Neesam battled illness to ensure he could launch the final book published before his death – Chronicle, Wells and Swells, covering the Golden Age of Harrogate, 1842 to 1923. (Picture Adrian Murray)Flashback to 2018 - Late historian Malcolm Neesam battled illness to ensure he could launch the final book published before his death – Chronicle, Wells and Swells, covering the Golden Age of Harrogate, 1842 to 1923. (Picture Adrian Murray)
Flashback to 2018 - Late historian Malcolm Neesam battled illness to ensure he could launch the final book published before his death – Chronicle, Wells and Swells, covering the Golden Age of Harrogate, 1842 to 1923. (Picture Adrian Murray)

The much-missed historian, founder member of the Royal Hall Restoration Trust, a co-founder of Harrogate Civic Society, keen supporter of Harrogate International Festivals, and member of The Harrogate Club and co-founder of the Harrogate Brown Plaque scheme, not only recorded the past, he was an advocate for everything that was best about the town he loved.

His key books about the town’s history included Harrogate Great Chronicle 1332 -1841 and Music Over The Waters - How Music at Harrogate Spa Led to the Establishment of the International Festival.

Malcolm's work was not only important to anyone who cared about Harrogate's past, it also threw light on Britain's as a whole, in particular, the evolution of British society, economy and culture during the most crucial years of the Victorian era.

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His impressive dedication to uncovering what makes Harrogate special from its earliest spa roots revealed itself in a weekly column for 30 years in the Harrogate Advertiser.

In 1996 Harrogate Borough Council awarded him the Freedom of the Borough for his services to the town.

Mr Neesam battled illness to ensure he could launch the final book published before his death – Chronicle, Wells and Swells, covering the Golden Age of Harrogate, 1842 to 1923.

Related topics:Harrogate