Miniature Bible Featured in Festive Library Exhibition

A collection showcasing centuries of seasonal narratives, including a miniature bible that references the original Christmas story, is now accessible to visitors. This diminutive book, comparable in size to a £2 coin and capable of fitting in the palm of a hand, is part of a collection of holiday classics exhibited at Leeds Central Library. The bible, which contains both the Old and New Testaments, features text so minute that a magnifying glass is required for reading. Originating from 1911, it is considered among the world’s smallest known examples of its type. The exhibition also presents a 19th-century compilation of Charles Dickens’ stories, notably “A Christmas Carol.” This particular bible is thought to be a 1911 reproduction of a “chained bible,” a type of book historically secured to church pulpits to prevent their removal. According to Rhian Isaac, a senior librarian at Leeds Central Library, the bible has been returned to public display “by popular demand.” Its initial public viewing occurred in 2022, following its rediscovery within the library during the COVID-19 lockdown. Isaac commented, “We were inundated with people coming to see the bible back then so it’s great to have it back out for people to see.” She added, “And of course it has the nativity story in so it sits alongside some of the other wonderful items on show.” The library’s holiday exhibition also features a children’s Christmas games book from 1812, containing riddles and activities, such as one requiring participants to impersonate a bookcase. Evidence of past use is visible, with some charades circled by children who likely played these games with their families over two centuries ago. Additional exhibits encompass a compilation of illustrated Christmas cards with military themes, alongside Christmas editions of the Yorkshire Weekly Post and Yorkshire Evening Post from the years 1905, 1924, 1929, and 1933. The collection further illustrates a longstanding tradition of families attending Christmas pantomimes. Isaac highlighted, “On display we have a pamphlet of a pantomime called the Mother Goose of Woodhouse Moor which was performed in Leeds in 1865 and has lots of references to really local stories and the reviews were amazing at the time.” Ms. Isaac stated that the exhibition offers individuals an opportunity to escape the holiday rush and explore the diverse methods through which the Christmas narrative has been conveyed across different eras. She concluded, “People still want to be entertained at Christmas, with games and traditional Christmas storytelling and we can see that was still very much the case all those years ago.”