Hundreds of fans and the media packed into the Tolson Museum to view the eagerly anticipated collection which includes the recently re-discovered Peter Ramsden Lance Todd Trophy and Rose Bowl from 1953, a cap and medal from Huddersfield’s 1890 Yorkshire Cup-winning team a 1917 regimental sprint cup won by Albert Rosenfeld in the Middle East.

The evening began with an introduction by project volunteer David Thorpe, and followed with speeches from Professor Tony Collins, Director of the International Centre for Sports History, Culture at De Montfort University, Dr Paul Morgan, vice-chairman of the Huddersfield Giants, Brian Heywood, Huddersfield Rugby League: A Lasting Legacy Project Manager and Richard Butterfield, Museums & Galleries Manager at Kirklees Council. Guests were treated to a performance by Lindley Junior School Boy’s Choir of the 1890 song Hurrah for the Claret and Gold. 

The exhibition covers the full history of rugby league in the town, including the winning of the 2013 League Leaders Shield, and has been devised following months of hard work and dedication from the Huddersfield Rugby League: A Lasting Legacy project. Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) the project has conducted hundreds of interviews and collected thousands of items covering the history of the Huddersfield club, the local amateur game and women in rugby league.
 
The exhibition will be open at The Tolson Museum, on Wakefield Road, until Easter 2014 and is expected to be extremely popular, particularly during the Rugby League World Cup 2013, with tourists visiting the birthplace of the game.
 
The exhibition is sure to interest youngsters too with an interactive trail and questions to look out for, a life size Eorl Crabtree to measure yourself against, DVD viewings, a gallery of rugby league pictures, an interactive quiz and banners of the Team of All Talents.
 
Brian Heywood, Project Manager from the Huddersfield Rugby League: A Lasting Legacy Steering Group, commented: ‘The exhibition is a tribute not only to the game of rugby league in Huddersfield, but also its significance within the social history of the district. The quality of the displays has exceeded our wildest expectations. I would like to say a big thank-you to our amazing team of volunteers, to the scores of people who have loaned artefacts and given their time to be interviewed, and to the fantastic design team at the Tolson Museum. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with all of them.’    
 
Marketing Manager at Huddersfield Giants James Brammer commented: “A tremendous amount of hard work has gone into the launch of the Huddersfield Rugby League: A Lasting Legacy project. The success of the Tolson Museum exhibition launch last night was a fitting tribute to the extremely dedicated steering group for this Heritage Lottery Fund project. I would encourage everyone to take time to visit the exhibition.”
 
Notes to editors

Further details about the project can be found by visiting the Huddersfield Rugby League Heritage website.

The next scheduled event from the project is the RLWC2013 Celebration Day at John Smith’s Stadium on Friday 1 November where the event has attracted a huge array of speakers including Garry Schofield, Robbie Hunter-Paul and John Kear. Tickets for the Celebration Day, which include refreshments and a buffet lunch, cost just £10. They are available online or by ringing 01484 484 134. They are also on sale at The John Smith’s Stadium reception and there will be some available on the door on 1 November on a first-come first-served basis.