page_title: University of Leeds
section_title: Other history
hierarchical_section_title: University of Leeds / Other history
caption_attribution_description: Blue Plaques at Leeds University
context_page_description: The University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1874 as the Yorkshire College of Science. In 1884 it merged with the Leeds School of Medicine and was renamed Yorkshire College. It became part of the federal Victoria University in 1887, joining Owens College and University College Liverpool. In 1904 a royal charter was granted to the University of Leeds by King Edward VII.
  The university has 36,250 students, the fifth largest university in the UK. From 2006 to present, the university has consistently been ranked within the top 5 in the United Kingdom for the number of applications received. Leeds had an income of £706.2 million in 2017/18, of which £137.1 million was from research grants and contracts. The university has financial endowments of £77.2 million, ranking outside the top ten British universities by financial endowment.
  Notable alumni include current Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer, former Secretary of State Jack Straw, former co-chairman of the Conservative Party Sayeeda Warsi, Piers Sellers and six Nobel laureates.
context_section_description: St George's Field, part of the University of Leeds campus, is the former Woodhouse Cemetery, where is buried Pablo Fanque (William Darby), who was a black circus proprietor for 30 years during the Victorian period. Fanque's wife, Susannah Darby, is also buried at the cemetery. There is a monument that Fanque erected to her, and a smaller monument to him. John Lennon referenced Fanque in The Beatles song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" on the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. On 8 October 2010, the Leeds University Union, as part of the university's annual Light Night celebration, unveiled a commemorative plaque at Fanque's and Darby's gravesite.
  There are several Blue Plaques on the campus, including those awarded to Clifford Allbutt and William Henry Bragg.
caption: Blue Plaques at Leeds University (8499078268)
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