Military History

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Our military collection includes the best collection of swords, the most comprehensive collection of firearms and the finest collection of sixteenth and seventeenth century armour in a regional British museum.

There are around 600 items in the edged weapons and poll arms collection. One of the earliest swords was found in France during the 100 years War between 1337 and 1453. The firearms collection has around 600 items, from the mid 1500s to the present, including service and civilian weapons, sporting and hunting weapons and firearms accessories. Our European armour collection dates from around 1550 to the present.

Many of these items were donated in 1941 by Edward Timperley, a London school master and collector.

Most of the rest of the collection is from regional part-time or volunteer units, including the Local Militia of the Napoleonic Wars, The Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteers, The Territorial Army and the Yorkshire Yeomanry.

Items include letters and other documents, artwork, photographs and uniforms.