Long-hidden royal secret is revealed

SPECIAL HAND-PAINTED WALLPAPER THOUGHT TO BE FOR THE DUKE OF SOMERSET IN 1883 UNCOVERED IN UNIVERSITY BUILDING

- By ABIGAIL MARLOW

A "REALLY special" royal discovery has been made in Huddersfield as the refurbishment of the University’s Ramsden Building gets under way.

Henry Boot Construction, which is renovating the Victorian-era property which faces onto Queensgate, made a surprising find as they stripped back almost 150 years of paint and plaster.

In a corner of a small office they uncovered colourful, hand-painted, patterned wallpaper, which had been obscured since the 1880s.

Experts from the University of Huddersfield’s Heritage Quay have shared the significance of this discovery. Dr Becky Bowd, University Archivist, said: "The building opened in 1883 with a Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition, showcasing Huddersfield's technical and creative capabilities to paying audiences. We know from the exhibition guide the room was decorated by a local firm but the distinctive repeating pattern of a crown and emblem were not mentioned.