LGBT History Project - User contributions [en]

Scott Mills

2026-03-31T19:03:04Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Scottmills1.jpg|thumb|Scott Mills]]'''Scott Mills''' (born 1973) is a British radio and TV presenter and DJ, best known for presenting ''The Scott Mills Show'' on BBC Radio 1 until March 2026.
He came out as gay to the press in 2001 to avoid tabloid-style speculation.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,469908,00.html Matt Wells ''The Guardian'' 7 Augst 2001 |"Coming out nerves for Radio 1's early bird"</ref>

In February 2011, Scott Mills presented a documentary for BBC Three called ''The World's Worst Place to Be Gay?''.

Scott Mills was ranked number 9 in the [[Pink List 2011]].

In March 2026 Mills was dismissed by the BBC. Although reasons were not given it is believed related to inappropriate relationships <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckge1yn50y8o Scott Mills sacked from BBC Radio 2 after allegations over 'historic relationship' BBC 30 March 2026 </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:TV presenters]]
[[Category:Radio presenters]]
[[Category:Pink List 2010|12]]
[[Category:Pink List 2011|09]]
[[Category:Pink List 2012|62]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1973 births]]

Scott Mills

2026-03-31T19:02:24Z

Wessexman: Scott Mills sacked by the BBC

[[File:Scottmills1.jpg|thumb|Scott Mills]]'''Scott Mills''' (born 1973) is a British radio and TV presenter and DJ, best known for presenting ''The Scott Mills Show'' on BBC Radio 1.
He came out as gay to the press in 2001 to avoid tabloid-style speculation.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,469908,00.html Matt Wells ''The Guardian'' 7 Augst 2001 |"Coming out nerves for Radio 1's early bird"</ref>

In February 2011, Scott Mills presented a documentary for BBC Three called ''The World's Worst Place to Be Gay?''.

Scott Mills was ranked number 9 in the [[Pink List 2011]].

In March 2026 Mills was dismissed by the BBC. Although reasons were not given it is believed related to inappropriate relationships <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckge1yn50y8o Scott Mills sacked from BBC Radio 2 after allegations over 'historic relationship' BBC 30 March 2026 </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:TV presenters]]
[[Category:Radio presenters]]
[[Category:Pink List 2010|12]]
[[Category:Pink List 2011|09]]
[[Category:Pink List 2012|62]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1973 births]]

Brighton

2026-03-24T15:38:30Z

Wessexman:

[[File:The Royal Pavilion Brighton.jpg|thumb|The Brighton Pavilion]]'''Brighton''' is a seaside town in [[East Sussex]]. In 1997 it merged with [[Hove]], and the merged authority became the '''City of Brighton and Hove''' in 2000.

==LGBT history==

In August 1822, [[George Wilson]], a servant from [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne]], was accused by a guardsman he had met in the Duke of Wellington public house in Pool Valley of having offered him a sovereign and two shillings to go with him onto the beach to "commit an unnatural crime".<ref name=Ourstory>http://www.brightonourstory.co.uk/brighton-s-history/. Accessed: 2013-04-30. (Archived by [[WebCite]]® at http://www.webcitation.org/6GGUMq4e9)</ref>

In 1836 [[Stanley Stokes]] died after cutting his own throat.

In the later 19th century the philanthropist [[Angela Burdett-Coutts]] spent part of each year at the [[Royal Albion Hotel]] with her companion Hannah. The couple were devoted to each other, socially recognized as a pair, and even sent joint Christmas cards. When Hannah died in 1878, Baroness Burdett-Coutts said she was utterly crushed by the loss of "my poor darling, the companion and sunshine of my life for 52 years".<ref name=Ourstory/>

There was a [[Brighton CHE Group]] (founded 1972).

An article by John Montgomery in [[Gay News]] Sept 1973 <ref> Issue 31 p 9 </ref> estimated the number of gays in the town to be 5,000.

In 1973 Sussex [[GLF]] planned a 'Think-In' for 12-14 October starting with a disco at the Stanford Arms Hotel <ref> Gay News issue 32 20 Sept 1973 </ref>.

[[Ivan Massow]] was born in Brighton.

in 1986 a television documentary programme reported that there was an estimated population of gay men in Brighton of 15,000 <ref> Facing South TVS programme 31 Jan 1986 </ref>.

The 2001 census revealed that Brighton and Hove had the highest proportion of same-sex households in the country at 1.29%: some 2,544 individuals said that they lived with a person of the same sex.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3456635.stm Brighton 'has most gay couples'</ref>

[[Brighton Pride]] is held every year, normally in August (1st September in 2012).

The [[Brighton Ourstory]] Project was set up to collect and preserve the lesbian and gay history community in the area, but closed in 2013.

The [[Brighton AIDS Memorial]] was unveiled in 2009.

In 2017 the Brighton Museum hosted an exhibition about the [[Museum of Transology]], curated by [[E-J Scott]].<ref>[https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/discover/2017/07/19/introducing-the-museum-of-transology/ Brighton Musuem blog.</ref>

In 2022 the film ''My Policeman'' starring [[Harry Styles]] as a 1950s Brighton gay police officer, was set in the area of Brighton and adjoining [[Lewes]] District Council area.

Member of Parliament for the Brighton Kemptown Constitutency from 2017 to 2024 was Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour). He was involved in a number of confrontational episodes in the House of Commons. In November 2018 he announced to the House of Commons that he was HIV positive <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Russell-Moyle (accessed 22 April 2024) </ref>. Russell-Moyle was barred from standing in 2024 by the Labour Party <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5114q1x09eo (accessed 29 May 2024) </ref> <ref> https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-glorious-downfall-of-lloyd-russell-moyle/ The Spectator 4 June 2024 piece by [[Julie Burchill]] </ref>.

Queer Heritage South in Brighton & [[Hove]] received £1.25 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for its pioneering Queer Heritage South: Live Archive project, which will create a digital archive, host cultural events, and deliver a major exhibition in 2027, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK.

==LGBT venues and resources==

Brighton has long been noted for its active gay scene, with a large number of gay venues, several of them in the Kemp Town area.
[[St James's Street]] hosts a number of gay venues, of which the [[Bulldog]] claims to be Brighton's longest-running gay bar.
The [[Queen's Head, Brighton|Queen's Head]], not far from St James's Street, was a gay pub for a number of years. [[Revenge]], the [[Amsterdam (Brighton)|Amsterdam]] and [[Legends]] are on the sea front, and [[Doctor Brighton's]] near the front.

[[MindOut]] is a mental health service run by and for local LGBT people.

The [[Allsorts Youth Project]] is for local young people.

[[Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard]] was set up in 1975.<ref>http://switchboard.org.uk/ Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard</ref>

Brighton and Hove Sea Serpents is a gay rugby club, founded in 2015.<ref>http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/local/14293341.Landmark_is_city_s_first_gay_rugby_team_compete_in_inaugural_match/ Gareth Davies, "Landmark is city's first gay rugby team compete in inaugural match" ''Evening Argus'', 22 February 2016.</ref>

Brighton and Hove Gay and Bi Men social group meet monthly <ref> https://www.meetup.com/Brighton-Hove-Gay-and-Bi-Men/ (accessed 20 March 2024) </ref>.

Queer Heritage South/Queer in Brighton is a digital community archiving project, celebrating and promoting the rich cultural life of LGBTQIA+ people in Brighton & Hove <ref> https://www.queerheritagesouth.co.uk/s/queer-heritage-south/page/home </ref>.

==Further reading==

''[[LGBT Brighton and Hove]]'' by Janet Cameron. Amberley Publishing, Stroud, 2009. isbn 978--184868-717-2.

==External sites==
*http://www.gaybrighton.com/. Accessed: 2016-04-04. Site seems to be dormant. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6gW0zqsCg)
*http://gay.brighton.co.uk/
*http://www.visitbrighton.com/gay-brighton

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Sussex]]
[[Category:Brighton| ]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Unitary authorities]]

Brighton

2026-03-24T15:31:57Z

Wessexman:

[[File:The Royal Pavilion Brighton.jpg|thumb|The Brighton Pavilion]]'''Brighton''' is a seaside town in [[East Sussex]]. In 1997 it merged with [[Hove]], and the merged authority became the '''City of Brighton and Hove''' in 2000.

==LGBT history==

In August 1822, [[George Wilson]], a servant from [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne]], was accused by a guardsman he had met in the Duke of Wellington public house in Pool Valley of having offered him a sovereign and two shillings to go with him onto the beach to "commit an unnatural crime".<ref name=Ourstory>http://www.brightonourstory.co.uk/brighton-s-history/. Accessed: 2013-04-30. (Archived by [[WebCite]]® at http://www.webcitation.org/6GGUMq4e9)</ref>

In 1836 [[Stanley Stokes]] died after cutting his own throat.

In the later 19th century the philanthropist [[Angela Burdett-Coutts]] spent part of each year at the [[Royal Albion Hotel]] with her companion Hannah. The couple were devoted to each other, socially recognized as a pair, and even sent joint Christmas cards. When Hannah died in 1878, Baroness Burdett-Coutts said she was utterly crushed by the loss of "my poor darling, the companion and sunshine of my life for 52 years".<ref name=Ourstory/>

There was a [[Brighton CHE Group]] (founded 1972).

An article by John Montgomery in [[Gay News]] Sept 1973 <ref> Issue 31 p 9 </ref> estimated the number of gays in the town to be 5,000.

In 1973 Sussex [[GLF]] planned a 'Think-In' for 12-14 October starting with a disco at the Stanford Arms Hotel <ref> Gay News issue 32 20 Sept 1973 </ref>.

[[Ivan Massow]] was born in Brighton.

in 1986 a television documentary programme reported that there was an estimated population of gay men in Brighton of 15,000 <ref> Facing South TVS programme 31 Jan 1986 </ref>.

The 2001 census revealed that Brighton and Hove had the highest proportion of same-sex households in the country at 1.29%: some 2,544 individuals said that they lived with a person of the same sex.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3456635.stm Brighton 'has most gay couples'</ref>

[[Brighton Pride]] is held every year, normally in August (1st September in 2012).

The [[Brighton Ourstory]] Project was set up to collect and preserve the lesbian and gay history community in the area, but closed in 2013.

The [[Brighton AIDS Memorial]] was unveiled in 2009.

In 2017 the Brighton Museum hosted an exhibition about the [[Museum of Transology]], curated by [[E-J Scott]].<ref>[https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/discover/2017/07/19/introducing-the-museum-of-transology/ Brighton Musuem blog.</ref>

In 2022 the film ''My Policeman'' starring [[Harry Styles]] as a 1950s Brighton gay police officer, was set in the area of Brighton and adjoining [[Lewes]] District Council area.

Member of Parliament for the Brighton Kemptown Constitutency from 2017 to 2024 was Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour). He has been involved in a number of confrontational episodes in the House of Commons. In November 2018 he announced to the House of Commons that he was HIV positive <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Russell-Moyle (accessed 22 April 2024) </ref>. Russell-Moyle was barred from standing in 2024 by the Labour Party <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5114q1x09eo (accessed 29 May 2024) </ref> <ref> https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-glorious-downfall-of-lloyd-russell-moyle/ The Spectator 4 June 2024 piece by [[Julie Burchill]] </ref>.

Queer Heritage South in Brighton & [[Hove]] received £1.25 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for its pioneering Queer Heritage South: Live Archive project, which will create a digital archive, host cultural events, and deliver a major exhibition in 2027, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK.

==LGBT venues and resources==

Brighton has long been noted for its active gay scene, with a large number of gay venues, several of them in the Kemp Town area.
[[St James's Street]] hosts a number of gay venues, of which the [[Bulldog]] claims to be Brighton's longest-running gay bar.
The [[Queen's Head, Brighton|Queen's Head]], not far from St James's Street, was a gay pub for a number of years. [[Revenge]], the [[Amsterdam (Brighton)|Amsterdam]] and [[Legends]] are on the sea front, and [[Doctor Brighton's]] near the front.

[[MindOut]] is a mental health service run by and for local LGBT people.

The [[Allsorts Youth Project]] is for local young people.

[[Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard]] was set up in 1975.<ref>http://switchboard.org.uk/ Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard</ref>

Brighton and Hove Sea Serpents is a gay rugby club, founded in 2015.<ref>http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/local/14293341.Landmark_is_city_s_first_gay_rugby_team_compete_in_inaugural_match/ Gareth Davies, "Landmark is city's first gay rugby team compete in inaugural match" ''Evening Argus'', 22 February 2016.</ref>

Brighton and Hove Gay and Bi Men social group meet monthly <ref> https://www.meetup.com/Brighton-Hove-Gay-and-Bi-Men/ (accessed 20 March 2024) </ref>.

Queer Heritage South/Queer in Brighton is a digital community archiving project, celebrating and promoting the rich cultural life of LGBTQIA+ people in Brighton & Hove <ref> https://www.queerheritagesouth.co.uk/s/queer-heritage-south/page/home </ref>.

==Further reading==

''[[LGBT Brighton and Hove]]'' by Janet Cameron. Amberley Publishing, Stroud, 2009. isbn 978--184868-717-2.

==External sites==
*http://www.gaybrighton.com/. Accessed: 2016-04-04. Site seems to be dormant. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6gW0zqsCg)
*http://gay.brighton.co.uk/
*http://www.visitbrighton.com/gay-brighton

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Sussex]]
[[Category:Brighton| ]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Unitary authorities]]

Hove

2026-03-24T15:31:29Z

Wessexman: Queer Heritage South

[[File:Hove, Brunswick Square - geograph.org.uk - 844489.jpg|thumb|Brunswick Square]]'''Hove''' is a seaside town in [[East Sussex]]. It adjoins [[Brighton]] to the west, and the two towns are now combined as the '''City of Brighton and Hove'''.

==LGBT history==

[[Edward Carpenter]] was born in Hove in 1844, and [[Roger Quilter]] was born there in 1877. [[Georgina Somerset]] had a dental practice there for a while.

Queer Heritage South in [[Brighton]] & Hove received £1.25 million for its pioneering Queer Heritage South: Live Archive project, which will create a digital archive, host cultural events, and deliver a major exhibition in 2027, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK. <ref> https://www.queerheritagesouth.co.uk/s/queer-heritage-south/page/home </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Brighton]]
[[Category:English towns]]

Brighton

2026-03-24T15:28:46Z

Wessexman: Queer Heritage South

[[File:The Royal Pavilion Brighton.jpg|thumb|The Brighton Pavilion]]'''Brighton''' is a seaside town in [[East Sussex]]. In 1997 it merged with [[Hove]], and the merged authority became the '''City of Brighton and Hove''' in 2000.

==LGBT history==

In August 1822, [[George Wilson]], a servant from [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne]], was accused by a guardsman he had met in the Duke of Wellington public house in Pool Valley of having offered him a sovereign and two shillings to go with him onto the beach to "commit an unnatural crime".<ref name=Ourstory>http://www.brightonourstory.co.uk/brighton-s-history/. Accessed: 2013-04-30. (Archived by [[WebCite]]® at http://www.webcitation.org/6GGUMq4e9)</ref>

In 1836 [[Stanley Stokes]] died after cutting his own throat.

In the later 19th century the philanthropist [[Angela Burdett-Coutts]] spent part of each year at the [[Royal Albion Hotel]] with her companion Hannah. The couple were devoted to each other, socially recognized as a pair, and even sent joint Christmas cards. When Hannah died in 1878, Baroness Burdett-Coutts said she was utterly crushed by the loss of "my poor darling, the companion and sunshine of my life for 52 years".<ref name=Ourstory/>

There was a [[Brighton CHE Group]] (founded 1972).

An article by John Montgomery in [[Gay News]] Sept 1973 <ref> Issue 31 p 9 </ref> estimated the number of gays in the town to be 5,000.

In 1973 Sussex [[GLF]] planned a 'Think-In' for 12-14 October starting with a disco at the Stanford Arms Hotel <ref> Gay News issue 32 20 Sept 1973 </ref>.

[[Ivan Massow]] was born in Brighton.

in 1986 a television documentary programme reported that there was an estimated population of gay men in Brighton of 15,000 <ref> Facing South TVS programme 31 Jan 1986 </ref>.

The 2001 census revealed that Brighton and Hove had the highest proportion of same-sex households in the country at 1.29%: some 2,544 individuals said that they lived with a person of the same sex.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3456635.stm Brighton 'has most gay couples'</ref>

[[Brighton Pride]] is held every year, normally in August (1st September in 2012).

The [[Brighton Ourstory]] Project was set up to collect and preserve the lesbian and gay history community in the area, but closed in 2013.

The [[Brighton AIDS Memorial]] was unveiled in 2009.

In 2017 the Brighton Museum hosted an exhibition about the [[Museum of Transology]], curated by [[E-J Scott]].<ref>[https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/discover/2017/07/19/introducing-the-museum-of-transology/ Brighton Musuem blog.</ref>

In 2022 the film ''My Policeman'' starring [[Harry Styles]] as a 1950s Brighton gay police officer, was set in the area of Brighton and adjoining [[Lewes]] District Council area.

Member of Parliament for the Brighton Kemptown Constitutency from 2017 to 2024 was Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour). He has been involved in a number of confrontational episodes in the House of Commons. In November 2018 he announced to the House of Commons that he was HIV positive <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Russell-Moyle (accessed 22 April 2024) </ref>. Russell-Moyle was barred from standing in 2024 by the Labour Party <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5114q1x09eo (accessed 29 May 2024) </ref> <ref> https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-glorious-downfall-of-lloyd-russell-moyle/ The Spectator 4 June 2024 piece by [[Julie Burchill]] </ref>.

Queer Heritage South in Brighton & Hove received £1.25 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for its pioneering Queer Heritage South: Live Archive project, which will create a digital archive, host cultural events, and deliver a major exhibition in 2027, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK.

==LGBT venues and resources==

Brighton has long been noted for its active gay scene, with a large number of gay venues, several of them in the Kemp Town area.
[[St James's Street]] hosts a number of gay venues, of which the [[Bulldog]] claims to be Brighton's longest-running gay bar.
The [[Queen's Head, Brighton|Queen's Head]], not far from St James's Street, was a gay pub for a number of years. [[Revenge]], the [[Amsterdam (Brighton)|Amsterdam]] and [[Legends]] are on the sea front, and [[Doctor Brighton's]] near the front.

[[MindOut]] is a mental health service run by and for local LGBT people.

The [[Allsorts Youth Project]] is for local young people.

[[Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard]] was set up in 1975.<ref>http://switchboard.org.uk/ Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard</ref>

Brighton and Hove Sea Serpents is a gay rugby club, founded in 2015.<ref>http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/local/14293341.Landmark_is_city_s_first_gay_rugby_team_compete_in_inaugural_match/ Gareth Davies, "Landmark is city's first gay rugby team compete in inaugural match" ''Evening Argus'', 22 February 2016.</ref>

Brighton and Hove Gay and Bi Men social group meet monthly <ref> https://www.meetup.com/Brighton-Hove-Gay-and-Bi-Men/ (accessed 20 March 2024) </ref>.

Queer Heritage South/Queer in Brighton is a digital community archiving project, celebrating and promoting the rich cultural life of LGBTQIA+ people in Brighton & Hove <ref> https://www.queerheritagesouth.co.uk/s/queer-heritage-south/page/home </ref>.

==Further reading==

''[[LGBT Brighton and Hove]]'' by Janet Cameron. Amberley Publishing, Stroud, 2009. isbn 978--184868-717-2.

==External sites==
*http://www.gaybrighton.com/. Accessed: 2016-04-04. Site seems to be dormant. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6gW0zqsCg)
*http://gay.brighton.co.uk/
*http://www.visitbrighton.com/gay-brighton

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Sussex]]
[[Category:Brighton| ]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Unitary authorities]]

Winchester

2026-03-24T15:25:19Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Winpride2018.JPG|thumb|Winchester Pride 2018 outside the Cathedral (photo by Clifford Williams)]]'''Winchester''' is a city in [[Hampshire]]. It was historically the capital of [[Wessex]] and for a time the capital of [[England]]. The current local government area '''City of Winchester''' also covers a large area of the surrounding countryside. Noted landmarks include the cathedral (the longest in Europe), the Great Hall (which contains "King Arthur's Round Table") and a public school, [[Winchester College]].

==LGBT history==

[[Lord Alfred Douglas]]1884-1888 and [[Patrick Gale]] in the 1970s, both attended [[Winchester College]].

The trial of [[Peter Wildeblood]], [[Lord Montagu]] and [[Michael Pitt-Rivers]] was held in the Great Hall of Winchester in 1954 <ref> The trial opened at Winchester Assizes 15 March 1954.</ref>.

There was a Winchester [[CHE group]] in the 1970s.The Winchester Gay Group met at the Railway Inn 1976-77; the City Tavern 1977-8; The Ship Inn circa 1979, and back at the City Tavern 1980-83 <ref> Winchester Gay Group Newsletters 1-26 Oct 1976-Jan 1979 are held in the British Library. In 1978 the group temporarily met in Twyford at the Phoenix Inn, as well as having weekly meetings at the Friends Meeting House in Winchester </ref>. In February 1983 it began to meet at the Royal Oak in St George's Street <ref> Gay Solent Newsletter no 46 Feb 1983 (Hall Carpenter Archives, LSE Ref HCA/CHE/7/55) </ref>. The group was still meeting in 2002 at a private home in Oliver's Battery, but the group disbanded sometime after 2002.

[[Hampshire Pride]] was held in Winchester 2015-2019.

A young people's LGBT Group, called [[Y-Services]] , met weekly at the Carroll Centre in Winchester from the start of 2018 to the onset of Covid 19 restrictions in March 2020. The group was folded in 2021.

In the summer of 2019 Hampshire Record Office in Winchester had an exhibition on the county LGBT+ history which was created with the [[Y-Services]] young people's Heritage Lottery funded project and curated by Dr [[Clifford Williams]] <ref> https://www.fyne.co.uk/a-queer-history-of-hampshire/ </ref>.

References

[[Category:Hampshire]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Non-unitary districts]]

Andover

2026-03-23T11:03:04Z

Wessexman: transman who lived in Andover 1924-26

[[File:Andover - Norman Arch - geograph.org.uk - 556600.jpg|thumb|Norman arch from former church]]'''Andover''' is a town in the [[Test Valley]] district of [[Hampshire]].

==LGBT history==
In 1924 Lillias Irma Valerie Barker (born 1895), who had transitioned to living as a man under the name of Captain Barker, moved with his wife Elfrida Haward to Andover. Barker ran an antiques business, sung in the choir and joined the cricket club. The president of the cricket club Dr Farr thought Col Barker was a woman. Barker moved to nearby Weyhill. After two years in the Andover District the Barkers settled in Uckfield, Sussex but the marriage collapsed. Barker was convicted of a few theft offences. Barker's last move was to Kessingland in Suffolk where, as Geoffrey Norton, he lived out her final years until her death in 1960 at the age of 64 <ref> The controversial life of Lillias Irma Valerie Barker. Andover Advertiser 6th December 2025 by David Borrett. https://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/news/25667039.controversial-life-lillias-irma-valerie-barker/ (Accessed 23 March 2026) </ref>.

There was an Andover [[CHE group]]for a short time in the 1970s.

In 1974 the Andover Advertiser called homosexuals sick and refused to allow any adverts for counselling or befriending services for gays <ref> A Queer A-Z of Hampshire by Clifford Williams (2024:Andover) </ref>.

In 1976 [[Gay News]] reported that an Andover Doctor had been convicted on three charges of gross indecency, one involving a 15-year old boy <ref> Gay News issue 101 p 9 26 August 1976 </ref>.

There was a [[Gay Andover Project Youth Group]] in 2014.[[File:Andoverprideflagsjune2024.jpg|thumb|left| Lesbian and Pansexual flags at Andover Pride 2024 (photo by Dr C Williams)]]

In 2021 Rev [[Andy Fitchet]] was featured in a BBC article entitled: 'Gay minister: I was asked to leave my church when I came out'. Fitchet left the Baptist Church and started preaching at the Methodist Church after he came out as gay <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-hampshire-59057419 </ref>. Fitchet stood as the Labour Party candidate in the North West Hampshire Constituency in 2017 and 2024.[[File:Image001talkinandover.png|thumb|right| Talk at Andover Museum advertised by the Town Council in 2025]]

In June 2024 Andover held its first Pride event with a grant from the Town Council. The 2nd Andover Pride was held in June 2025.
In 2025 Dr [[Clifford Williams]] gave a talk at the Museum on Hampshire's gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans history.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Hampshire]]
[[Category:English towns]]

Portsmouth

2026-03-22T16:06:35Z

Wessexman: added reference to Portsmouth Defence.

[[File:Portsmouthlibrarylgbthistorydisplay.JPG|thumb|right|LGBT History Display in the Central Library 2020 curated by Dr Clifford Williams]]'''Portsmouth''', sometimes known as "Pompey" is a city in southern England, mainly located on Portsea island. it is a unitary authority, within the ceremonial county of [[Hampshire]]. Portsmouth has long been one of the UK's main naval ports, and is the home of HMS ''Victory'' and other historic naval ships.

==LGBT history==

In 1628 [[George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham]] was murdered in the Greyhound public house in Old Portsmouth.

Following the prosecution of [[Oscar Wilde]] for gross indecency, in 1895 the city council committee responsible for libraries agreed that all works by Oscar Wilde should be removed from library shelves and destroyed <ref> Note from Portsmouth Library and Archive Senior Archivist 18 Dec 2019 </ref>.

Portsmouth CHE was formed in 1972 <ref> page 575 Peter Scott-Presland 'Amiable Warriors' (2015) volume 1 Paradise Press </ref>. The group first met on 30 June with 14 CHE members present. It proposed to Head Office that it be called the South East Hampshire Group <ref> Letter David Eddy to Paul Temperton 2nd July 1972 in HCA at LSE </ref>. The group folded soon after <ref> in August 1973 </ref> but was revived in February 1975, only to fold again <ref> Gay News number 65 Feb 1975 </ref>. A new society, called Portsmouth Gay Group (CHE) was set up in January 1980 <ref> David Sweeney, Covenors report in HCA LSE </ref>. Portsmouth Gay Community Society moved to meetings at the King's Hotel in 1981. [[Portsmouth CHE Group]] was reformed in September 1982 after dividing off from the Portsmouth Gay Community Society <ref> Gay Solent Newsletter no 48 April 1983. Copies of some of the Gay Solent newsletters are held in the Hall-Carpenter Archives at the London School of Economics Ref HCA/CHE/7/55 </ref>.
[[File:PortsmouthGayGroup1980DSC09370.JPG|thumb|left|Portsmouth Gay Group leaflet 1980 (HCA at LSE)]]
In the 1970s one of Portsmouth's longest running gay pubs was the Balmoral Bar in Landport Terrace <ref> Gay News listings March 1974 issue number 43 </ref>. In 1975 the Boys and Girls Gay Society (known as BAGGS) was founded in Portsmouth. Over 150 people attended a disco held by BAGGS at its inaugural event in the Horseshoe Pub in Hampshire Terrace, Southsea in May 1975 <ref> Gay News number 71 and also number 73 19 June 1975 </ref>. In the 1980s there was a nightclub called Granny's in the Tricorn Centre which hosted gay discos <ref> Kim Miller interviewed by Y-Services Voices for Heritage Project 2017-8 Interview recording held at in Wessex Sound Archive at Hampshire Record Office, UK </ref>.

The [[Portsmouth Defence]] was a defence sometimes used in trials for assault or murder, in which the defendant claimed to have been suffering from "homosexual panic" in response to a sexual approach <ref> No 'Portsmouth defence' Letters to The Independent Thursday 06 November 2003 https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letters/no-portsmouth-defence-father-and-child-let-down-and-others-76917.html (Accessed 22 March 2026) </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Hampshire]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Unitary authorities]]

Oscar Wilde

2026-03-15T14:18:01Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Oscar Wilde portrait.jpg|thumb|right|Oscar Wilde portrait]]'''Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde''' (1854–1900) was an Irish playwright, wit, and poet, whose name became notorious following his conviction for [[gross indecency]].

Born in [[Dublin]] and educated at [[Trinity College Dublin]] and [[Magdalen College, Oxford]], Wilde moved to London in 1878 and became known as a leading member, along with <cite>Walter Pater</cite>, of the Aesthetic Movement. His flamboyant personal dress and behaviour aroused comment, and he is thought to be the inspiration for the "aesthetic" character Bunthorne, in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, <cite>Patience</cite> (1881). In 1882 he undertook a tour of the United States, giving lectures about art, which were well received by audiences from all classes of society.

In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd. They had two sons. However in 1886 Wilde met 17 year old [[Robert Ross]] and they had a physical relationship. Wilde led a double life.

His novel <cite>The Picture of Dorian Gray</cite>, first published in 1890, was considered immoral (although a number of passages, including several references to homosexuality, were removed before publication) and was banned by W H Smith.

In 1891 he met [[Lord Alfred Douglas]], known as "Bosie" who was an Oxford undergraduate at the time. Wilde and Douglas began an affair, and Douglas introduced Wilde to a series of working class rent boys, whom Wilde took to hotel rooms.

From 1891 onwards Wilde wrote a number of plays, including ''Salomé'' (written in French and banned in the UK) and several very successful plays culminating in <cite>The Importance of being Earnest</cite>.

In 1894 Douglas's father the [[Marquess of Queensberry]] (known for sponsoring the Queensberry rules for boxing) left a calling card for Wilde at the Albemarle Club, inscribed "For Oscar Wilde, posing somdomite". Douglas encouraged Wilde to sue for libel, which he did against the advice of his friends. At the trial, Wilde was subjected to very damaging cross-examination by Sir Edward Carson, and the case collapsed.

Immediately after the libel trial, a warrant was issued for Wilde's arrest. His friends advised him to go to France to avoid arrest, but he did not do so, and was arrested for [[gross indecency]]. The trial, in 1895, was notable for Wilde's defence of "the love that dares not speak its name" but the jury failed to reach a verdict. There was a second trial, at which Wilde was found guilty and sentenced to two years hard labour.

Wilde served his sentence in Pentonville and Wandsworth, but mainly in Reading. The very harsh prison regime and hard labour affected his health very badly. While in prison he wrote a long letter to Douglas: he was not permitted to send it, but it was later published as <cite>De profundis</cite>.

On his release in 1897, Wilde went to France, where he published the poem <cite>The Ballad of Reading Gaol</cite>. He lived with Douglas for a while in Naples, but then returned to Paris, where he lived in an hotel, suffering increasing ill-health. He died on 30 November 1900, having been received into the Catholic church the day before. He is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, under a tomb designed by Sir Jacob Epstein.

[[Dolly Wilde]] was Oscar’s niece.

Oscar Wilde may have been one of the authors of the anonymous gay pornographic novel [[Teleny, or The Reverse of the Medal]].

[[Category:Poets]]
[[Category:Novelists]]
[[Category:Dramatists]]
[[Category:People convicted of homosexual offences]]
[[Category:1854 births]]
[[Category:1900 deaths]]

Black Cap

2026-03-14T12:15:05Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Black Cap, Camden Town, NW1 (6946717661).jpg|thumb|The entrance to The Black Cap before it closed down in the 2010s]]
'''The Black Cap''' was a gay pub in [[Camden Town]], London known for its drag cabaret.<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zhJGpvZwhSIC&pg=PA235&dq=drag+%22black+cap%22+camden+town&lr=&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a ''Britain'' - Google Books</ref>

==History==
The pub was initially called the Mother Black Cap after a local legend concerning a witch,<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7GJNAF1W5pUC&pg=PA182&lpg=PA182&dq=Mother+Black+Cap+pub&source=bl&ots=wMejX2StZI&sig=N_kbRznkUOUZyxkveSbtmNidBMs&hl=en&ei=Md1pSuWABeTRjAe9ovi0Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10 ''Famous Impostors'' - Google Books</ref> and had that name, according to licensing records, as early as 1751.<ref>http://www.theblackcap.com/html/history.htm</ref>

In the late 20th century it became known for its drag queen cabaret,<ref>Senelick, L ''The Changing Room: Sex, Drag, and Theatre'', p 231</ref> and promoted itself as the "Palladium of drag".<ref>http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/feature.php/7582/patrick-newley "Patrick Newley" ''The Stage'' 28 April 2005</ref><ref>Sullivan, Evening Standard London Pub Bar Guide, 1999</ref> Drag acts such as [[Danny La Rue]] and [[Hinge and Bracket]] started their careers at the pub.<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9PPVN0-SKMwC&pg=PA219&dq=drag+%22black+cap%22&client=firefox-a ''Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre'' - Google Books</ref>

A notable regular performer at The Black Cap, was [[Rex Jameson]]'s drag persona [[Mrs Shufflewick]]<ref> Born 1927 in London Rex Coster changed his surname to Jameson. He died aged 55 in 1983 </ref>. A performance was recorded there in 1972.<ref>http://www.archive.org/details/MrsShufflewick</ref> Rex Jameson was a variety artist who hit the big time in the fifties and sixties and went on to attract cult audiences in the seventies. The character Mrs Shufflewick was celebrated by artists such as [[Danny La Rue]], Roy Hud, Bob Monkhouse, Barry Cryer and Barry Humphries. [[File:The Black Cap September 2018 (Boarded up).jpg|thumb|left| The pub boarded up in 2018]]
Mrs Shufflewick appeared weekly for Sunday Lunch The Black Cap during the seventies. A Hammond organ and drum kit took pride of place on a tiny stage upon which Mrs Shufflewick appeared for two shows. Sunday crowds were huge and several professional artists used to come to watch the shows including [[Charles Hawtrey]], Barry Humphries and Barry Cryer.<ref>''The Amazing Mrs Shufflewick: The Life Of Rex Jameson'', Patrick Newly</ref>

Rex died in 1983 and in memorial to Rex Jameson, the Black Cap had an upstairs bar, called the Shufflewick Bar.
[[File:Saveblackcap.jpg|thumb|right| Campaign to save the Black Cap in 2019 (photo by Dr C Williams)]]
During the eighties, artists such as [[Reg Bundy]] performed his alter ego Regina Fong on Tuesday nights, attracting a cult following of "Fongettes".<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1131884.ece Reg Bundy ''The Times'' 14 May 2003</ref> Top drag acts such as Adrela and [[Lilly Savage]] also appeared at the The Cap during the eighties.

The London pub in the 1986 film ''Withnail & I'' is named The "Mother Black Cap", combining the name of the Black Cap with another Camden pub, The [[Mother Red Cap]].<ref>http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/w/withnail.html</ref>

In April 2015 it was reported that the Black Cap had closed down, despite being recognised as an [[Asset of Community Value]] (ACV).<ref>http://www.thisiscabaret.com/exclusive-historic-drag-pub-camdens-black-cap-closed-owners/. Accessed: 2015-04-15. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6XoUl7pLC)</ref> In 2024 an application to reopen the pub was considered by Camden Council. In November 2024 it was announced that the pub would reopen <ref> https://www.timeout.com/london/bars-and-pubs/oral-history-of-camdens-legendary-gay-pub-the-black-cap After a decade of closure and campaigning to re-open, the iconic venue is set to return by the end of the year. Time Out Thursday 7 November </ref>. In March 2026 it was announced that the pub would re-open 21 March 2026 with an all ticket opening <ref> https://www.qxmagazine.com/2026/03/the-black-cap-one-of-londons-most-iconic-lgbtq-cabaret-venues-is-back/ The Black Cap is one of London’s most iconic LGBTQ+ drag and cabaret venues. It will reopen its doors on 21 March 2026 for an all-ticket event, marking the return of the historic Camden pub after more than a decade. Closed since 2015, the landmark venue on Camden High Street has been lovingly restored following a long campaign by LGBTQ+ activists, local residents and Camden Council to protect the site and preserve its cultural heritage. Now under new ownership and managed by LT Management, the venue has undergone a £2 million refurbishment and will reopen as a lively queer performance space celebrating drag, cabaret, and live entertainment.</ref>.

==References==

Partly based on a Wikipedia article

<references>

==External links==
*[http://www.theblackcap.com www.theblackcap.com] Official website

[[Category:Drag]]
[[Category:Pubs and bars]]
[[Category:Camden]]

Black Cap

2026-03-14T12:14:20Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Black Cap, Camden Town, NW1 (6946717661).jpg|thumb|The entrance to The Black Cap before it closed down in the 2010s]]
'''The Black Cap''' was a gay pub in [[Camden Town]], London known for its drag cabaret.<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zhJGpvZwhSIC&pg=PA235&dq=drag+%22black+cap%22+camden+town&lr=&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a ''Britain'' - Google Books</ref>

==History==
The pub was initially called the Mother Black Cap after a local legend concerning a witch,<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7GJNAF1W5pUC&pg=PA182&lpg=PA182&dq=Mother+Black+Cap+pub&source=bl&ots=wMejX2StZI&sig=N_kbRznkUOUZyxkveSbtmNidBMs&hl=en&ei=Md1pSuWABeTRjAe9ovi0Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10 ''Famous Impostors'' - Google Books</ref> and had that name, according to licensing records, as early as 1751.<ref>http://www.theblackcap.com/html/history.htm</ref>

In the late 20th century it became known for its drag queen cabaret,<ref>Senelick, L ''The Changing Room: Sex, Drag, and Theatre'', p 231</ref> and promoted itself as the "Palladium of drag".<ref>http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/feature.php/7582/patrick-newley "Patrick Newley" ''The Stage'' 28 April 2005</ref><ref>Sullivan, Evening Standard London Pub Bar Guide, 1999</ref> Drag acts such as [[Danny La Rue]] and [[Hinge and Bracket]] started their careers at the pub.<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9PPVN0-SKMwC&pg=PA219&dq=drag+%22black+cap%22&client=firefox-a ''Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre'' - Google Books</ref>

A notable regular performer at The Black Cap, was [[Rex Jameson]]'s drag persona [[Mrs Shufflewick]]<ref> Born 1927 in London Rex Coster changed his surname to Jameson. He died aged 55 in 1983 </ref>. A performance was recorded there in 1972.<ref>http://www.archive.org/details/MrsShufflewick</ref> Rex Jameson was a variety artist who hit the big time in the fifties and sixties and went on to attract cult audiences in the seventies. The character Mrs Shufflewick was celebrated by artists such as [[Danny La Rue]], Roy Hud, Bob Monkhouse, Barry Cryer and Barry Humphries. [[File:The Black Cap September 2018 (Boarded up).jpg|thumb|left| The pub boarded up in 2018]]
Mrs Shufflewick appeared weekly for Sunday Lunch The Black Cap during the seventies. A Hammond organ and drum kit took pride of place on a tiny stage upon which Mrs Shufflewick appeared for two shows. Sunday crowds were huge and several professional artists used to come to watch the shows including [[Charles Hawtrey]], Barry Humphries and Barry Cryer.<ref>''The Amazing Mrs Shufflewick: The Life Of Rex Jameson'', Patrick Newly</ref>

Rex died in 1983 and in memorial to Rex Jameson, the Black Cap had an upstairs bar, called the Shufflewick Bar.
[[File:Saveblackcap.jpg|thumb|right| Campaign to save the Black Cap in 2019 (photo by Dr C Williams)]]
During the eighties, artists such as [[Reg Bundy]] performed his alter ego Regina Fong on Tuesday nights, attracting a cult following of "Fongettes".<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1131884.ece Reg Bundy ''The Times'' 14 May 2003</ref> Top drag acts such as Adrela and [[Lilly Savage]] also appeared at the The Cap during the eighties.

The London pub in the 1986 film ''Withnail & I'' is named The "Mother Black Cap", combining the name of the Black Cap with another Camden pub, The [[Mother Red Cap]].<ref>http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/w/withnail.html</ref>

In April 2015 it was reported that the Black Cap had closed down, despite being recognised as an [[Asset of Community Value]] (ACV).<ref>http://www.thisiscabaret.com/exclusive-historic-drag-pub-camdens-black-cap-closed-owners/. Accessed: 2015-04-15. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6XoUl7pLC)</ref> In 2024 an application to reopen the pub was considered by Camden Council. In November 2024 it was announced that the pub would reopen <ref> https://www.timeout.com/london/bars-and-pubs/oral-history-of-camdens-legendary-gay-pub-the-black-cap After a decade of closure and campaigning to re-open, the iconic venue is set to return by the end of the year. Time Out Thursday 7 November </ref>. In March 2026 it was announced that the pub would re-open 21 March <ref> https://www.qxmagazine.com/2026/03/the-black-cap-one-of-londons-most-iconic-lgbtq-cabaret-venues-is-back/ The Black Cap is one of London’s most iconic LGBTQ+ drag and cabaret venues. It will reopen its doors on 21 March 2026 for an all-ticket event, marking the return of the historic Camden pub after more than a decade. Closed since 2015, the landmark venue on Camden High Street has been lovingly restored following a long campaign by LGBTQ+ activists, local residents and Camden Council to protect the site and preserve its cultural heritage. Now under new ownership and managed by LT Management, the venue has undergone a £2 million refurbishment and will reopen as a lively queer performance space celebrating drag, cabaret, and live entertainment.</ref>.

==References==

Partly based on a Wikipedia article

<references>

==External links==
*[http://www.theblackcap.com www.theblackcap.com] Official website

[[Category:Drag]]
[[Category:Pubs and bars]]
[[Category:Camden]]

Black Cap

2026-03-14T12:13:00Z

Wessexman: re-opening 21 March 2026

[[File:Black Cap, Camden Town, NW1 (6946717661).jpg|thumb|The entrance to The Black Cap before it closed down in the 2010s]]
'''The Black Cap''' was a gay pub in [[Camden Town]], London known for its drag cabaret.<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zhJGpvZwhSIC&pg=PA235&dq=drag+%22black+cap%22+camden+town&lr=&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a ''Britain'' - Google Books</ref>

==History==
The pub was initially called the Mother Black Cap after a local legend concerning a witch,<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7GJNAF1W5pUC&pg=PA182&lpg=PA182&dq=Mother+Black+Cap+pub&source=bl&ots=wMejX2StZI&sig=N_kbRznkUOUZyxkveSbtmNidBMs&hl=en&ei=Md1pSuWABeTRjAe9ovi0Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10 ''Famous Impostors'' - Google Books</ref> and had that name, according to licensing records, as early as 1751.<ref>http://www.theblackcap.com/html/history.htm</ref>

In the late 20th century it became known for its drag queen cabaret,<ref>Senelick, L ''The Changing Room: Sex, Drag, and Theatre'', p 231</ref> and promoted itself as the "Palladium of drag".<ref>http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/feature.php/7582/patrick-newley "Patrick Newley" ''The Stage'' 28 April 2005</ref><ref>Sullivan, Evening Standard London Pub Bar Guide, 1999</ref> Drag acts such as [[Danny La Rue]] and [[Hinge and Bracket]] started their careers at the pub.<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9PPVN0-SKMwC&pg=PA219&dq=drag+%22black+cap%22&client=firefox-a ''Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre'' - Google Books</ref>

A notable regular performer at The Black Cap, was [[Rex Jameson]]'s drag persona [[Mrs Shufflewick]]<ref> Born 1927 in London Rex Coster changed his surname to Jameson. He died aged 55 in 1983 </ref>. A performance was recorded there in 1972.<ref>http://www.archive.org/details/MrsShufflewick</ref> Rex Jameson was a variety artist who hit the big time in the fifties and sixties and went on to attract cult audiences in the seventies. The character Mrs Shufflewick was celebrated by artists such as [[Danny La Rue]], Roy Hud, Bob Monkhouse, Barry Cryer and Barry Humphries. [[File:The Black Cap September 2018 (Boarded up).jpg|thumb|left| The pub boarded up in 2018]]
Mrs Shufflewick appeared weekly for Sunday Lunch The Black Cap during the seventies. A Hammond organ and drum kit took pride of place on a tiny stage upon which Mrs Shufflewick appeared for two shows. Sunday crowds were huge and several professional artists used to come to watch the shows including [[Charles Hawtrey]], Barry Humphries and Barry Cryer.<ref>''The Amazing Mrs Shufflewick: The Life Of Rex Jameson'', Patrick Newly</ref>

Rex died in 1983 and in memorial to Rex Jameson, the Black Cap had an upstairs bar, called the Shufflewick Bar.
[[File:Saveblackcap.jpg|thumb|right| Campaign to save the Black Cap in 2019 (photo by Dr C Williams)]]
During the eighties, artists such as [[Reg Bundy]] performed his alter ego Regina Fong on Tuesday nights, attracting a cult following of "Fongettes".<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1131884.ece Reg Bundy ''The Times'' 14 May 2003</ref> Top drag acts such as Adrela and [[Lilly Savage]] also appeared at the The Cap during the eighties.

The London pub in the 1986 film ''Withnail & I'' is named The "Mother Black Cap", combining the name of the Black Cap with another Camden pub, The [[Mother Red Cap]].<ref>http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/w/withnail.html</ref>

In April 2015 it was reported that the Black Cap had closed down, despite being recognised as an [[Asset of Community Value]] (ACV).<ref>http://www.thisiscabaret.com/exclusive-historic-drag-pub-camdens-black-cap-closed-owners/. Accessed: 2015-04-15. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6XoUl7pLC)</ref> In 2024 an application to reopen the pub was considered by Camden Council </ref>. In November 2024 it was announced that the pub would reopen <ref> https://www.timeout.com/london/bars-and-pubs/oral-history-of-camdens-legendary-gay-pub-the-black-cap After a decade of closure and campaigning to re-open, the iconic venue is set to return by the end of the year. Time Out Thursday 7 November </ref>. In March 2026 it was announced that the pub would re-open 21 March <ref> https://www.qxmagazine.com/2026/03/the-black-cap-one-of-londons-most-iconic-lgbtq-cabaret-venues-is-back/ The Black Cap is one of London’s most iconic LGBTQ+ drag and cabaret venues. It will reopen its doors on 21 March 2026 for an all-ticket event, marking the return of the historic Camden pub after more than a decade.Closed since 2015, the landmark venue on Camden High Street has been lovingly restored following a long campaign by LGBTQ+ activists, local residents and Camden Council to protect the site and preserve its cultural heritage.Now under new ownership and managed by LT Management, the venue has undergone a £2 million refurbishment and will reopen as a lively queer performance space celebrating drag, cabaret, and live entertainment.</ref>.

==References==

Partly based on a Wikipedia article

<references>

==External links==
*[http://www.theblackcap.com www.theblackcap.com] Official website

[[Category:Drag]]
[[Category:Pubs and bars]]
[[Category:Camden]]

Gateshead

2026-03-06T17:38:53Z

Wessexman: /* LGBT history */ art event 2026

[[File:MBN.jpg|thumb|Gateshead Quays and the Millennium Bridge]]'''Gateshead''' is a town and [[metropolitan borough]] in [[Tyne and Wear]], formerly in [[County Durham]]. It faces [[Newcastle]] across the Tyne, and has become noted for the Angel of the North.

==LGBT history==

STAG (Gateshead & South Tyneside Gay & Bisexual Men's Project) is a sexual health project.<ref>http://www.aidsmap.com/org/f30dc7a9-e075-4f22-a9ad-f9dbc598818f/page/1411896/</ref>
In February 2026 The One Centre in Gateshead held a LGBT Spray it with Pride art event <ref> BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cze067p6pj1o </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Tyne and Wear]]
[[Category:Metropolitan boroughs]]
[[Category:English towns]]

Gabriel D'Esty

2026-03-06T13:20:46Z

Wessexman: change of name and reference

'''Gabriel D'Esty''' aka Louis Augustus Tiber born 1897 died 1968 was a female impersonator, pantomine artist, dancer and costume maker who lived the last half of his life in rural [[Hampshire]]. Although he never achieved great fame he was acquainted with a number of well known artistes and celebrities and his significance to LGBT history is the collection of interesting papers and artefacts that have survived that are connected to him. [[File:Destyandnaajah.jpg|thumb|right|Gabriel with his dog Naajah in his garden]]
Two of his costumes from the 1920s survive in good condition.
D'Esty served in the Northumberland Fusiliers during World War One and took part in concert parties, often involving impersonation of women. After the war he taught dance and ballet and also worked as a cook. In 1927 he appeared at the Sussex Assizes in [[Lewes]] (having been committed from [[Chichester]] County Magistrates Court at the end of November) and was sentenced to prison for 21 months hard labour following conviction for a homosexual crime committed at New Fishbourne, Sussex on 15 November 1927 with Leonard Ridley Lavell. Lavell was sentenced to 18 months hard labour. The offence was buggery <ref> West Sussex Gazette -Thursday 15 December 1927</ref>. Following his prison sentence he dropped his name Louis Tiber and only used Gabriel D'Esty from then on <ref> Gabriel D'Esty: a Twentieth-Century Gay Life in the Southern English Counties, Southern History Society Journal issue 47 (2025) Dr Clifford Williams </ref>.
In about 1935 D'Esty went to live in the hamlet of Dean just outside Bishop's Waltham in Hampshire.

==References==
<references>

Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre

2026-03-06T13:14:17Z

Wessexman: Mosaic Trust link

[[File:Mosaic.PNG|thumb|Mosaic logo]]The '''Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre''' is a service for young LGBT people in [[Greater London]]. The formation of Mosaic was originally as a group for Gay and Bisexual men in [[Brent]] in the year 2000, made possible with funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, and support from Brent Council. Mosaic subsequently became one of a LGBT+ youth groups in London and ran until 2016, when due to austerity cuts it closed its doors in the [[London Borough of Brent]], became an independent charity and moved to its current location in [[Camden]] <ref> operating as Mosaic Trust https://www.mosaictrust.org.uk/about/ </ref>.
An archive about Mosaic is held by [[Brent]] Borough in the Willesden Green Library building.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:London]]
[[Category:Youth]]

Football

2026-03-04T16:20:52Z

Wessexman: homophobic slur in football match led to six-match ban.

[[File:Ancient Greek Football Player.jpg|thumb|Ancient Greek football player balancing the ball; depicted on an Attic Lekythos]]'''Football''' (Association Football, or Soccer) is a game that has been played for centuries in the UK, and has been likened to the ancient Greek game of Episkyros (Greek: ἐπίσκυρος). However the modern form of the game became standardised during the 19th century, particularly with the formation of the Football Association in 1863.

==LGBT history==

[[Lily Parr]], known to be lesbian, was a professional footballer from 1917 onwards. At that time women's football teams competed against men's teams, but in 1921 the Football Association banned women from playing at any of its grounds, a rule that was only reversed in 1971. Another lesbian, [[Hope Powell]], played for the England women's team in the 1990s, [[Melanie Garside-Wight]] has been a noted club player, and [[Andrea Worrall]] has played for [[Wales]]. The [[Lily Parr Exhibition Trophy]], an international event, has been held on several occasions.

[[Justin Fashanu]] was a professional footballer from 1978, but suffered homophobic abuse after coming out in 1990. He committed suicide in 1998. Since then, no British professional footballer has felt able to come out while still playing, although the gay [[Liverpool]]-born [[Anton Hysén]] plays for a professional club in Sweden, and [[Robbie Rogers]] came out in 2013 after leaving British football. The [[Justin Campaign]] was founded in Justin Fashanu's memory in 2008, to campaign against homophobia in football. The [[Justin Fashanu Cup]] tournament was held in 2011, involving gay and non-gay teams, the [[Justin Fashanu All-stars]] was formed in 2009, and the Justin Campaign was involved in the formation of the international [[Football v Homophobia]] campaign.

[[Zander Murray]], a Scottish footballer, came out as gay in 2022 <ref> https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12702320/zander-murray-gala-fairydean-rovers-striker-was-living-in-fear-but-weight-is-off-his-shoulders-after-coming-out-as-gay </ref>. At the time he was playing for Gala Fairydean Rovers. In December 2023 he announced that he would retire at the end of the season <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67771203 </ref>.

The first openly gay women's football team in Europe is [[Hackney]] Women's Football Club, founded in 1986 <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64663095 (accessed 20 February 2024) </ref>.

In 1978 the gay football referee [[Norman Redman]] started a gay team called [[Gaystars XI]], but it was short-lived. From the 1990s onwards, a number of gay or gay-friendly football teams have been formed, starting with [[Stonewall FC]] in 1991. [[Aslie Pitter]], one of the founders of Stonewall FC, later received an MBE for his work in combating homophobia.

The [[Gay Football Supporters Network]] (GFSN) was founded in 1989, and by 2002 there were enough gay teams for the [[GFSN National League]] to be formed, now comprising 15 of the leading clubs, in three divisions. There are now also regional leagues:
*the [[London Unity League]]
*the [[Midlands Unity League]]
*the [[South West Gay League]]

Several of the teams are members of the [[International Gay & Lesbian Football Association]] and have taken part in international tournaments.

Not all members of the various teams are necessarily gay, and several of them describe themselves as "gay friendly".

In November 2023 [[Luton]] Town were fined £120,000 by the Football Association for their fans' homophobic chants at Brighton n August 2023 <ref> The FA issued the Hatters, who accepted a charge of misconduct in relation to crowd control, with a two-year action plan to improve fan behaviour.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67513553 Accessed 6 Apr 2024) </ref>.

In February 2024 the English Football League used a specially decorated rainbow flag football for matches played between 16-24 February <ref> https://www.efl.com/news/2024/february/14/efl-and-puma-team-up-to-launch-football-s-first-ever-rainbow-ball/ (accessed 15 February 2024) </ref>. <ref> The money raised by the rainbow ball initative will be utilised to support LGBTQ+ supporters and their projects which may include initiatives to raise awareness about inclusion in football, events promoting diversity, or providing resources for LGBTQ+ fans within the football community </ref>.

In January 2025 former Premier League referee, David Coote, came out as gay <ref> Former Premier League referee David Coote has said he hid his sexuality during his career, fearing the abuse he would receive for being gay.

Coote, 42, said the pressure of his work contributed to the behaviour that led to his sacking by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx2p304d24do </ref>

In March 2026 Manchester United footballer Jack Fletcher was banned for six matches for using a homophobic slur in a match <ref> He called an opponent a 'gay boy' in a offensive manner. He was sent off in the match on Tue 21 Oct 2025
‧EFL Trophy - Group Stage - Northern Group D Barnsley 5 Man Utd 2. BBC News 4 March 2026 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cqj994p4nx8o </ref>.

For a list of past and present gay/gay-friendly teams, see [[:Category:Football teams]].

LGBT Football at http://lgbt-football.net/ has a list of international LGBT football competitions.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Football| ]]

Kenneth Williams

2026-02-27T18:24:04Z

Wessexman: /* Personal life */

[[File:Kennethwilliams.jpg|thumb|Kenneth Williams]]'''Kenneth Williams''' (Kenneth Charles Williams, 1926–1988) was a comic actor and comedian.

He was born in [[King's Cross]], London, where his father kept a hairdresser's shop. He joined the army aged 18, and first performed on stage with Combined Services Entertainment while stationed in Bombay.

His professional acting career started in 1948 in repertory theatre, but from 1954 he was appearing on BBC radio in ''Hancock's Half Hour''. He appeared regularly in Keeneth Horne's ''Beyond our Ken'' from 1958 to 1964, and its successor ''Round the Horne'' from 1965 to 1968, playing a number of characters with funny voices. He is particularly remembered for the "Julian and Sandy" sketches, in which he played Sandy opposite [[Hugh Paddick]] as Julian. The pair were portrayed as a gay couple (homosexuality ws still illegal until 1967) and made much use of [[Polari (language)|Polari]].

From 1958 to 1978 he was a regular in the ''Carry On'' films, appearing in 26 of them, more than any other actor. He appeared regularly on ''Just a Minute'' on BBC Radio 4 from 1968 until his death.

==Personal life==
In 1958 Williams met a man called Paul Florance and after Florance moved back to Australia the two regularly wrote to each other <ref> The Kenneth Williams Story: A Reputations Special on BBC 8 June 2002 </ref>.

Williams insisted that he was celibate, and his diaries substantiate his claims – at least from his early 40s onwards. He lived alone all his adult life and had few close companions apart from his mother, and no romantic relationships of significance. His diaries contain references to unconsummated or barely consummated homosexual dalliances, which he describes as "traditional matters" or "tradiola" (since male homosexual activity was a criminal offence in the UK before 1967, outright admission would have been held against him if anyone had read the diaries). He befriended gay playwright [[Joe Orton]], who wrote the role of Inspector Truscott in ''[[Loot (play)|Loot]]'' (1966) for him, and had holidays with Orton and his lover, [[Kenneth Halliwell]], in Morocco.

On 14 October 1962, Williams's father, Charlie, was taken to hospital after drinking carbon tetrachloride that had been stored in a cough mixture bottle. Williams refused to visit him, and the following day went out for lunch and then to the cinema. Charlie died that afternoon and, an hour after being informed, Williams went on stage in the [[West End]]. The coroner's court recorded a verdict of accidental death due to corrosive poisoning by carbon tetrachloride.<ref>Geoffrey Wansell, "Did Kenneth Kill Himself?" ''Daily Mail'' 30 November 2005 "... in October 1962, Charlie Williams died after drinking a bottle of carbon tetrachloride in mysterious circumstances—a death that has eerie echoes of Kenneth Williams's own. He drank from a bottle labelled Gees Linctus but which actually contained poison, and the coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure. ... Many, perhaps Kenneth included, believed it was suicide.</ref>

Several years later Williams turned down work with Orson Welles in America because he did not like the country and had no desire to work there. Many years after his death, ''The Mail on Sunday'', quoting Wes Butters, co-writer of the book ''Kenneth Williams Unseen: The Private Notes, Scripts And Photographs'', claimed Williams had been denied a visa because Scotland Yard considered him a suspect in his father's death.<ref>http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/femail/article-1082192/Did-Kenneth-Williams-poison-father.html "Did Kenneth Williams poison his father?" ''Daily Mail'', 31 October 2008</ref>

Williams lived in a succession of small rented flats in central London from the mid-1950s. After his father died, his mother, Louisa, lived close by him and, finally, in the flat next to his. His last home was a flat on Osnaburgh Street, now demolished.

Williams rarely revealed details of his private life, though he spoke openly to Owen Spencer-Thomas about his loneliness, despondency and sense of underachievement in two half-hour documentary programmes entitled ''Carry On Kenneth'' on BBC Radio London.<ref>''Radio Times'' (London edition) 23–29 July 1977</ref>

==Death==
In later years his health declined, along with that of his elderly mother, and his depression deepened. He died on 15 April 1988 in his flat - his last words (recorded in his diary) were "Oh, what's the bloody point?" - the cause of death was an overdose of barbiturates.<ref>''Overdose'' http://www.britmovie.co.uk/actors/w/004.html Retrieved 8 October 2007</ref> An inquest recorded an open verdict, as it was not possible to establish whether his death was a suicide or an accident. Dr John Elliott, deputy coroner for inner north London said: "The cause of death was a barbiturate overdose. Where Mr Williams would have got these from we would not be able to establish. There is no indication given as to why he should have taken this overdose and therefore I record an open verdict."<ref>''The Guardian'' 17 June 1988 "Open verdict recorded on Williams"</ref> His diaries reveal he had often had suicidal thoughts and as far back as his earliest diaries he noted there were times when he could not see any point in existence. His authorised biography argues that Williams did not take his own life but died of an accidental overdose. The actor had doubled his dosage of antacid without discussing this with his doctor, which, combined with the aforementioned mixture of medication, is the widely accepted cause of death. He had a stock of painkilling tablets and it is argued that he would have taken more of them if he had been intending suicide.<ref>Christopher Stevens, ''Born Brilliant: The Life Of Kenneth Williams'', John Murray, 2010 isbn = 1-84854-195-3</ref>
He was cremated at [[East Finchley Cemetery]] and his ashes were scattered in the memorial gardens.<ref>http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18712 "Kenneth Williams" ''Find a Grave''</ref>

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Actors]]
[[Category:Comedians]]
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]

Kenneth Williams

2026-02-26T17:36:45Z

Wessexman: /* Personal life */ Williams friend

[[File:Kennethwilliams.jpg|thumb|Kenneth Williams]]'''Kenneth Williams''' (Kenneth Charles Williams, 1926–1988) was a comic actor and comedian.

He was born in [[King's Cross]], London, where his father kept a hairdresser's shop. He joined the army aged 18, and first performed on stage with Combined Services Entertainment while stationed in Bombay.

His professional acting career started in 1948 in repertory theatre, but from 1954 he was appearing on BBC radio in ''Hancock's Half Hour''. He appeared regularly in Keeneth Horne's ''Beyond our Ken'' from 1958 to 1964, and its successor ''Round the Horne'' from 1965 to 1968, playing a number of characters with funny voices. He is particularly remembered for the "Julian and Sandy" sketches, in which he played Sandy opposite [[Hugh Paddick]] as Julian. The pair were portrayed as a gay couple (homosexuality ws still illegal until 1967) and made much use of [[Polari (language)|Polari]].

From 1958 to 1978 he was a regular in the ''Carry On'' films, appearing in 26 of them, more than any other actor. He appeared regularly on ''Just a Minute'' on BBC Radio 4 from 1968 until his death.

==Personal life==
In the 1930s Williams had a close friendship with a man called Paul Florance and after Florance emigrated to Australia the two regularly wrote to each other <ref> The Kenneth Williams Story: A Reputations Special on BBC 8 June 2002 </ref>.

Williams insisted that he was celibate, and his diaries substantiate his claims – at least from his early 40s onwards. He lived alone all his adult life and had few close companions apart from his mother, and no romantic relationships of significance. His diaries contain references to unconsummated or barely consummated homosexual dalliances, which he describes as "traditional matters" or "tradiola" (since male homosexual activity was a criminal offence in the UK before 1967, outright admission would have been held against him if anyone had read the diaries). He befriended gay playwright [[Joe Orton]], who wrote the role of Inspector Truscott in ''[[Loot (play)|Loot]]'' (1966) for him, and had holidays with Orton and his lover, [[Kenneth Halliwell]], in Morocco.

On 14 October 1962, Williams's father, Charlie, was taken to hospital after drinking carbon tetrachloride that had been stored in a cough mixture bottle. Williams refused to visit him, and the following day went out for lunch and then to the cinema. Charlie died that afternoon and, an hour after being informed, Williams went on stage in the [[West End]]. The coroner's court recorded a verdict of accidental death due to corrosive poisoning by carbon tetrachloride.<ref>Geoffrey Wansell, "Did Kenneth Kill Himself?" ''Daily Mail'' 30 November 2005 "... in October 1962, Charlie Williams died after drinking a bottle of carbon tetrachloride in mysterious circumstances—a death that has eerie echoes of Kenneth Williams's own. He drank from a bottle labelled Gees Linctus but which actually contained poison, and the coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure. ... Many, perhaps Kenneth included, believed it was suicide.</ref>

Several years later Williams turned down work with Orson Welles in America because he did not like the country and had no desire to work there. Many years after his death, ''The Mail on Sunday'', quoting Wes Butters, co-writer of the book ''Kenneth Williams Unseen: The Private Notes, Scripts And Photographs'', claimed Williams had been denied a visa because Scotland Yard considered him a suspect in his father's death.<ref>http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/femail/article-1082192/Did-Kenneth-Williams-poison-father.html "Did Kenneth Williams poison his father?" ''Daily Mail'', 31 October 2008</ref>

Williams lived in a succession of small rented flats in central London from the mid-1950s. After his father died, his mother, Louisa, lived close by him and, finally, in the flat next to his. His last home was a flat on Osnaburgh Street, now demolished.

Williams rarely revealed details of his private life, though he spoke openly to Owen Spencer-Thomas about his loneliness, despondency and sense of underachievement in two half-hour documentary programmes entitled ''Carry On Kenneth'' on BBC Radio London.<ref>''Radio Times'' (London edition) 23–29 July 1977</ref>

==Death==
In later years his health declined, along with that of his elderly mother, and his depression deepened. He died on 15 April 1988 in his flat - his last words (recorded in his diary) were "Oh, what's the bloody point?" - the cause of death was an overdose of barbiturates.<ref>''Overdose'' http://www.britmovie.co.uk/actors/w/004.html Retrieved 8 October 2007</ref> An inquest recorded an open verdict, as it was not possible to establish whether his death was a suicide or an accident. Dr John Elliott, deputy coroner for inner north London said: "The cause of death was a barbiturate overdose. Where Mr Williams would have got these from we would not be able to establish. There is no indication given as to why he should have taken this overdose and therefore I record an open verdict."<ref>''The Guardian'' 17 June 1988 "Open verdict recorded on Williams"</ref> His diaries reveal he had often had suicidal thoughts and as far back as his earliest diaries he noted there were times when he could not see any point in existence. His authorised biography argues that Williams did not take his own life but died of an accidental overdose. The actor had doubled his dosage of antacid without discussing this with his doctor, which, combined with the aforementioned mixture of medication, is the widely accepted cause of death. He had a stock of painkilling tablets and it is argued that he would have taken more of them if he had been intending suicide.<ref>Christopher Stevens, ''Born Brilliant: The Life Of Kenneth Williams'', John Murray, 2010 isbn = 1-84854-195-3</ref>
He was cremated at [[East Finchley Cemetery]] and his ashes were scattered in the memorial gardens.<ref>http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18712 "Kenneth Williams" ''Find a Grave''</ref>

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Actors]]
[[Category:Comedians]]
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]

Clifford Williams

2026-02-24T13:06:14Z

Wessexman:

'''Clifford Williams''' is a researcher and historian. Clifford grew up as a gay teenager in the London Borough of [[Sutton]] in the 1970s and discovered the [[London Gay Teenage Group]] in 1978 <ref> Interviewed 17 July 2017 for Voices for Heritage Project; interview recording held in Wessex Film and Sound Archive in Winchester https://archivescatalogue.hants.gov.uk/records/AV1637/1/S1/19 </ref>.
He wrote about that experience in his book 'Courage to Be' published by the Book Guild in 2021. The book is a comprehensive history of the early gay and lesbian youth groups in England (1967-1990) at a time when gay sex was still illegal for, or with, anyone under 21 years of age <ref> https://www.gaystheword.co.uk/product-page/courage-to-be-organised-gay-youth-in-england-1967-1990-by-dr-clifford-williams </ref>. Whilst at school he joined the local Young Liberals and canvassed for the party at elections, including for [[Michael Steed]]. He was also a member of the Anti-Apartheid Movement and C.N.D. <ref> On the Record deposited in the Bishopsgate Institute 5CR/3/6 Audio recording, video recording and transcript from an oral history interview with Clifford Williams, conducted as part of the 5 Cally Road project by On The Record (2020) </ref>.

Williams studied History and Social Anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, [[University of London]], graduating with First Class Honours <ref> His first published work was "Asante: Human sacrifice or capital punishment? An assessment of the period 1807–1874" in The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 21 (3): 433–441. doi:10.2307/219449. JSTOR 219449.(1988) </ref>. He then went to study Criminology at [[Trinity Hall, Cambridge]] ([[University of Cambridge]]) before embarking on research for a PhD based at the University of [[Bradford]] and doing part-time work for the Home Office Research Unit <ref> Phd Offenders and Victims of Crime 1997 . A copy is held in the [[Rotherham]] Archives </ref>.

Williams served as a police officer from 1987-2012, witnessing a transformation of the police relations with lgbt peoples. An article published in the Journal of the Police History Society captures this remarkable turnaround <ref> Clifford Williams (2019) 'Gay men and the police 1950-2010' in the Journal of the Police History Society no 33 pp56-60 </ref>. While serving as a police officer Williams came out as [[bisexual]] and was the most senior ''out'' male officer marching at [[Brighton]] Pride in 2007 <ref> the first year Hampshire police officers were allowed to march in uniform at a Pride event </ref>. In 2025 part of Williams' research into police and gay men was published in the Journal Policing and Society <ref> A complete turnaround: police and gay men 1950–2010 Williams, C. (2025) Policing and Society, 35(5), 624–645. </ref>.

Williams has documented the LGBT history of [[Hampshire]] in a booklet 'A Queer A-Z of Hampshire' <ref> Published in 2019, went into two editions in that year, and a third edition was published in 2024.The [[Bishopsgate Institute]] and Hampshire Record Office hold a copy </ref>.

[[File:Islington11022020.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Clifford Williams giving a talk in Finsbury Library February 2020]]

Williams has given numerous presentations on lgbt history, both in person and online. Some of these presentations are available on You Tube <ref> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ima9GZjw_Nw is an example of a recorded talk </ref>.BBC Radio interviewed Williams about gay liberation on the 50th anniversary of the GLF <ref> 50 years on since the formation of the Gay Liberation Front.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08v45nc (accessed 23.12.2024) </ref>.
In February 2024 Williams led a Mr [[George Lucas]] walking tour of the West End and Soho. His current research includes policing gay men 1950-2010 <ref> Article in Policing and Society issue 5 2025 </ref>, the life of Gabriel D'esty (1895-1968) a gay man who lived in [[Bishop's Waltham]], and the [[Southampton]] gay scene 1960-1999 <ref> https://godshousetower.org.uk/eventer/talk-capturing-southamptons-gay-scene-1960-1999-by-clifford-williams/edate/2025-08-24/ </ref>.

===References===
<References>

[[Category:Bisexual men]]
[[Category:Police|]]
[[Category:Police officers]]
[[Category:Writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Sutton| ]]

[[Category:Historians]]

Gosport

2026-02-18T15:50:51Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Gosport_UK_locator_map.svg|thumb|Gosport shown within Hampshire]]'''Gosport''' is a town and local government district in [[Hampshire]], facing the City of [[Portsmouth]] across Portsmouth Harbour.

==LGBT resources==

The [[Talkbook LGBT Reading Group]] started in January 2013, meeting monthly at the Gosport Discovery Centre.<ref>http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/lgbt-book-club-to-meet-in-gosport-1-4690779</ref>

[[Kroma]], previously called [[Chatterbox]], was a group for older LGBT people in Gosport, [[Fareham]] and [[Portsmouth]] (it closed down in 2019).
[[Y-Services]] ran an LGBT young people's group, meeting weekly <ref> http://www.yservices.co.uk/ Accessed 21.08.2018 </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Hampshire]]
[[Category:English towns]]
[[Category:Non-unitary districts]]

Icebreakers

2026-02-18T15:45:56Z

Wessexman:

:''This article is about the former group in London. For the current group in Manchester, see [[Icebreakers Manchester]].''

'''Icebreakers''' was a support group for gay men and lesbians. It was planned in 1972 <ref> Papers in the Bishopsgate Institute: TOWNSON/21 Papers and correspondence regarding gay counselling organisations </ref> but appears to have been established in 1973 <ref> Gay News no 28 1973 Dennis Hudson and Micky Burbidge write 'We started operating on 10th May 1973, from an address in Brixton' & Gay News no 46 1974 'Icebreakers celebrate their first anniversary Happy Birthday' was the headline on the front page </ref> , and ran until about 1984 from a squat in [[Brixton]] <ref> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjiJcIiCwvA Nettie Pollard and Michael Parkes on Icebreakers and GLF LSE Library Jul 19, 2024 </ref> <ref>''[[Out of the Shadows]]'', Chapter 15. The start year for Icebreakers is given as 1971 in an article in Mister Vol 3 no 4 </ref> <ref> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjiJcIiCwvA&list=PLPK_Rz82LOLDYsp_aux0ncBnmgx0feQQ5&index=8 Nettie Pollard and Michael Parkes on Icebreakers and GLF, LSE Library (accessed 23 February 2025). The premises where the helpline was run from was a squat in Railton Road.</ref>.[[Micky Burbidge]] was an active member of Icebreakers. Icebreakers ran a disco at the [[Prince Albert]] ([[Central Station]]), and then from summer 1979 at the Hemingford Arms in London every Friday evening <ref>Capital Gay 17 July 1981 listings. Admission was 30p. The disco was held upstairs at the Hemingford Arms pub. A 12 minute audio recording done at the Hemingford Arms at an Icebreakers disco in 1982 is held at the British Library (Catalogue C586/319) </ref>. Antony Grey (1992) states that Icebreakers was 'an offshoot of the GLF ([[Gay Liberation Front]]) anti-psychiatry group''<ref> Antony Grey (1992) p 181 Quest for Justice; Towards Homosexual Emancipation (Sinclair-Stevenson;London) ISBN 1 85619 155 9 </ref>.

[[File:Hemingfordarms2018.JPG|thumb| Hemingford Arms 2018]] [[File:DSC_1616hemmy.JPG|thumb|left| Pink plaque for the Hemingford Arms]]

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Support groups]]

Icebreakers

2026-02-18T15:45:07Z

Wessexman: Helpline started in a Brixton squat on Railton Road

:''This article is about the former group in London. For the current group in Manchester, see [[Icebreakers Manchester]].''

'''Icebreakers''' was a support group for gay men and lesbians. It was planned in 1972 <ref> Papers in the Bishopsgate Institute: TOWNSON/21 Papers and correspondence regarding gay counselling organisations </ref> but appears to have been established in 1973 <ref> Gay News no 28 1973 Dennis Hudson and Micky Burbidge write 'We started operating on 10th May 1973, from an address in Brixton' & Gay News no 46 1974 'Icebreakers celebrate their first anniversary Happy Birthday' was the headline on the front page </ref> , and ran until about 1984 from a squa in [[Brixton]] <ref> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjiJcIiCwvA Nettie Pollard and Michael Parkes on Icebreakers and GLF LSE Library Jul 19, 2024 </ref> <ref>''[[Out of the Shadows]]'', Chapter 15. The start year for Icebreakers is given as 1971 in an article in Mister Vol 3 no 4 </ref> <ref> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjiJcIiCwvA&list=PLPK_Rz82LOLDYsp_aux0ncBnmgx0feQQ5&index=8 Nettie Pollard and Michael Parkes on Icebreakers and GLF, LSE Library (accessed 23 February 2025). The premises where the helpline was run from was a squat in Railton Road.</ref>.[[Micky Burbidge]] was an active member of Icebreakers. Icebreakers ran a disco at the [[Prince Albert]] ([[Central Station]]), and then from summer 1979 at the Hemingford Arms in London every Friday evening <ref>Capital Gay 17 July 1981 listings. Admission was 30p. The disco was held upstairs at the Hemingford Arms pub. A 12 minute audio recording done at the Hemingford Arms at an Icebreakers disco in 1982 is held at the British Library (Catalogue C586/319) </ref>. Antony Grey (1992) states that Icebreakers was 'an offshoot of the GLF ([[Gay Liberation Front]]) anti-psychiatry group''<ref> Antony Grey (1992) p 181 Quest for Justice; Towards Homosexual Emancipation (Sinclair-Stevenson;London) ISBN 1 85619 155 9 </ref>.

[[File:Hemingfordarms2018.JPG|thumb| Hemingford Arms 2018]] [[File:DSC_1616hemmy.JPG|thumb|left| Pink plaque for the Hemingford Arms]]

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Support groups]]

Timeline of UK LGBT History

2026-02-13T19:14:30Z

Wessexman: /* 20th century */ 1927 Trial of Bobby Britt and others

[[File:C. Julius-Caesar (British Museum).gif|thumb|Bust of [[Julius Caesar]] in the [[British Museum]]]]This is a '''timeline of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history in the United Kingdom''' throughout the centuries.

''[[#21st century|Jump to 21st century]]''
__NOTOC__
==1st century BC==
* '''55 BC''' – [[Julius Caesar]]'s first invasion of Britain.

==1st century AD==
* '''AD 43''' – Roman invasion and establishment of the province of [[Britannia]].

==2nd century==
* '''122''' – Emperor [[Hadrian]] visits Britain.
[[File:Bust Hadrian Musei Capitolini MC817.jpg|thumb|right|The Emperor [[Hadrian]]]]
==3rd century==

* '''286''' – Britain becomes independent from the Roman empire for ten years under [[Carausius]] and Allectus.

==4th century==
* '''343''' – the emperor [[Constans]] visits Britain.

==5th century==
* '''410''' – usual date for the end of Roman rule in [[Britannia]].

==6th century==
* '''c.547''' – Death of King [[Maelgwn]] of Gwynedd.
* '''597''' – St Augustine becomes first [[Archbishop of Canterbury]].
* '''late 6th century''' – [[Findchán]] and Áid the Black cursed by St Columba.

==7th century==
* '''670''' – St [[Theodore of Tarsus]], Archbishop of Canterbury, prescribes fasts and penances for various homosexual acts.
==8th century==

==9th century==
* '''804''' – Death of [[Alcuin]].
* '''850s''' – a woman from [[Wimborne Minster]] was supposedly elected [[Pope Joan]].
[[File:Anselm of Canterbury, seal.jpg|thumb|Seal of [[Anselm]] as [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]]]
[[File:EdwardII-Cassell.jpg|thumb|right|[[Edward II]]]]
[[File:Robert devere.jpg|thumb|[[Robert DeVere]] as Duke of Ireland]]
==10th century==
* '''927''' – [[England]] is united as a single kingdom by King Æthelstan of [[Wessex]].

==11th century==
* '''1066''' – Battle of [[Hastings]] and Norman conquest of England.
* '''1100''' – Death of King [[William II]].
==12th century==
* '''1102''' – [[Council of London]] condemns homosexuality.
* '''1109''' – Death of Saint [[Anselm]]
* '''1120''' – Death of [[William Atheling]] in the sinking of the White Ship.
* '''1123''' – [[Rahere]] founds St Bartholomew's Hospital.
* '''1125''' – [[Hilarius]] writing around this time.
* '''1167''' – Death of Saint [[Aelred]]
* '''1187''' – [[Gerald of Wales]] describes the practice of same-sex marriage in [[Ireland]].
* '''1189''' – [[William Longchamp]], Bishop of Ely, appointed to rule England while [[Richard I]] is away on the crusades.
* '''1199''' – Death of King [[Richard I]]

==13th century==
* '''c.1290''' – Publication of <cite>[[Fleta]]</cite>, first book to suggest a punishment (which was not enforced) for homosexuality in English law.

==14th century==
* '''1327''' – summary execution of [[Piers Gaveston]].
* '''1327''' – Murder of King [[Edward II]].
* '''1376''' – The [[Good Parliament]] petitions King Edward III to banish foreign traders for having introduced "the too horrible vice which is not to be named".
* '''1386''' – [[Richard II]] makes [[Robert DeVere]] Duke of Ireland.
* '''1391''' – Death of Sir [[John Clanvowe]] and Richard Neville.
* '''1395''' – [[John Rykener]] arrested for cross-dressing.
* '''1400''' – Death of King [[Richard II]]
==15th century==

==16th century==
* '''1533''' – [[Buggery Act 1533]] brings in the death penalty (hanging) for gay sex in England.
* '''1540''' - [[Sir Walter Hungerford]] executed for treason and buggery.
* '''1541''' - [[Nicholas Udall]] convicted of buggery and imprisoned.
* '''1542''' - The [[Laws in Wales Act 1542]] extends English laws, including the [[Buggery Act 1533]], to [[Wales]].
* '''1593''' - Death of [[Christopher Marlowe]] in suspicious circumstances.
[[File:James I of England by Daniel Mytens.jpg|thumb|right|King [[James I]]]]

==17th century==
* '''1603''' – King James VI of Scotland becomes King of England as [[James I]], uniting the two crowns but not yet the two countries.
* '''1625''' – Death of King [[James I]].
* '''1625''' – Death of [[Francis Bacon (philosopher)]].
* '''1628''' – Assassination of [[George Villiers]], Duke of Buckingham.
** – [[Jeremy Farrer]] found "abusing himself in a sodomitical manner" in a church.
* '''1631''' – [[Mervyn Tuchet]] beheaded for alleged sodomy with his page.
* '''1660''' – Foundation of the Royal Society by [[John Wilkins]] and others.
* '''1664''' – Death of [[Katherine Philips]].
* '''1678''' – [[Titus Oates]] invents the "Popish Plot".
* '''1682''' – [[Arabella Hunt]]'s marriage is dissolved as her husband is discovered to be a woman.
* '''1688''' – "Glorious Revolution" brings [[William III]] to power.

[[File:Lynch_Print.jpeg|thumb|The [[Ladies of Llangollen]]]]

==18th century==
* '''1702''' – [[William III]] dies, succeeded by [[Queen Anne]].
* '''1703''' – First performance of ''Tunbridge-Walks'' by [[Thomas Baker]], containing a "molly" character.
* '''1706''' – [[Thomas Vaughan]] convicted of blackmail.
* '''1707''' – Act of Union unites England and Scotland as the Kingdom of [[Great Britain]].
* '''1726''' – Three men convicted of [[sodomy]] following cases brought by [[Thomas Newton]] and raids on [[Mother Clap's Molly House]].
** – Death of [[Sir Isaac Newton]], Britain's greatest scientist, sometimes considered to have been gay.
* '''1727''' – [[Charles Hitchen]] convicted of attempted sodomy.
* '''1732''' – [[Beggar's Benison Club]] founded in Anstruther, Scotland.
* '''1737''' – [[Robert Thistlethwayte]], Warden of Wadham College Oxford, flees to France to escape prosecution.
* '''1742''' – First performance of [[Handel]]'s ''Messiah''.
* '''1748''' – Publication of ''Roderick Random'' by [[Tobias Smollett]], including an explicitly gay character.
* '''1749''' – Publication of ''Fanny Hill'' by [[John Cleland]], sometimes thought to have been a homoerotic work in disguise.
** – Publication of a defence of homosexuality, ''Ancient & Modern Pederasty Investigated and Exemplify'd'' by [[Thomas Cannon]].
* '''1772''' – [[Robert Jones]] publishes the first book on figure skating, but is convicted of sodomy.
* '''1780''' – The [[Ladies of Llangollen]] set up home together.
* '''1781''' – [[Edward Onslow]] forced to resign his seat in Parliament and flee to France.
* '''1784''' – [[William Beckford]]'s affair with [[William Courtenay]] is publicised, causing them both to flee the country.
[[File:Symonds, John Addington.jpg|right|thumb|Photo of [[J A Symonds]], presented by him to Walt Whitman]]
[[File:Oscar Wilde portrait.jpg|thumb|right|[[Oscar Wilde]]]]

==19th century==
* '''1801''' – Act of Union creates the [[United Kingdom]] of Great Britain and Ireland.
* '''1806''' – Gay club discovered in [[Great Sankey]], Cheshire.
* '''1807''' – Suicide of [[James Massey]].
* '''1810''' – [[The White Swan, Vere Street]] raided.
* '''1822''' – [[Percy Jocelyn]] deposed as Bishop of Clogher for "Sodomitical practices".
* '''1824''' – The [[Vagrancy Act 1824]] limits cruising.
** – Suicide of [[Lord Castlereagh]].
* '''1835''' – [[James Pratt and John Smith]] were the last two men to be hanged for sodomy in England.
* '''1859''' – sudden resignation of [[Charles John Vaughan]] as Headmaster of Harrow School, for reasons not explained until the 1970s.
* '''1861''' – The [[Offences against the Person Act 1861]] abolished the death sentence for gay sex.
* '''1864''' – Robert Browning's poem "Sludge the Medium" denounces [[Daniel Dunglas Home]].
* '''1865''' – [[James Barry]], army surgeon, dies and is allegedly found to have been a woman.
* '''1866''' – The case of [[Hyde v Hyde and Woodmansee]] established the definition of marriage in English law.
* '''1871''' – "Fanny" and "Stella" ([[Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park‎]]) acquitted of sodomy and cross-dressing.
* '''1873''' – The painter [[Simeon Solomon]] fined for cottaging.
* '''1880''' – The police raid a [[1880 drag ball|drag ball]] in [[Manchester]].
* '''1883''' – Publication of <cite>A problem in Greek ethics</cite> by [[John Addington Symonds]], one of the first essays in defense of homosexuality in the English language.
* '''1885''' – [[Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885]] made "gross indecency" (homosexual acts, even in private) a crime. The "Labouchere Amendment" was known as the “Blackmailer’s Charter”.
* '''1889''' – the [[Cleveland Street scandal]].
** – [[Mary Mudge]] dies aged 85 and is found to have been a man.
* '''1895''' – [[Oscar Wilde]] convicted of gross indecency.
** – [[Winston Churchill]] successfully sues for libel.
* '''1897''' – First English-language publication of ''[[Sexual Inversion]]'' by [[Havelock Ellis]] and [[John Addington Symonds]], the first medical textbook about homosexuality.
* '''1898''' – Birth in [[Hull]] of [[Elsa Gidlow]], Canadian/American lesbian poet.
* '''1899''' – [[Public Morality Council]] formed.
* '''1900''' – Death of [[Oscar Wilde]].
** – Death of [[Samuel Butler]]
[[File:Roger Casement.jpg|thumb|[[Sir Roger Casement]]]]

==20th century==
[[File:Radclyffe Hall.jpg|thumb|[[Radclyffe Hall]]]]
[[File:John Gielgud Allan Warren cropped.jpg|thumb|[[John Gielgud]]]]
[[File:Alan Turing photo.jpg|thumb|[[Alan Turing]]]]
[[File:Montagu-news.jpg|thumb|''Daily Mirror'', March 25 1954 “[[Lord Montagu of Beaulieu|The Montagu Case”]]]]
[[File:NancySpain.jpg|thumb|[[Nancy Spain]]]]
[[File:An Evening With April Ashley at the Southbank Centre4.jpg|thumb|[[April Ashley]]]]
[[File:Benjamin Britten 1968.jpg|thumb|[[Benjamin Britten]] in 1968]]
[[File:Admiral_Duncan.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Admiral Duncan]]]]
* '''1909''' – Death of [[Renée Vivien]].
* '''1912''' – Birth in [[Worthing]] of [[Harry Hay]], later a leading gay activist in the United States.
* '''1914''' – [[Henry Scott Tuke]] elected to the Royal Academy.
* '''1916''' – Execution of [[Sir Roger Casement]].
* '''1921''' – Parliament rejects an attempt in the [[Criminal Law Amendment Bill 1921]] to ban sex between women.
* '''1924''' – Death of [[Marie Corelli]]
* '''1927''' - Trial of Bobby Britt and others for tippling, whoring, using obscene language, indecently exposing their private naked parts and behaving in a lewd obscene and disorderly and riotous manner at a house in Fitzroy Square [[London]] <ref> https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/queer-love-and-friendship-1920s-fitzroy-square/?utm_source=e-shot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Campaign+2026_02_13_5 Queer love and friendship: 1920s Fitzroy Square National Archives blog (accesed 13 February 2026) </ref>.
* '''1928''' – Publication of lesbian novel <cite>[[The Well of Loneliness]]</cite> by [[Radclyffe Hall]].
* '''1929''' – Death of [[Edward Carpenter]].
* '''1933''' – A court in London heard of "disgusting behaviour" at [[Selina Hopps]]' dance club.
* '''1936''' – Death of [[Hugh Lygon]].
* '''1936''' – [[Oliver Baldwin]] appointed Governor of the Leeward Islands.
* '''1938''' – [[Sigmund Freud]] flees from Austria and takes up residence in [[Hampstead]]
* '''1943''' – [[Ethel Walker]], painter, made a Dame.
* '''1946''' – [[Sir George Mowbray]] convicted of importuning.
** – Sir [[Alec Guinness]] said to have been fined for cottaging.
* '''1947''' – [[Lord Mountbatten]] presides over the independence and partition of India.
* '''1950''' – [[Harry Hay]] helps found the Mattachine Society in the USA.
* '''1951''' – [[Roberta Cowell]] has sex-change surgery.
* '''1952''' – [[Alan Turing]] convicted of gross indecency.
** – Publication of ''[[Society and the Homosexual]]'' by Gordon Westwood ([[Michael Schofield]])
* '''1953''' – [[Sir John Gielgud]] convicted of importuning.
** – [[Guy Burgess]] and [[Donald Maclean]] flee to Moscow.
** – [[European Convention on Human Rights]] comes into force.
* '''1954''' – [[Lord Montagu of Beaulieu]], [[Peter Wildeblood]] and [[Michael Pitt-Rivers]] convicted of gay offences at [[Winchester]] Assizes.
** – Suicide of [[Alan Turing]]
* '''1955''' – Publication of ''[[Homosexuality (book)|Homosexuality]]'' by [[D J West]].
* '''1956''' – Knighthoods awarded to [[Anthony Blunt]] (cancelled in 1979) and [[John Wolfenden]]
* '''1957''' – [[Wolfenden Report]] recommends decriminalisation of homosexuality.
* '''1958''' – [[Albany Trust]] and [[Homosexual Law Reform Society]] formed.
** – [[Ian Harvey]] MP arrested in St James's Park.
* '''1959''' – Screening on ITV of ''[[South]]'', thought to be the first gay-related drama on British television.
* '''1960''' – [[Georgina Turtle]] (previously George Turtle) has her birth certificate changed from male to female.
* '''1961''' – Release of the film ''[[Victim]]''.
* '''1962''' – [[John Vassall]] arrested and charged with spying.
* '''1963''' – Founding of lesbian magazine [[Arena Three]].
* '''1964''' – Death of [[Nancy Spain]] in an air crash.
** – [[North Western Homosexual Law Reform Committee]] formed, later to be re-founded as [[CHE]].
** – [[Ellis Powell]] dropped from ''Mrs Dale's Diary''.
* '''1965''' – Founding of lesbian organisation [[Kenric]].
* '''1966''' – Founding of trans organisation the [[Beaumont Society]].
** – publication of trans-related book ''[[I want what I want]]''.
** – [[Humphry Berkeley]]'s Sexual Offences Bill passes its second reading but is lost when Parliament is dissolved; Berkeley loses his seat at the election.
* '''1967''' – [[Sexual Offences Act 1967]] partially decriminalises sex between men in England and Wales.
** – [[Joe Orton]] murdered by his partner.
* '''1968''' – the Home Secretary confirms that [[Sir Ewan Forbes]] is male and can succeed to the baronetcy, despite having been registered and originally brought up as female.
** – [[Rose Robertson]] founds [[Parents Enquiry]].
** – [[SK]], probably the first gay social group in the country set up after partial decriminialisation, is founded at the Royal Foundation of St Katharine in Limehouse.
* '''1969''' – the [[Stonewall riots]] in New York.
** – founding of the [[Scottish Minorities Group]].
* '''1970''' – First [[GLF]] meeting.
** – Death of [[E M Forster]].
** – [[Integroup]] founded in [[Catford]].
** - publication of two books about the [[Uranians]]:
*** - ''[[Love in Earnest]]'' by Timothy d'Arch Smith
*** - ''[[Sexual Heretics]]'' by Brian Reade.
* '''1971''' – the [[Corbett v Corbett]] case, involving [[April Ashley]], established the precedent that a person's sex could not legally be changed from what it was at birth.
** – [[London Friend]] formed.
** – CHE London Group Seven (later [[Croydon Area Gay Society]]) founded.
** – [[GLF Gay March]]: first London Gay March took place protesting against the unequal age of consent for men.
* '''1972''' – release of trans-related film, ''[[I want what I want]]''.
** – [[Allegro Music Group]] formed.
** – <cite>[[Gay News]]</cite> first published.
** – first [[London Pride]] march and carnival: about 200 take part <ref> https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2022/06/01/first-20-years-of-pride-in-the-united-kingdom/ (accessed 18 July 2023). Many websites inaccurateky give the figure as 2,000!. </ref>
* '''1973''' – Death of [[Sir Noël Coward]].
* '''1974''' – [[London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard]] launched.
** - [[CHE]] Law Reform demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 2 November- estimate of up to 2,500 attended.
* '''1975''' – [[Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard]] launched.
** – [[Gay Sweatshop]] theatre company founded.
** - On Sunday 23 November several hundred people marched from Marble Arch to attend a rally in Trafalgar Square [[London]] calling for homosexual law reform.
* '''1976''' – [[John Curry]] wins a gold medal for skating at the Winter Olympics.
** – Death of composer [[Benjamin Britten]].
** – [[London Gay Teenage Group]] set up; possibly the first gay teenage group launched in the world <ref> Courage to be: Organised Gay Youth in England 1967-1990, A history of the London Gay Teenage Group and other lesbian and gay youth groups, by Clifford Williams,was published in October 2021 (The Book Guild)</ref> <ref> the [[Gay Liberation Front]] had a loose group called the GLF Youth Group in 1971 (see Lisa Power (1995) 'No Bath but Plenty of Bubbles; an oral history of the Gay Liberation Front 1970-73' (Cassell;London) page 109) </ref>.
* '''1977''' – Death of [[Sir Terence Rattigan]]
** – [[Peter Mitchell]] stands as "Westminster Campaign for Homosexual Civil Rights" candidate in the Cities of London and Westminster South by-election.
* '''1978''' – [[Tom Robinson]] releases the song "Glad to be Gay".
** – the film ''[[Nighthawks]]'' is released.
* '''1979''' – [[CHE]] moves its office to London.
** – [[Jeremy Thorpe]] acquitted of conspiracy to murder.
** – Gay Humanist Group founded (now [[GALHA]]).
** – Murder of [[Peter Wells]].
** - [[Gay's the Word]] bookshop opens in London.
* '''1980''' – [[Heaven]], the first all-week gay nightclub, opens in London.
** – [[Scotland]] decriminalises male homosexuality.
** - [[Gay Youth Movement]] set up following a summer conference in London.
* '''1981''' - [[London Bi Group]] forms, the first bi-specific social/support group.
** – The [[London Pride]] march was moved to [[Huddersfield]], and followed by the [[South Bank Gay People's Festival]].
* '''1982''' – [[Terrence Higgins Trust]] the HIV/AIDs charity formed.
* '''1983''' – [[Long Yang Club]] founded for gay Asians and non-Asians.
** – [[Northern Ireland]] decriminalises male homosexuality.
* '''1984''' – [[Chris Smith]] MP, Culture Secretary, becomes first MP to come out as gay whilst in office. In 2005, he was the first politician to disclose he was HIV positive.
** - First [[BiCon]] bisexuality conference.
** – [[Silver Moon women's bookshop]] founded.
** – [[Drew Griffiths]], playwright, murdered by a pickup.
* '''1985''' – [[Goslings Swimming Club]] founded.
* '''1986''' – [[GLC]] and metropolitan county councils abolished.
** – Death of [[Sir Peter Pears]].
** – [[London Gay Symphony Orchestra]] founded.
* '''1987''' – Gay men convicted for S&M sex in [[Operation Spanner]].
** – [[Pink Paper]] founded.
* '''1988''' – [[Section 28]] passed.
* '''1989''' – [[Stonewall (UK)]] launched.
** – [[London Raiders]] LGBT Softball team begins.
** – [[Quim magazine]] founded.
** – [[Rose's]] club founded.
* '''1990''' – [[UK-MOTSS]] founded.
* '''1991''' – Death of [[Freddie Mercury]].
* '''1992''' – Death of [[Francis Bacon (artist)]].
** – [[Europride]] held in London.
** – Gay Men Fighting AIDS founded (later [[GMFA]] and [[HERO]]).
** – [[Diversity Choir]] founded.
* '''1993''' – [[Back Pocket Guide to London]] first published.
** – [[Colin Ireland]], the "gay slayer", murders five men he had met in the [[Coleherne]].
** – the [[Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 1993]] finally decriminalises gay sex in the [[Irish Republic]].
* '''1994''' – [[Age of consent]] for gay men reduced to 18.
* '''1995''' – [[Adonis Art Gallery]] founded.
** – [[Bi Community News]] magazine launches.
** – [[Mermaids]] founded for children with gender dysphoria.
** – Launch of [[South London Gays]].
** - Better Dead Than Gay, Channel 4 documentary on the suicide of 26-year-old Simon Harvey (unable to reconcile being a Christian and being gay).<ref> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402059/ </ref>
* '''1996''' – [[Derek Rawcliffe]] banned from acting as an assistant bishop in the Ripon diocese.
* '''1997''' – [[Angela Eagle]] is first sitting MP to come out as lesbian.
* '''1998''' – [[LGBT Consortium]] founded.
** – The [[Bolton Seven]] convicted for consensual sex.
** – [[Queer Notions]] mental health group founded in Liverpool.
* '''1999''' – [[Admiral Duncan]] pub bombed (30 April).
** – Last [[SLAGO]] Conference.
** – [[Soho Masses]] begin.
** – [[Michael Cashman]] elected to European Parliament.
[[File:Jody-dobrowski.jpg|thumb|[[Jody Dobrowski]]]]
[[File:Griff Vaughan Williams.jpg|right|thumb|[[Griffith Vaughan Williams]]]]
* '''2000''' – [[Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000]] repeals [[Section 28]] in Scotland.
** – Removal of ban on gay people serving in the [[Armed Forces]].
** – "[[ADT]]" is awarded compensation for being convicted for private group sex.
** – [[Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000]] equalises the [[age of consent]].

==21st century==
[[File:AllanHorsfall1960s.jpg|thumb|[[Allan Horsfall]]]]
[[File:Ray.Gosling.jpg|thumb|[[Ray Gosling]]]]
* '''2001''' – [[Croydon Friend]] closed.
* '''2002''' - First [[Cake Awards]] presented.
* '''2003''' – [[Section 28]] repealed in England and Wales.
** – Rev [[Jeffrey John]] rejected as Bishop of Reading.
** – [[Europride]] held in [[Manchester]].
** – '''Discrimination at Work''' on the grounds of sexual orientation becomes illegal.
* '''2004''' – [[Civil Partnership Act 2004]] gives legal equal rights to lesbian and gay couples.
** – [[Gender Recognition Act 2004]] allows people to legally change gender.
** – [[Gay and Lesbian Arts and Media]] closes.
** – [[Lesbian and Gay Employment Rights]] closes.
** – [[James Clark]] is appointed British Ambassador to Luxembourg.
* '''2005''' – Murder of [[Jody Dobrowski]].
** – First [[Civil partnership]]s performed.
* '''2006''' – [[Europride]] held in London.
** – [[Alegri]] founded.
* '''2007''' – [[Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 2007]] lowers the [[Age of consent]] in [[Jersey]] to 16.
** – Publication of the [[Yogyakarta Principles]] on the Application of International Law in Relation to Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
** – Death of [[Paul Wilde]]
* '''2008''' – [[Age of consent]] lowered to 16 in [[Northern Ireland]].
* '''2009''' – First [[Derek Oyston Film Award]].
** – [[Grindr]] launched.
** – [[London AIDS Memorial Campaign]] launched.
* '''2010''' – [[LGBT London]] website set up.
** – Death of [[Antony Grey]].
** – Death of [[Griffith Vaughan Williams]].
** – [[Ian Campbell]] becomes Britain's first openly gay mayor.
* '''2011''' – '''LGBT History Project''' website set up.
** – [[Diversity Role Models]] launched.
** – [[First Out Café]] London, closes after 25 years.
** – [[Civil partnership]] ceremonies permitted on religious premises.
* '''2012''' – [[Europride]] held in London.
** – Death of [[Allan Horsfall]].
** – [[Michael Peacock]] acquitted on obscenity charges.
* '''2013''' – Government introduces [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill]]; it becomes law as the [[Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013]].
** – Death of [[Ray Gosling]]
** - Death of [[Georgina Somerset]] and discovery that [[Roberta Cowell]] died two years before.
** - [[Jo Swinson]] MP is the first government minister to send a message of support for [[Bi Visibility Day]].
** - Posthumous royal pardon for [[Alan Turing]].
* '''2015''' – the [[2015 general election]] brings an unprecedented number of LGBT people into Parliament, including [[Mhairi Black]], the youngest MP since the nineteenth century.
* '''2017''' - [[Goldsmiths College]], University of London run M.A. course in Queer History-the first degree level course in that field.
* '''2019''' - Marriage and Civil Partnership equality legislated for Northern Ireland, coming into effect in 2020.
* '''2020''' - [[Layla Moran]] is the first MP to come out as pansexual.
* '''2021''' - Numerous organisations leave the [[Stonewall Equality Limited]] Diversity Champions Scheme. [[LGBAlliance]] hold its first National Conference.
*'''2022'''- Health Secretary Sajid Javid announces a review of [[gender]] treatment services for children in England.
*'''2023'''- Gender Wars documentary with [[Kathleen Stock]] broadcast on Channel 4.
*'''2023'''- In December Government issue 'Gender Questioning Children' Guidance for schools to try and assist schools in dealing with increasing number of children identifying as trans. The guidance had been delayed. <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66243698 Transgender guidance for schools to be delayed BBC News 19 July 2023 </ref>. <ref> https://consult.education.gov.uk/equalities-political-impartiality-anti-bullying-team/gender-questioning-children-proposed-guidance/supporting_documents/Gender%20Questioning%20Children%20%20nonstatutory%20guidance.pdf </ref>
*'''2024'''- [[Dr Hilary Cass]] report on gender identity services published: Cass Review.
*'''2024'''- Guidance written for care homes to support inclusive care practice for older LGBTQ+ people. <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c23l3g1n4p1o Researchers from the University of Kent, in collaboration with the University of Surrey and the University of Hertfordshire, have developed the free guide to help with care for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people.The guide was co-designed by a group of older LGBTQ+ people and care home staff.(Accessed 20 Sept 2024) </ref>
*'''2025'''-Supreme Court (UK) rules that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cvgq9ejql39t (Accessed 16 April 2025) </ref>.
*'''2025'''-Government reaffirms commitment to Free Speech in universities <ref>Key provisions from the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 will be brought into force defending the free speech rights of students, academics and speakers https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-reaffirms-commitment-to-free-speech-in-universities </ref>.

==External links==
Some other LGBT timelines:
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_LGBT_history Timeline of (world) LGBT history] on Wikipedia
* Wikipedia: Timeline of UK LGBT history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_LGBT_history_in_Britain
* Timeline of events recorded in the [[Hall-Carpenter Archives]]: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/library/archive/online_resources/lgbt/timeline.aspx
* <cite>Gay Chronicles from the beginning of time to the end of World War II</cite>: http://www.webcitation.org/5knsbJ2KF
* NHS Northwest LGB&T Timeline: http://www.help.northwest.nhs.uk/lgbt_timeline
* [[PCS Proud]] Ourstory: http://web.archive.org/web/20101226051702/http://www.pcsproud.org.uk/our_story.pdf retrieved via the [[Internet Archive]]
* Glasgow [[Lesbian Archive and Information Centre]] timeline: http://www.womenslibrary.org.uk/laic/laictimeline/laictimeline.html
* Jobcentre Plus <cite>Timeline of gay history</cite>: http://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/website/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/9631_GHW-A3FlagPoster.pdf
* <cite>GLBTQ Encyclopedia: United Kingdom History</cite> http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/united_kingdom_01.html
* <cite>[[UK Gay News]] Timeline Of Gay and Lesbian Marriage, Partnership or Unions Worldwide</cite>: http://ukgaynews.org.uk/marriage_timeline.htm
*[[Black British Lesbian Timeline]]: http://blackbritishlesbian.typepad.com/
* Timeline of CHE and its times (from 1945): http://amiable-warriors.uk/timeline.shtml

==See also==

*[[Timeline of UK LGBT Legislation]]
*[[Timeline of UK LGBT Sport]]
*[[Timeline of UK LGBT Science]]
*[[Timeline of UK LGBT Music]]
*[[Timeline of age of consent legislation]]
*[[Timeline of UK Transgender History]]
*[[Timeline of UK LGBT Religion, Belief and Philosophy]]
*[[Timeline of London Bars and Clubs]]
*[[List of the first LGBT holders of political offices in the United Kingdom]]
*[[:Category:Births by year]]
*[[:Category:Deaths by year]]

==References==
<references>

[[Category:History and archives]]
[[Category:Timelines]]

King's College, Cambridge

2026-02-05T13:50:26Z

Wessexman: book published 2025

[[File:KingsCollegeChapel.jpg|thumb|The Chapel]]'''King's College, Cambridge''', founded in in 1441, is one of the constituent colleges of the [[University of Cambridge]].

It was founded by King Henry VI, who had founded [[Eton College]] the year before. Building was interrupted by the Wars of the Roses. The chapel, completed in 1551 under Henry VIII, has the world's largest fan vault. Until 1865, only boys who had been to Eton were admitted.

Queer Cambridge: An Alternative History by Simon Goldhill is largely about King's College <ref> Cambridge University Press, 2025, xii + 304 pp., £25 (hardback), ISBN 9781009528061 </ref>.

==Staff==
*[[M R James]] (Provost)
==Alumni==

*[[Thomas Adès]]
*[[A C Benson]]
*[[E F Benson]]
*[[Rupert Brooke]]
*[[Peter Burman]]
*[[Edward J Dent]]
*[[E M Forster]]
*[[Johann Hari]]
*[[J M Keynes]]
*[[Dillwyn Knox]]
*[[Christopher Lloyd]]
*[[Alan Turing]]

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Cambridge]]
[[Category:Colleges]]

Cambridge

2026-02-05T13:47:34Z

Wessexman: Queer Cambridge book 2025

[[File:KingsCollegeChapelWest.jpg|thumb|[[King's College, Cambridge|King's College]] Chapel, seen from The Backs]]'''Cambridge''' is a city in [[Cambridgeshire]], mainly known as the location of the [[University of Cambridge]], one of the two ancient English universities.

==LGBT History==
The [[University of Cambridge]] has a rich history of gay students including law reform campaigner [[George Ives]] and the notorious [[Guy Burgess]].

In 1970 John Hiles formed the Cambridge branch of [[CHE]]. The following year, Hiles, together with Chris Heron, set up Gay Cambridge. Bernard Greaves was an active member and worked to get the police to change the way they policed homosexuality in the city. Hiles committed suicide in 1978 <ref> Gay News 16 November 1978 page 4 </ref>. Toby Keynes (Gonville and Caius) flew the Cambridge Gay Liberation flag from the top of King’s Parade (from his rooms, in the corner tower) at Gay Cambridge's 10th birthday celebration at Easter 1981, and nearly got sent down.

There is a Cambridge University LGBT+ Alumni Association which is 2024 started to compile Q100 exhibition of 100 trailblazing LGBT Alumni.

In 2007 [[Jenny Bailey]] became mayor of Cambridge.

Queer Cambridge was a directory of queer groups, resources, organisations and links aimed for those in Cambridge.<ref>now defunct website link http://www.queercambridge.co.uk/</ref>

Cambridge LGBTQ+ group was functioning in 2023 <ref> https://www.meetup.com/cambridge-gay-group/ Accessed 2 July 2023 </ref>.

Cambridge Diamonds is a social and self-help group supporting the transgender communities in Eastern England.<ref> http://www.diamondstgc.org.uk/ Accessed 2 July 2023 </ref>

Queer Cambridge: An Alternative History by Simon Goldhill was published in 2025 <ref> Cambridge University Press, 2025, xii + 304 pp., £25 (hardback), ISBN 9781009528061 </ref>. Tom Hulme's review of the books says: If readers are hoping for a study that takes the city as a whole, however, the short and snappy title somewhat oversells the focal breadth. There is no town, only gown, and even then, just one college – King’s – and predominantly one stairway of rooms within it <ref> Hulme, T. (2025). Queer Cambridge: An Alternative History: by Simon Goldhill, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2025, xii + 304 pp., £25 (hardback), ISBN 9781009528061. Cultural and Social History, 22(5), 739–741. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780038.2025.2550880 </ref>.
==References==
<references>

[[Category:Cambridge| ]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Non-unitary districts]]

Heaven

2026-02-04T15:34:21Z

Wessexman: rents increase

[[File:Heaven-door.jpg|thumb|The entrance to Heaven (under the arches beneath Charing Cross Station)]]'''Heaven Under the Arches''' opened at the end 1979, was London’s largest and longest running gay night club. It was situated under the arches of Charing Cross Station in the [[West End]] of [[London]]. Prior to Heaven the gay disco on the premises was called Glades <ref> Listed in Gay News issue 127 September 1977 as Glades at the Global Village (under the Arches) with Top DJs Chris Lucas and Tony Robinson) </ref>. Glades was used in February 1978 for filming scenes for [[Ron Peck]]'s film [[Nighthawks]]. He paid £400 to hire the premises <ref> Gay News issue 149 1978 </ref>. It was owned by Richard Branson for many years.

The premises were acquired by Derriham Limited in 1979 <ref> They also owned the [[Embassy Club]] </ref>. Decorations and initial interior designs for Heaven was done by Derek Frost. Stephen Hayter was the original Operations Director <ref> Letter Stephen Hayter to John S Barrington 20 June 1979 on Lost Gay London Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10159595104241329&set=p.10159595104241329 </ref>.

Heaven is on the site of the previous gay pub [[Hotel de France]]. In 1925, John Bull magazine exposed six notorious homosexual hang-outs including the Hotel de France.

Jeremy Joseph who was running Heaven in 2024 said that Heaven's landlord, The Arch Company, wanted to put rent up "by another £240,000", on top of an £80,000 automatic increase.Mr Joseph said that following a two-year process, and costs of more than £100,000, a rent review arbitration result had gone in Heaven's favour <ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15k2eln77zo Article on closure of the G-A-Y bar BBC Oct 2025</ref> .

[[Stonewall (UK)]], the UK’s most prominent LGB charity, was conceived in the bar at Heaven.

Soundshaft is a self contained venue next to Heaven, which can operate as part of the main venue or by itself. It has a dance floor and bar area, with mezzanine balcony and lounge area above.<ref>http://www.residentadvisor.net/club-detail.aspx?id=1705</ref> [[File:GladesNIGHTHAWKSfilmingFeb1978£400.jpg|thumb|left| Glades was used by Ron Peck for film scenes in Nighthawks in February 1978]]

See [[Timeline of West End Bars and Clubs]].

== Vox Pop ==
''[Vox Pop entries are personal recollections by individual contributors.]''

When I came out to my mother in 1987 at the age of 19, my mother said “there are clubs for people like that, where they all have sex in the middle of the dance floor. Heaven? They should call it Hell!” I wasn’t so disappointed when I discovered this great club a couple of years later when I moved to London (I later found the clubs where people actually did have sex on the dance floor). I soon made friends with the door people, or they made friends with me, and would often let me in for free. I remember one guy saying that they would look after me – and he meant it in a very genuine way. I saw [[Leigh Bowery]] there one night, in a yellow outfit with a mask complete with beak with tassels. I would often catch the night bus home with [[Phillip Salon]].

== Address ==

9 The Arches, Charing Cross, London WC2N 6NG

== External links ==

http://www.heaven-live.co.uk <br>
http://www.heavennightclub-london.com/

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Night Clubs]]
[[Category:West End]]
[[Category:Articles with Vox Pop entries]]

G-A-Y

2026-02-04T15:31:01Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Heaven entrance.jpg|thumb|[[Heaven (nightclub)|Heaven]],One of the homes of G-A-Y]]
'''G-A-Y''' was a gay nightclub in central [[London]]. It operated from the [[London Astoria]] music venue for 15 years until July 2008. The ''Boston Globe'' described it as "London's largest gay-themed club night",<ref>http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/2004/04/28/london_has_hot_tickets_big_hair_and_a_club_night_for_every_taste/</ref> ''NME'' reported that it "attracts 6,000 clubbers each week",<ref>http://www.nme.com/news/all-saints/3606 "Sing If You'Re Glad To Be At G.A.Y. | News" ''NME'' 19 June 2000</ref> and ''The Independent'' described it as "the one London gig that really matters" for "today's pop stars".<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/why-theyre-all-glad-to-be-gay-584844.html
"Why they're all glad to be G-A-Y"
''The Independent''
28 October 2003}</ref> On Friday 3 October 2008, it moved to famous gay venue [[Heaven]]. Later G-A-Y moved to Old Compton Street.

G-A-Y was associated with G-A-Y Bar and G-A-Y Late, both of which were also owned by Mean Fiddler Holdings Limited and operate in Soho. The two bars sold discounted tickets to weekend performances. The brand was purchased on 13 August 2007 by the MAMA Group.<ref>
http://www.mamagroup.co.uk/Announcements.aspx
"Announcements" ''Mama Group''</ref><ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5170.html
"Music group buys into G-A-Y bars" ''Pink News'' 13 August 2013</ref>
Its closure was announced in October 2025 <ref> One of central London's main LGBTQ+ bars will close down, with its owner saying that Soho's Old Compton Street has lost its "LGBT identity".https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15k2eln77zo </ref>.

G-A-Y Bar owner Jeremy Joseph said in a post on Instagram that it was "time to say goodbye" to the venue.

==History==
[[File:LondonAstoria.jpg|thumb|left|The London Astoria, the home of G-A-Y prior to the move to Heaven]]The forerunner of this club was [[Bang]] which began in 1976 in the Sundown club (157 Charing Cross Road, London WC2 in the London Astoria, subsequently called LA2, and now demolished) (see [[Bang]], started by club promoters [[Norman Scott]], [[Damien Tony]] and [[Jerry Collins]], who worked as a DJ under the name Gary London) <ref> The Bishopsgate Institute have some photographs in the Robert Workman archive taken at Bang in 1977 </ref>.. During the 1980s, ''Bang!'' (Monday and Saturday) and also ''Propaganda'' (Thursday) were run by gay club promoter and DJ [[Colin Peters]] (Peter Daubeney), whose brother Jamie continued as promoter for a period following his death. In the early 1990s, ''Bang!'' was acquired by DJ and promoter [[Jeremy Joseph]] who was formerly employed by Peters, who oversaw its change of name to G-A-Y, its expansion from two nights a week to four.
On 22 September 2008, MAMA Group acquired Heaven nightclub<ref>http://www.mamagroup.co.uk/18/section.aspx/download/99 MAMA Group PLC Acquisition of Heaven (London) Limited and issue of convertible loan note 22 September 2008</ref> and the venue became the home of G-A-Y. The two nightclubs were merged into one with both types of music being played (G-A-Y specialises in pop and commercial, Heaven in House music). G-A-Y bar then moved to Old Compton Street but G-A-Y closed in October 2025. Heaven continues under the management of Jeremy Joseph <ref> With the closure of G-A-Y Bar, Mr Joseph said he would focus his efforts on the nightclub in Charing Cross, adding: "I hope to continue making Heaven a second home for so many LGBT+ people." BBC Oct 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15k2eln77zo </ref>.

==The G-A-Y Album==
In 2000, a 40-track compilation album was released, featuring songs from some of the artists who had appeared at G-A-Y. A promotional campaign took place in the weeks leading up to release, including television and radio advertisements, a nationwide poster campaign and magazine advertisements in both the gay and teen press.

On Saturday 1 July 2000, a show was held at G-A-Y to promote the release of the album. Seven acts who appeared on the album performed. These acts were Shola Ama, All Saints, Bananarama, Dina Carroll, Billie Piper, Honeyz and Louise Redknapp. Each act performed one song, apart from Louise, who also performed her new single "2 Faced".

The G-A-Y album was released on Monday 3 July 2000 and peaked at number 18 in the UK compilations chart.

==G-A-Y Brand==
[[File:G-A-Y.jpg|thumb|G-A-Y bar, Old Compton Street]]The G-A-Y brand has expanded to two other bars in the area. '''G-A-Y Late''' (located near the former Astoria site) and '''G-A-Y bar''' (located nearby in [[Soho]]'s [[Old Compton Street]]). In April 2011, the G-A-Y brand arrived on Manchester's [[Canal Street]] with [[G-A-Y Manchester]] opening in the former venue of [[Spirit Bar]].<ref>http://www.g-a-y.co.uk/Manchester/index.htm G-A-Y website</ref> The brand is now 100% owned by Jeremy Joseph.<ref>
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5170.html Tony Grew, "Music group buys into G-A-Y bars", ''[[Pink News]]'', 2007-08-13.</ref>

==References==

G-A-Y

2026-02-04T15:30:25Z

Wessexman: G-A-Y closed Oct 2025

[[File:Heaven entrance.jpg|thumb|[[Heaven (nightclub)|Heaven]], the home of G-A-Y]]
'''G-A-Y''' was a gay nightclub in central [[London]]. It operated from the [[London Astoria]] music venue for 15 years until July 2008. The ''Boston Globe'' described it as "London's largest gay-themed club night",<ref>http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/2004/04/28/london_has_hot_tickets_big_hair_and_a_club_night_for_every_taste/</ref> ''NME'' reported that it "attracts 6,000 clubbers each week",<ref>http://www.nme.com/news/all-saints/3606 "Sing If You'Re Glad To Be At G.A.Y. | News" ''NME'' 19 June 2000</ref> and ''The Independent'' described it as "the one London gig that really matters" for "today's pop stars".<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/why-theyre-all-glad-to-be-gay-584844.html
"Why they're all glad to be G-A-Y"
''The Independent''
28 October 2003}</ref> On Friday 3 October 2008, it moved to famous gay venue [[Heaven]]. Later G-A-Y moved to Old Compton Street.

G-A-Y was associated with G-A-Y Bar and G-A-Y Late, both of which were also owned by Mean Fiddler Holdings Limited and operate in Soho. The two bars sold discounted tickets to weekend performances. The brand was purchased on 13 August 2007 by the MAMA Group.<ref>
http://www.mamagroup.co.uk/Announcements.aspx
"Announcements" ''Mama Group''</ref><ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5170.html
"Music group buys into G-A-Y bars" ''Pink News'' 13 August 2013</ref>
Its closure was announced in October 2025 <ref> One of central London's main LGBTQ+ bars will close down, with its owner saying that Soho's Old Compton Street has lost its "LGBT identity".https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15k2eln77zo </ref>.

G-A-Y Bar owner Jeremy Joseph said in a post on Instagram that it was "time to say goodbye" to the venue.

==History==
[[File:LondonAstoria.jpg|thumb|left|The London Astoria, the home of G-A-Y prior to the move to Heaven]]The forerunner of this club was [[Bang]] which began in 1976 in the Sundown club (157 Charing Cross Road, London WC2 in the London Astoria, subsequently called LA2, and now demolished) (see [[Bang]], started by club promoters [[Norman Scott]], [[Damien Tony]] and [[Jerry Collins]], who worked as a DJ under the name Gary London) <ref> The Bishopsgate Institute have some photographs in the Robert Workman archive taken at Bang in 1977 </ref>.. During the 1980s, ''Bang!'' (Monday and Saturday) and also ''Propaganda'' (Thursday) were run by gay club promoter and DJ [[Colin Peters]] (Peter Daubeney), whose brother Jamie continued as promoter for a period following his death. In the early 1990s, ''Bang!'' was acquired by DJ and promoter [[Jeremy Joseph]] who was formerly employed by Peters, who oversaw its change of name to G-A-Y, its expansion from two nights a week to four.
On 22 September 2008, MAMA Group acquired Heaven nightclub<ref>http://www.mamagroup.co.uk/18/section.aspx/download/99 MAMA Group PLC Acquisition of Heaven (London) Limited and issue of convertible loan note 22 September 2008</ref> and the venue became the home of G-A-Y. The two nightclubs were merged into one with both types of music being played (G-A-Y specialises in pop and commercial, Heaven in House music). G-A-Y bar then moved to Old Compton Street but G-A-Y closed in October 2025. Heaven continues under the management of Jeremy Joseph <ref> With the closure of G-A-Y Bar, Mr Joseph said he would focus his efforts on the nightclub in Charing Cross, adding: "I hope to continue making Heaven a second home for so many LGBT+ people." BBC Oct 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15k2eln77zo </ref>.

==The G-A-Y Album==
In 2000, a 40-track compilation album was released, featuring songs from some of the artists who had appeared at G-A-Y. A promotional campaign took place in the weeks leading up to release, including television and radio advertisements, a nationwide poster campaign and magazine advertisements in both the gay and teen press.

On Saturday 1 July 2000, a show was held at G-A-Y to promote the release of the album. Seven acts who appeared on the album performed. These acts were Shola Ama, All Saints, Bananarama, Dina Carroll, Billie Piper, Honeyz and Louise Redknapp. Each act performed one song, apart from Louise, who also performed her new single "2 Faced".

The G-A-Y album was released on Monday 3 July 2000 and peaked at number 18 in the UK compilations chart.

==G-A-Y Brand==
[[File:G-A-Y.jpg|thumb|G-A-Y bar, Old Compton Street]]The G-A-Y brand has expanded to two other bars in the area. '''G-A-Y Late''' (located near the former Astoria site) and '''G-A-Y bar''' (located nearby in [[Soho]]'s [[Old Compton Street]]). In April 2011, the G-A-Y brand arrived on Manchester's [[Canal Street]] with [[G-A-Y Manchester]] opening in the former venue of [[Spirit Bar]].<ref>http://www.g-a-y.co.uk/Manchester/index.htm G-A-Y website</ref> The brand is now 100% owned by Jeremy Joseph.<ref>
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5170.html Tony Grew, "Music group buys into G-A-Y bars", ''[[Pink News]]'', 2007-08-13.</ref>

==References==

G-A-Y

2026-02-04T15:28:20Z

Wessexman: /* History */ G-A-Y closed Oct 2025

[[File:Heaven entrance.jpg|thumb|[[Heaven (nightclub)|Heaven]], the home of G-A-Y]]
'''G-A-Y''' was a gay nightclub in central [[London]]. It operated from the [[London Astoria]] music venue for 15 years until July 2008. The ''Boston Globe'' described it as "London's largest gay-themed club night",<ref>http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/2004/04/28/london_has_hot_tickets_big_hair_and_a_club_night_for_every_taste/</ref> ''NME'' reported that it "attracts 6,000 clubbers each week",<ref>http://www.nme.com/news/all-saints/3606 "Sing If You'Re Glad To Be At G.A.Y. | News" ''NME'' 19 June 2000</ref> and ''The Independent'' described it as "the one London gig that really matters" for "today's pop stars".<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/why-theyre-all-glad-to-be-gay-584844.html
"Why they're all glad to be G-A-Y"
''The Independent''
28 October 2003}</ref> On Friday 3 October 2008, it moved to famous gay venue [[Heaven]].

G-A-Y is associated with G-A-Y Bar and G-A-Y Late, both of which were also owned by Mean Fiddler Holdings Limited and operate in Soho. The two bars sell discounted tickets to weekend performances, and are locations in which flyer boys operate. The brand was purchased on 13 August 2007 by the MAMA Group.<ref>
http://www.mamagroup.co.uk/Announcements.aspx
"Announcements" ''Mama Group''</ref><ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5170.html
"Music group buys into G-A-Y bars" ''Pink News'' 13 August 2013</ref>
Its closure was announced in October 2025 <ref> One of central London's main LGBTQ+ bars will close down, with its owner saying that Soho's Old Compton Street has lost its "LGBT identity".https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15k2eln77zo </ref>.

G-A-Y Bar owner Jeremy Joseph said in a post on Instagram that it was "time to say goodbye" to the venue.

==History==
[[File:LondonAstoria.jpg|thumb|left|The London Astoria, the home of G-A-Y prior to the move to Heaven]]The forerunner of this club was [[Bang]] which began in 1976 in the Sundown club (157 Charing Cross Road, London WC2 in the London Astoria, subsequently called LA2, and now demolished) (see [[Bang]], started by club promoters [[Norman Scott]], [[Damien Tony]] and [[Jerry Collins]], who worked as a DJ under the name Gary London) <ref> The Bishopsgate Institute have some photographs in the Robert Workman archive taken at Bang in 1977 </ref>.. During the 1980s, ''Bang!'' (Monday and Saturday) and also ''Propaganda'' (Thursday) were run by gay club promoter and DJ [[Colin Peters]] (Peter Daubeney), whose brother Jamie continued as promoter for a period following his death. In the early 1990s, ''Bang!'' was acquired by DJ and promoter [[Jeremy Joseph]] who was formerly employed by Peters, who oversaw its change of name to G-A-Y, its expansion from two nights a week to four.
On 22 September 2008, MAMA Group acquired Heaven nightclub<ref>http://www.mamagroup.co.uk/18/section.aspx/download/99 MAMA Group PLC Acquisition of Heaven (London) Limited and issue of convertible loan note 22 September 2008</ref> and the venue became the home of G-A-Y. The two nightclubs were merged into one with both types of music being played (G-A-Y specialises in pop and commercial, Heaven in House music). G-A-Y bar then moved to Old Compton Street but G-A-Y closed in October 2025. Heaven continues under the management of Jeremy Joseph <ref> With the closure of G-A-Y Bar, Mr Joseph said he would focus his efforts on the nightclub in Charing Cross, adding: "I hope to continue making Heaven a second home for so many LGBT+ people." BBC Oct 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15k2eln77zo </ref>.

==The G-A-Y Album==
In 2000, a 40-track compilation album was released, featuring songs from some of the artists who had appeared at G-A-Y. A promotional campaign took place in the weeks leading up to release, including television and radio advertisements, a nationwide poster campaign and magazine advertisements in both the gay and teen press.

On Saturday 1 July 2000, a show was held at G-A-Y to promote the release of the album. Seven acts who appeared on the album performed. These acts were Shola Ama, All Saints, Bananarama, Dina Carroll, Billie Piper, Honeyz and Louise Redknapp. Each act performed one song, apart from Louise, who also performed her new single "2 Faced".

The G-A-Y album was released on Monday 3 July 2000 and peaked at number 18 in the UK compilations chart.

==G-A-Y Brand==
[[File:G-A-Y.jpg|thumb|G-A-Y bar, Old Compton Street]]The G-A-Y brand has expanded to two other bars in the area. '''G-A-Y Late''' (located near the former Astoria site) and '''G-A-Y bar''' (located nearby in [[Soho]]'s [[Old Compton Street]]). In April 2011, the G-A-Y brand arrived on Manchester's [[Canal Street]] with [[G-A-Y Manchester]] opening in the former venue of [[Spirit Bar]].<ref>http://www.g-a-y.co.uk/Manchester/index.htm G-A-Y website</ref> The brand is now 100% owned by Jeremy Joseph.<ref>
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5170.html Tony Grew, "Music group buys into G-A-Y bars", ''[[Pink News]]'', 2007-08-13.</ref>

==References==

G-A-Y

2026-02-04T15:24:41Z

Wessexman: closed Jan 2026

[[File:Heaven entrance.jpg|thumb|[[Heaven (nightclub)|Heaven]], the home of G-A-Y]]
'''G-A-Y''' was a gay nightclub in central [[London]]. It operated from the [[London Astoria]] music venue for 15 years until July 2008. The ''Boston Globe'' described it as "London's largest gay-themed club night",<ref>http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/2004/04/28/london_has_hot_tickets_big_hair_and_a_club_night_for_every_taste/</ref> ''NME'' reported that it "attracts 6,000 clubbers each week",<ref>http://www.nme.com/news/all-saints/3606 "Sing If You'Re Glad To Be At G.A.Y. | News" ''NME'' 19 June 2000</ref> and ''The Independent'' described it as "the one London gig that really matters" for "today's pop stars".<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/why-theyre-all-glad-to-be-gay-584844.html
"Why they're all glad to be G-A-Y"
''The Independent''
28 October 2003}</ref> On Friday 3 October 2008, it moved to famous gay venue [[Heaven]].

G-A-Y is associated with G-A-Y Bar and G-A-Y Late, both of which were also owned by Mean Fiddler Holdings Limited and operate in Soho. The two bars sell discounted tickets to weekend performances, and are locations in which flyer boys operate. The brand was purchased on 13 August 2007 by the MAMA Group.<ref>
http://www.mamagroup.co.uk/Announcements.aspx
"Announcements" ''Mama Group''</ref><ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5170.html
"Music group buys into G-A-Y bars" ''Pink News'' 13 August 2013</ref>
Its closure was announced in October 2025 <ref> One of central London's main LGBTQ+ bars will close down, with its owner saying that Soho's Old Compton Street has lost its "LGBT identity".https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15k2eln77zo </ref>.

G-A-Y Bar owner Jeremy Joseph said in a post on Instagram that it was "time to say goodbye" to the venue.

==History==
[[File:LondonAstoria.jpg|thumb|left|The London Astoria, the home of G-A-Y prior to the move to Heaven]]The forerunner of this club was [[Bang]] which began in 1976 in the Sundown club (157 Charing Cross Road, London WC2 in the London Astoria, subsequently called LA2, and now demolished) (see [[Bang]], started by club promoters [[Norman Scott]], [[Damien Tony]] and [[Jerry Collins]], who worked as a DJ under the name Gary London) <ref> The Bishopsgate Institute have some photographs in the Robert Workman archive taken at Bang in 1977 </ref>.. During the 1980s, ''Bang!'' (Monday and Saturday) and also ''Propaganda'' (Thursday) were run by gay club promoter and DJ [[Colin Peters]] (Peter Daubeney), whose brother Jamie continued as promoter for a period following his death. In the early 1990s, ''Bang!'' was acquired by DJ and promoter [[Jeremy Joseph]] who was formerly employed by Peters, who oversaw its change of name to G-A-Y, its expansion from two nights a week to four.
On 22 September 2008, MAMA Group acquired Heaven nightclub<ref>http://www.mamagroup.co.uk/18/section.aspx/download/99 MAMA Group PLC Acquisition of Heaven (London) Limited and issue of convertible loan note 22 September 2008</ref> and the venue is now the home of G-A-Y. The two nightclubs were merged into one with both types of music being played (G-A-Y specialises in pop and commercial, Heaven in House music).

==The G-A-Y Album==
In 2000, a 40-track compilation album was released, featuring songs from some of the artists who had appeared at G-A-Y. A promotional campaign took place in the weeks leading up to release, including television and radio advertisements, a nationwide poster campaign and magazine advertisements in both the gay and teen press.

On Saturday 1 July 2000, a show was held at G-A-Y to promote the release of the album. Seven acts who appeared on the album performed. These acts were Shola Ama, All Saints, Bananarama, Dina Carroll, Billie Piper, Honeyz and Louise Redknapp. Each act performed one song, apart from Louise, who also performed her new single "2 Faced".

The G-A-Y album was released on Monday 3 July 2000 and peaked at number 18 in the UK compilations chart.

==G-A-Y Brand==
[[File:G-A-Y.jpg|thumb|G-A-Y bar, Old Compton Street]]The G-A-Y brand has expanded to two other bars in the area. '''G-A-Y Late''' (located near the former Astoria site) and '''G-A-Y bar''' (located nearby in [[Soho]]'s [[Old Compton Street]]). In April 2011, the G-A-Y brand arrived on Manchester's [[Canal Street]] with [[G-A-Y Manchester]] opening in the former venue of [[Spirit Bar]].<ref>http://www.g-a-y.co.uk/Manchester/index.htm G-A-Y website</ref> The brand is now 100% owned by Jeremy Joseph.<ref>
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5170.html Tony Grew, "Music group buys into G-A-Y bars", ''[[Pink News]]'', 2007-08-13.</ref>

==References==

Peter Mandelson

2026-02-04T15:18:06Z

Wessexman:

'''Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson of Foy''' (born 1953) is a disgraced Labour Party politician. He was MP for [[Hartlepool]] from 1992 to 2004, and served in a number of Cabinet positions.

In 1998 he resigned from the cabinet having failed to declare a loan in the register of members; interests, but less than a year later he was back in the cabinet as Secretary of State for [[Northern Ireland]]. In 2001, he resigned from the Government for a second time following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application.

From 2004 to 2008 he was a European Commissioner. In 2008 he returned to the government and was appointed a life peer.
Mandelson was briefly UK ambassador to the USA before links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein led to his being removed from that post in 2025.
In February 2026 Police were reviewing reports of alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of passing on sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In February 2026 BBC released information from the Epstein enquiry showing Peter Mandelson exchanged explicit emails about "strippers" with Jeffery Epstein on the day the convicted child sex offender was released from jail, in July 2009.
<ref> "Free and home," Epstein emails Lord Mandelson at 08.37am on 22 July (2009), as he left a Florida prison following an 18-month sentence for soliciting sex with a minor.
"How shall we celebrate?" writes back Mandelson, who was then business secretary under Gordon Brown.
"With grace and modesty (those are the names of two strippers)," Epstein replies.
"From now on, grace and modesty sd [should] be discovered in London," Mandelson appears to joke back a few hours later, before adding: "How is freedom feeling?"
"She feels fresh, firm and creamy," Epstein says.
Mandelson responds with two words: "Naughty boy." </ref>
In the House of Commons on 4 February 2026 Keir Starmer told MPs during Prime Minister's Questions that Peter Mandelson had "betrayed our country" after "lying repeatedly" about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/czx3lq460n6t BBC Mandelson lied repeatedly about Epstein, says PM as he confirms vetting flagged 'ongoing' relationship </ref>.

==Personal life==
In October 1998, during his first period in the Cabinet, Mandelson was the centre of media attention when [[Matthew Parris]] gay former MP and then Parliamentary sketch writer of ''The Times'') mentioned during a live interview on ''Newsnight'', in the wake of the resignation of [[Ron Davies]], that "Peter Mandelson is certainly gay".<ref>''The Mirror'' 28 October 1998 "Mandelson is gay, says former MP"</ref>

In 2000, Mandelson publicly recognised his relationship with long-time partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva by allowing photographs of them together.<ref>Martin Smith, ''The Mail on Sunday'' 23 April 2000 "The Graduate; So here's to you Mr Mandelson, as the Ulster Secretary and his partner go public..." quote: "It could hardly have been a more public statement of their friendship. Peter Mandelson, 46, and his long-time partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, 28, were among the audience at the Gielgud Theatre to watch the West End stage adaptation of the Sixties film classic ''The Graduate''... Reinaldo now shares the Minister's London home in Notting Hill. Recently, neighbours have noticed them shopping together for scented candles and incense and supervising the extensive renovation of the home Mr Mandelson bought for nearly 250,000 pounds last year."</ref> Da Silva is Brazilian born but was naturalised as a British citizen around the end of August 2005.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-361471/Mandelsons-British-boyfriend.html Nick Craven "Mandelson's British boyfriend" ''Daily Mail'' 6 September 2005</ref>

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Labour politicians]]
[[Category:Peers]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Peter Mandelson

2026-02-04T15:17:06Z

Wessexman: Mandelson betrayed UK says Prime Minister

'''Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson of Foy''' (born 1953) is a disgraced Labour Party politician. He was MP for [[Hartlepool]] from 1992 to 2004, and served in a number of Cabinet positions.

In 1998 he resigned from the cabinet having failed to declare a loan in the register of members; interests, but less than a year later he was back in the cabinet as Secretary of State for [[Northern Ireland]]. In 2001, he resigned from the Government for a second time following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application.

From 2004 to 2008 he was a European Commissioner. In 2008 he returned to the government and was appointed a life peer.

==Personal life==
In October 1998, during his first period in the Cabinet, Mandelson was the centre of media attention when [[Matthew Parris]] gay former MP and then Parliamentary sketch writer of ''The Times'') mentioned during a live interview on ''Newsnight'', in the wake of the resignation of [[Ron Davies]], that "Peter Mandelson is certainly gay".<ref>''The Mirror'' 28 October 1998 "Mandelson is gay, says former MP"</ref>

In 2000, Mandelson publicly recognised his relationship with long-time partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva by allowing photographs of them together.<ref>Martin Smith, ''The Mail on Sunday'' 23 April 2000 "The Graduate; So here's to you Mr Mandelson, as the Ulster Secretary and his partner go public..." quote: "It could hardly have been a more public statement of their friendship. Peter Mandelson, 46, and his long-time partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, 28, were among the audience at the Gielgud Theatre to watch the West End stage adaptation of the Sixties film classic ''The Graduate''... Reinaldo now shares the Minister's London home in Notting Hill. Recently, neighbours have noticed them shopping together for scented candles and incense and supervising the extensive renovation of the home Mr Mandelson bought for nearly 250,000 pounds last year."</ref> Da Silva is Brazilian born but was naturalised as a British citizen around the end of August 2005.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-361471/Mandelsons-British-boyfriend.html Nick Craven "Mandelson's British boyfriend" ''Daily Mail'' 6 September 2005</ref>

Peter Mandelson was ranked 52 in the [[Pink List 2010]], and 75 in the [[Pink List 2011]],
Mandelson was briefly UK ambassador to the USA before links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein led to his being removed from that post in 2025.
In February 2026 Police were reviewing reports of alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of passing on sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In February 2026 BBC released information from the Epstein enquiry showing Peter Mandelson exchanged explicit emails about "strippers" with Jeffery Epstein on the day the convicted child sex offender was released from jail, in July 2009.
<ref> "Free and home," Epstein emails Lord Mandelson at 08.37am on 22 July (2009), as he left a Florida prison following an 18-month sentence for soliciting sex with a minor.
"How shall we celebrate?" writes back Mandelson, who was then business secretary under Gordon Brown.
"With grace and modesty (those are the names of two strippers)," Epstein replies.
"From now on, grace and modesty sd [should] be discovered in London," Mandelson appears to joke back a few hours later, before adding: "How is freedom feeling?"
"She feels fresh, firm and creamy," Epstein says.
Mandelson responds with two words: "Naughty boy." </ref>
In the House of Commons on 4 February 2026 Keir Starmer told MPs during Prime Minister's Questions that Peter Mandelson had "betrayed our country" after "lying repeatedly" about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/czx3lq460n6t BBC Mandelson lied repeatedly about Epstein, says PM as he confirms vetting flagged 'ongoing' relationship </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Labour politicians]]
[[Category:Peers]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Peter Mandelson

2026-02-04T15:14:19Z

Wessexman: Links with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein

'''Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson of Foy''' (born 1953) is a disgraced Labour Party politician. He was MP for [[Hartlepool]] from 1992 to 2004, and served in a number of Cabinet positions.

In 1998 he resigned from the cabinet having failed to declare a loan in the register of members; interests, but less than a year later he was back in the cabinet as Secretary of State for [[Northern Ireland]]. In 2001, he resigned from the Government for a second time following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application.

From 2004 to 2008 he was a European Commissioner. In 2008 he returned to the government and was appointed a life peer.

==Personal life==
In October 1998, during his first period in the Cabinet, Mandelson was the centre of media attention when [[Matthew Parris]] gay former MP and then Parliamentary sketch writer of ''The Times'') mentioned during a live interview on ''Newsnight'', in the wake of the resignation of [[Ron Davies]], that "Peter Mandelson is certainly gay".<ref>''The Mirror'' 28 October 1998 "Mandelson is gay, says former MP"</ref>

In 2000, Mandelson publicly recognised his relationship with long-time partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva by allowing photographs of them together.<ref>Martin Smith, ''The Mail on Sunday'' 23 April 2000 "The Graduate; So here's to you Mr Mandelson, as the Ulster Secretary and his partner go public..." quote: "It could hardly have been a more public statement of their friendship. Peter Mandelson, 46, and his long-time partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, 28, were among the audience at the Gielgud Theatre to watch the West End stage adaptation of the Sixties film classic ''The Graduate''... Reinaldo now shares the Minister's London home in Notting Hill. Recently, neighbours have noticed them shopping together for scented candles and incense and supervising the extensive renovation of the home Mr Mandelson bought for nearly 250,000 pounds last year."</ref> Da Silva is Brazilian born but was naturalised as a British citizen around the end of August 2005.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-361471/Mandelsons-British-boyfriend.html Nick Craven "Mandelson's British boyfriend" ''Daily Mail'' 6 September 2005</ref>

Peter Mandelson was ranked 52 in the [[Pink List 2010]], and 75 in the [[Pink List 2011]],
Mandelson was briefly UK ambassador to the USA before links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein led to his being removed from that post in 2025.
In February 2026 Police were reviewing reports of alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of passing on sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In February 2026 BBC released information from the Epstein enquiry showing Peter Mandelson exchanged explicit emails about "strippers" with Jeffery Epstein on the day the convicted child sex offender was released from jail, in July 2009.
<ref> "Free and home," Epstein emails Lord Mandelson at 08.37am on 22 July (2009), as he left a Florida prison following an 18-month sentence for soliciting sex with a minor.
"How shall we celebrate?" writes back Mandelson, who was then business secretary under Gordon Brown.
"With grace and modesty (those are the names of two strippers)," Epstein replies.
"From now on, grace and modesty sd [should] be discovered in London," Mandelson appears to joke back a few hours later, before adding: "How is freedom feeling?"
"She feels fresh, firm and creamy," Epstein says.
Mandelson responds with two words: "Naughty boy." </ref>

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Labour politicians]]
[[Category:Peers]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Peter Mandelson

2026-02-02T22:51:04Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Peter Mandelson - WEF.jpg|thumb|Peter Mandelson, 2008]]'''Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson of Foy''' (born 1953) is a Labour Party politician. He was MP for [[Hartlepool]] from 1992 to 2004, and served in a number of Cabinet positions.

In 1998 he resigned from the cabinet having failed to declare a loan in the register of members; interests, but less than a year later he was back in the cabinet as Secretary of State for [[Northern Ireland]]. In 2001, he resigned from the Government for a second time following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application.

From 2004 to 2008 he was a European Commissioner. In 2008 he returned to the government and was appointed a life peer.

==Personal life==
In October 1998, during his first period in the Cabinet, Mandelson was the centre of media attention when [[Matthew Parris]] gay former MP and then Parliamentary sketch writer of ''The Times'') mentioned during a live interview on ''Newsnight'', in the wake of the resignation of [[Ron Davies]], that "Peter Mandelson is certainly gay".<ref>''The Mirror'' 28 October 1998 "Mandelson is gay, says former MP"</ref>

In 2000, Mandelson publicly recognised his relationship with long-time partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva by allowing photographs of them together.<ref>Martin Smith, ''The Mail on Sunday'' 23 April 2000 "The Graduate; So here's to you Mr Mandelson, as the Ulster Secretary and his partner go public..." quote: "It could hardly have been a more public statement of their friendship. Peter Mandelson, 46, and his long-time partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, 28, were among the audience at the Gielgud Theatre to watch the West End stage adaptation of the Sixties film classic ''The Graduate''... Reinaldo now shares the Minister's London home in Notting Hill. Recently, neighbours have noticed them shopping together for scented candles and incense and supervising the extensive renovation of the home Mr Mandelson bought for nearly 250,000 pounds last year."</ref> Da Silva is Brazilian born but was naturalised as a British citizen around the end of August 2005.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-361471/Mandelsons-British-boyfriend.html Nick Craven "Mandelson's British boyfriend" ''Daily Mail'' 6 September 2005</ref>

Peter Mandelson was ranked 52 in the [[Pink List 2010]], and 75 in the [[Pink List 2011]],
Mandelson was briefly UK ambassador to the USA before links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein led to his being removed from that post in 2025.
In February 2026 Police were reviewing reports of alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of passing on sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Labour politicians]]
[[Category:Peers]]
[[Category:50 most powerful 2007|03]]
[[Category:50 most powerful 2009|01]]
[[Category:Pink List 2000]]
[[Category:Pink List 2009|01]]
[[Category:Pink List 2010|52]]
[[Category:Pink List 2011|75]]
[[Category:Pride Power List 2011|26]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Peter Mandelson

2026-02-02T22:45:49Z

Wessexman: police enquiry following release of Epstein files

[[File:Peter Mandelson - WEF.jpg|thumb|Peter Mandelson, 2008]]'''Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson of Foy''' (born 1953) is a Labour Party politician. He was MP for [[Hartlepool]] from 1992 to 2004, and served in a number of Cabinet positions.

In 1998 he resigned from the cabinet having failed to declare a loan in the register of members; interests, but less than a year later he was back in the cabinet as Secretary of State for [[Northern Ireland]]. In 2001, he resigned from the Government for a second time following accusations of using his position to influence a passport application.

From 2004 to 2008 he was a European Commissioner. In 2008 he returned to the government and was appointed a life peer.

==Personal life==
In October 1998, during his first period in the Cabinet, Mandelson was the centre of media attention when [[Matthew Parris]] gay former MP and then Parliamentary sketch writer of ''The Times'') mentioned during a live interview on ''Newsnight'', in the wake of the resignation of [[Ron Davies]], that "Peter Mandelson is certainly gay".<ref>''The Mirror'' 28 October 1998 "Mandelson is gay, says former MP"</ref>

In 2000, Mandelson publicly recognised his relationship with long-time partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva by allowing photographs of them together.<ref>Martin Smith, ''The Mail on Sunday'' 23 April 2000 "The Graduate; So here's to you Mr Mandelson, as the Ulster Secretary and his partner go public..." quote: "It could hardly have been a more public statement of their friendship. Peter Mandelson, 46, and his long-time partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, 28, were among the audience at the Gielgud Theatre to watch the West End stage adaptation of the Sixties film classic ''The Graduate''... Reinaldo now shares the Minister's London home in Notting Hill. Recently, neighbours have noticed them shopping together for scented candles and incense and supervising the extensive renovation of the home Mr Mandelson bought for nearly 250,000 pounds last year."</ref> Da Silva is Brazilian born but was naturalised as a British citizen around the end of August 2005.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-361471/Mandelsons-British-boyfriend.html Nick Craven "Mandelson's British boyfriend" ''Daily Mail'' 6 September 2005</ref>

Peter Mandelson was ranked 52 in the [[Pink List 2010]], and 75 in the [[Pink List 2011]],
In February 2026 Police were reviewing reports of alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of passing on sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Labour politicians]]
[[Category:Peers]]
[[Category:50 most powerful 2007|03]]
[[Category:50 most powerful 2009|01]]
[[Category:Pink List 2000]]
[[Category:Pink List 2009|01]]
[[Category:Pink List 2010|52]]
[[Category:Pink List 2011|75]]
[[Category:Pride Power List 2011|26]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Cambridge

2026-01-30T17:03:42Z

Wessexman: /* LGBT History */ Bernard Greaves

[[File:KingsCollegeChapelWest.jpg|thumb|[[King's College, Cambridge|King's College]] Chapel, seen from The Backs]]'''Cambridge''' is a city in [[Cambridgeshire]], mainly known as the location of the [[University of Cambridge]], one of the two ancient English universities.

==LGBT History==
The [[University of Cambridge]] has a rich history of gay students including law reform campaigner [[George Ives]] and the notorious [[Guy Burgess]].

In 1970 John Hiles formed the Cambridge branch of [[CHE]]. The following year, Hiles, together with Chris Heron, set up Gay Cambridge. Bernard Greaves was an active member and worked to get the police to change the way they policed homosexuality in the city. Hiles committed suicide in 1978 <ref> Gay News 16 November 1978 page 4 </ref>. Toby Keynes (Gonville and Caius) flew the Cambridge Gay Liberation flag from the top of King’s Parade (from his rooms, in the corner tower) at Gay Cambridge's 10th birthday celebration at Easter 1981, and nearly got sent down.

There is a Cambridge University LGBT+ Alumni Association which is 2024 started to compile Q100 exhibition of 100 trailblazing LGBT Alumni.

In 2007 [[Jenny Bailey]] became mayor of Cambridge.

Queer Cambridge was a directory of queer groups, resources, organisations and links aimed for those in Cambridge.<ref>now defunct website link http://www.queercambridge.co.uk/</ref>

Cambridge LGBTQ+ group was functioning in 2023 <ref> https://www.meetup.com/cambridge-gay-group/ Accessed 2 July 2023 </ref>.

Cambridge Diamonds is a social and self-help group supporting the transgender communities in Eastern England.<ref> http://www.diamondstgc.org.uk/ Accessed 2 July 2023 </ref>

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Cambridge| ]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Non-unitary districts]]

London Pride

2026-01-28T18:26:36Z

Wessexman: /* London Pride year by year */ 2025

[[File:Logo-pride-2014.png|thumb|Pride in London logo]]'''London Pride''' is an annual event in London, comprising a march or parade in central London, together with a rally or festival, and sometimes other events.

'''Gay Pride Marches''', subsequently re-branded as '''Pride Marches''' and now '''Pride Parades''' (see [[Pride]]) have been held in London since the early 1970s, normally on the nearest Saturday to 28 June, the anniversary of the [[Stonewall riots]].

From 2004 to 2012, the London Pride events were organised by the charity [[Pride London]].

Following widespread dissatisfaction following the last minute scaling back of World Pride 2012, the Mayor of London, [[Boris Johnson]], invited community bodies to bid to run future Prides. In January 2013 it was announced that a community interest company [[London LGBT Community Pride]] had been awarded the right to run Pride for five years starting 2013.<ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/01/18/london-city-hall-announces-winner-of-gay-pride-bid/ ''Pink News'' 18 January 2013, "London: City Hall announces winner of gay pride bid"</ref> The company is now branded as [[Pride in London]].<ref>[http://londoncommunitypride.org/ Pride in London]</ref>

==London Pride year by year==
:''More information needed to complete this section.''

*1971: There was a small march in 1971, organised by the [[GLF]] youth Group, starting with a [[Gay Day]] in Hyde Park and then a march down Oxford Street and Regents Street to Trafalgar Square.<ref><cite>[[No Bath but Plenty of Bubbles]]</cite>, p 109</ref> There were about 200 marchers and a large number of police.<ref><cite>[[Out of the Shadows]]</cite>, p 59.</ref>
*1972: The first Gay Pride March under that name was held on the 1st of July 1972 and was organised by GLF. The date was chosen to be the nearest Saturday to the [[Stonewall]] riots of 1969. An estimated number of between 70 and 200 people took part in the march itself and maybe as many as 700 in the whole event, including the rally and picnic in Hyde Park.<ref> [[Out of the Shadows]], p 61.</ref> <ref> the number is sometimes misquoted as 2,000 which was the estimate for 1st Stonewall Anniversary march in USA in 1970. Either people have mixed that up with the 1st UK Pride march or they have added a 0 to the 200 figure </ref>
*1973: this year's Pride March was organised by [[CHE]] <ref name=knitting>http://web.archive.org/web/20071023022039/http://knittingcircle.org.uk/pridehistory.html</ref>. An estimated 300 people took part <ref> Gay News issue 27 page 3 'More a whimper than a bang', & Gay News issue 37 page 7 Article by Roger Baker </ref>.
*1976: Gay Pride week held in August. [[Tom Robinson]] performed Glad to be Gay! The number on the Saturday march was reported as between 800 and 2,000 <ref> Numbers down on last year p2 Gay News issue 101 26 August 1976 </ref>.
*1977: the Pride march and picnic was on Saturday 25th June and started at Temple Place, Embankment. Gay Pride Week lasted until 2 July.[[File:Gayprideletter1977a.jpg|thumb|left|Gay Pride Committee letter 1977]]
*1978: the Pride march was on Saturday 8th July and started in Sloane Square went via [[Earls Court]], ending at [[Shepherd's Bush]].<ref>http://www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/history/images_pamisherwood_3.htm Photo of the march at Shepherds' Bush by [[Pam Isherwood]] on the [[LGBT History Month]] website.</ref>
*1979: the Pride march was on Saturday 30th June and started at Temple Place, Embankment and marched to Hyde Park for an open air concert. Featured in two television documentary programmes; World in Action on ITV and Inside Story on BBC. <ref> both programmes available on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV_h2FoQJxs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLVLDxEYlPQ </ref>.
*1980: Approximately 3,000 marched. Frank Egan was arrested for having a vegetable cutter in his hat (as part of his drag costume). Clashes with the police occurred in Malet Street.<ref> Gay News issue 195 Jul 10-23 1980 </ref>
*1981: the Pride March was moved to [[Huddersfield]] for one year only, in protest against police harassment of the [[Gemini Club]].<ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Xu89AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA113&lpg=PA113&dq=pride+march+1981+huddersfield+gemini&source=bl&ots=WP3v1LhStQ&sig=fuaHI7AFnHp58_DXKU1zMifDX64&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TeZYUObiFPKY0QWj8oCIDg&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=pride%20march%201981%20huddersfield%20gemini&f=false [[Bruce Galloway]] (ed) ''Prejudice and Pride: Discrimination Against Gay People in Modern Britain'' Routledge, 1983, page 113.</ref>
*1982: a very wet parade on the last Saturday (June 26th) in London. Started at Speakers' Corner, then through Piccadilly Circus ending up at the University of London Union in Malet Street for a dance. Capital Gay (2.7.82) reported over 1,200 attended and suffered torrential rain.
*1983: held on 2 July starting in [[Hyde Park]] and ending at the University of London Union in Malet Street. Capital Gay (8.7.83) reported 2,000 attended 'on happiest Pride parade for years'.
*1984: held on 30 June.<ref> 'In 1984, everyone forgot to organise a march, but 1,500 people still turned up because it was the last Saturday in June' Peter Scott-Presland in Metro 28 Jun 2019 https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/28/as-one-of-the-first-pride-marchers-i-knew-i-was-rocking-the-boat-10073195/?ito=article.tablet.share.top.facebook&fbclid=IwAR3M_rKufMKL3aohrbaumgB5LOEQhnsmpo7t0Dei5YJK-EMXVQfEmtsK94s Accessed 2.8.19 </ref>
*1985: the march went from Hyde Park to the Jubilee Gardens. The number of marchers went up to an estimated 15,000, including mining communities showing solidarity in return for gay support during the miners' strike.<ref name=knitting /> ''Capital Gay'' estimated attendance at 10,000 and called it, “the biggest gathering of homosexuals Britain has ever seen.”<ref>http://www.gayinthe80s.com/2013/01/07/1985-lesbian-and-gay-pride-85/</ref>
*1986: March ends in Kennington Park.
*1987: March [[Sloane Square]] to [[Shepherd's Bush]] Green on 8th July,
[[File:Gaypride1978a.jpg|thumb|right| Gay Pride programme 1978]].
*1988: about 40,000 people attended Pride, protesting about [[Section 28]].<ref name=knitting />
*1989: festival in [[Kennington Park]]; [[CHE]] and [[GALHA]] jointly issued a commemorative [[CHE plastic bags|plastic bag]] entitling the holder to half-price admission to the [[Winter Fair]].
*1990: the annual parade went from Victoria via Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, and the Houses of Parliament, and down Kennington Road<ref name=knitting />
*1991: Estimated 25,000 people joined the march from central London to [[Kennington Park]], up to 45,000 people were estimated to have dropped in on events in the park<ref name=knitting />
*1992: ([[Europride]])
*1993: festival in [[Brockwell Park]]<ref>http://www.lifeofbryan.co.uk/Site/Pride_-_London.html</ref>
*1994: festival in [[Brockwell Park]]<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20071023021959/http://knittingcircle.org.uk/pride94.html</ref>
*1995: march from [[Hyde Park]] to [[Westminster]]; festival in [[Victoria Park]].<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20071023022004/http://knittingcircle.org.uk/pride95.html</ref>
*1996: march from [[Hyde Park]] to [[Westminster]]; festival in [[Clapham Common]] ( on 6th July).<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20071030100748/http://www.knittingcircle.org.uk/pride96.html</ref> <ref> 250,000 people were expected to celebrate the 25th March. This appears to be the first year the march was called a LGBT Pride March. Birmingham Post 6 July 1996 </ref>
*1997: march from [[Hyde Park]] to [[Westminster]]; festival in [[Clapham Common]].<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20071030012022/http://www.knittingcircle.org.uk/pride97.html</ref>
*1999: festival ("London Mardi Gras") in [[Finsbury Park]].<ref>http://www.lifeofbryan.co.uk/Site/Pride_-_London.html</ref>
*2000: march from [[Hyde Park]] to [[Victoria]];<ref>http://lgbthistoryuk.org/wiki/index.php?title=London_Pride&action=edit&section=1</ref> festival ("London Mardi Gras") in [[Finsbury Park]].<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20071023021954/http://knittingcircle.org.uk/pride00.html</ref><ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/814224.stm</ref>
*2001: festival ("London Mardi Gras") in [[Finsbury Park]].<ref>http://www.lifeofbryan.co.uk/Site/Pride_-_London.html</ref>
*2002: festival in [[Hackney Marshes]].
*2003: festival in [[Hyde Park]].
*2004: march from [[Hyde Park]] to [[Victoria]]; rally in [[Trafalgar Square]]; festival ("Big Gay Out") in [[Finsbury Park]]<ref>http://www.iansie.com/nonsense/gaylondond.html</ref><ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/jul/03/gayrights.london</ref>
*[[London Pride 2005|2005]]: March from Hyde Park, rally in Trafalgar Square.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4642459.stm</ref>
*2006: ([[Europride]])
*2012: ([[World Pride]]): The Pride Parade started as in previous years from [[Baker Street]], but the start time was unexpectely changed from 1pm to 11am, and vehicles were banned. The party in Trafalgar Square went ahead, but a number of other events on the day were cancelled.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18722279 ''BBC News'', "London gay pride: Scaled back event takes place".</ref> [[Peter Tatchell]] has reported that the change in start time was intended to reduce the numbers taking part<ref>http://www.petertatchell.net/politics/London-Mayor-sabotaged-World-Pride-numbers.htm</ref> but in the event there are thought to have been 25,000 people on the march, the biggest number ever.<ref>http://www.pridelondon.org/</ref>
*2013: Some reports suggest that up to half a million people took part in the Pride in London Parade, a march from Baker Street via Oxford Street and Regent Street to Whitehall, followed by a festival ("Summer Rites") in Shoreditch Park.
*2014: [[Pride in London 2014]] again featured a parade from Baker Street to Whitehall.
*2015: the parade for [[Pride in London 2015]] (again from Baker Street to Whitehall) was said to be the biggest ever.
*2016: the parade this year started from Portland Place, on Saturday 25 June.<ref>http://prideinlondon.org/events/2016/06/25/pride-in-london-parade</ref>
*2017: Saturday 8 July
*2018: Saturday 7 July Route from Portland Place, along Oxford Circus and Regent Street to [[Piccadilly Circus]], before heading through Pall Mall and passing Trafalgar Square to Whitehall.
*2019: Saturday 6 July More than 300 groups and floats travelled from Portland Place Station to Trafalgar Square.
*2020 and 2021: Cancelled due to nationwide restrictions to control the spread of Covid-19 virus
*2022: An 'alternative' Pride event was held on 1 July to mark 50 years since the first Gay Pride march in London. Some of the original marchers from 1972 took part. The main commercial Pride march took place the following day.
*2023: Just Stop Oil environmental protest group stopped the Pride parade for about 20 mins. They protested against some of the commercial organisations taking part in the parade <ref> https://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/23627270.london-pride-parade-stopped-just-stop-oil-protestors/ </ref>.<ref> Five charged https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66080222 'the five charged are Ben Plumpton, 68, of Underbank Ave, Charlestown, Calderdale; Zosia Lewis, 22, of Melbourne Street, Newcastle upon Tyne; Oliver Clegg, 20, of Olney Street, Manchester; Gosse Bootsma, 25, of no fixed address, and Callum Goode, 23, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire' </ref>
*2025: Pride in London took place on Saturday, 5 July 2025, running from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The parade began at Hyde Park Corner, proceeding through Piccadilly Circus, Haymarket, Cockspur Street, and culminating at Whitehall Place, outside Big Ben.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:London]]
[[Category:Annual events]]
[[Category:Pride]]

Clifford Williams

2026-01-28T18:17:24Z

Wessexman: added reference

'''Clifford Williams''' is a researcher and historian. Clifford grew up as a gay teenager in the London Borough of [[Sutton]] in the 1970s and discovered the [[London Gay Teenage Group]] in 1978 <ref> Interviewed 17 July 2017 for Voices for Heritage Project; interview recording held in Wessex Film and Sound Archive in Winchester https://archivescatalogue.hants.gov.uk/records/AV1637/1/S1/19 </ref>.
He wrote about that experience in his book 'Courage to Be' published by the Book Guild in 2021. The book is a comprehensive history of the early gay and lesbian youth groups in England (1967-1990) at a time when gay sex was still illegal for, or with, anyone under 21 years of age <ref> https://www.gaystheword.co.uk/product-page/courage-to-be-organised-gay-youth-in-england-1967-1990-by-dr-clifford-williams </ref>. Whilst at school he joined the local Young Liberals and canvassed for the party at elections, including for [[Michael Steed]]. He was also a member of the Anti-Apartheid Movement and C.N.D. <ref> On the Record deposited in the Bishopsgate Institute 5CR/3/6 Audio recording, video recording and transcript from an oral history interview with Clifford Williams, conducted as part of the 5 Cally Road project by On The Record (2020) </ref>.

Williams studied History and Social Anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, [[University of London]], graduating with First Class Honours <ref> His first published work was "Asante: Human sacrifice or capital punishment? An assessment of the period 1807–1874" in The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 21 (3): 433–441. doi:10.2307/219449. JSTOR 219449.(1988) </ref>. He then went to study Criminology at [[Trinity Hall, Cambridge]] ([[University of Cambridge]]) before embarking on research for a PhD based at the University of [[Bradford]] and doing part-time work for the Home Office Research Unit <ref> Phd Offenders and Victims of Crime 1997 . A copy is held in the [[Rotherham]] Archives </ref>.

Williams served as a police officer from 1987-2012, witnessing a transformation of the police relations with lgbt peoples. An article published in the Journal of the Police History Society captures this remarkable turnaround <ref> Clifford Williams (2019) 'Gay men and the police 1950-2010' in the Journal of the Police History Society no 33 pp56-60 </ref>. While serving as a police officer Williams came out as [[bisexual]] and was the most senior ''out'' male officer marching at [[Brighton]] Pride in 2007 <ref> the first year Hampshire police officers were allowed to march in uniform at a Pride event </ref>. In 2025 part of Williams' research into police and gay men was published in the Journal Policing and Society <ref> A complete turnaround: police and gay men 1950–2010 https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2024.2437019 </ref>.

Williams has documented the LGBT history of [[Hampshire]] in a booklet 'A Queer A-Z of Hampshire' <ref> Published in 2019, went into two editions in that year, and a third edition was published in 2024.The [[Bishopsgate Institute]] and Hampshire Record Office hold a copy </ref>.

[[File:Islington11022020.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Clifford Williams giving a talk in Finsbury Library February 2020]]

Williams has given numerous presentations on lgbt history, both in person and online. Some of these presentations are available on You Tube <ref> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ima9GZjw_Nw is an example of a recorded talk </ref>.BBC Radio interviewed Williams about gay liberation on the 50th anniversary of the GLF <ref> 50 years on since the formation of the Gay Liberation Front.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08v45nc (accessed 23.12.2024) </ref>.
In February 2024 Williams led a Mr [[George Lucas]] walking tour of the West End and Soho. His current research includes policing gay men 1950-2010 <ref> Article in Policing and Society issue 5 2025 </ref>, the life of Gabriel D'esty (1895-1968) a gay man who lived in [[Bishop's Waltham]], and the [[Southampton]] gay scene 1960-1999 <ref> https://godshousetower.org.uk/eventer/talk-capturing-southamptons-gay-scene-1960-1999-by-clifford-williams/edate/2025-08-24/ </ref>.

===References===
<References>

[[Category:Bisexual men]]
[[Category:Police|]]
[[Category:Police officers]]
[[Category:Writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Sutton| ]]

[[Category:Historians]]

LGB Liberal Forum

2026-01-15T12:58:25Z

Wessexman:

'''LGB Liberal Forum''' was established in 2022 as an alternative to [[LGBT+ Liberal Democrats]].
Their respective views differ on issues of [[gender]] and [[sexual]] politics.
[[Toby Keynes]] who helped to found [[LGB Liberal Forum]] was one of the founders of [[Gay Social Democrats]] which later became Social Democrats for Gay Rights (SDGR).
[[Richard Kirker]] is leading member of the LGB Liberal Forum.
In 2025 Liberal Voice for Women put a motion to the Conference challenging party rules that allow biological men to take women’s posts <ref> Trans row threatens to overshadow Lib Dem conference https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/trans-row-threatens-to-overshadow-lib-dem-conference/ar-AA1MKquu?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=68cae293faac471db3925bac4c77de75&ei=21 Daily Telegraph 17 Sept 2025 </ref>.

==External links==
https://lgbliberalforum.org.uk/

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Liberal Democrats]]
[[Category:Politics]]

LGB Liberal Forum

2026-01-15T12:57:50Z

Wessexman: corrections to history record.

'''LGB Liberal Forum''' was established in 2022 as an alternative to [[LGBT+ Liberal Democrats]].
Their respective views differ on issues of [[gender]] and [[sexual]] politics.
[[Toby Keynes]] who helped to found [[LGB Liberal Forum]] was one of the founder of [[Gay Social Democrats]] which later became Social Democrats for Gay Rights (SDGR).
[[Richard Kirker]] is leading member of the LGB Liberal Forum.
In 2025 Liberal Voice for Women put a motion to the Conference challenging party rules that allow biological men to take women’s posts <ref> Trans row threatens to overshadow Lib Dem conference https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/trans-row-threatens-to-overshadow-lib-dem-conference/ar-AA1MKquu?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=68cae293faac471db3925bac4c77de75&ei=21 Daily Telegraph 17 Sept 2025 </ref>.

==External links==
https://lgbliberalforum.org.uk/

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Liberal Democrats]]
[[Category:Politics]]

Birmingham

2026-01-14T18:05:38Z

Wessexman: Matt Daniels MBE

[[File:Birmingham Town Hall from Chamberlain Square.jpg|thumb|Birmingham Town Hall]]'''Birmingham''' is a city and metropolitan borough in the [[West Midlands]] (originally in [[Warwickshire]]). It is the second largest city by population in the [[UK]]. It rose to prominence in the 18th century as a centre of manufacturing, especially small and specialised trades. The city boundaries have expanded considerably since the 18th century, most recently by absorbing [[Sutton Coldfield]] (still considered a separate locality for census purposes) in 1974.

==LGBT history==

[[File:IMG 20250506 123819gayvillageBIRMINGHAMMay2025.jpg|thumb|left|200pxs|Gay Village signage in May 2025]] [[Robert Taylor (photographer)]] was born in Birmingham in 1958.

The [[Birmingham CHE Group]] was founded in 1970.

Birmingham [[GLF]] produced a magazine called Gladrag <ref> This was available for sale at London Pride 1976 </ref>.

In 1980 [[Gay News]] reported on police activity to catch homosexuals at a lavatory known as the Silver Slipper near the Alexandra Theatre <ref> Gay News 17-30 April 1980 </ref>.

The Birmingham Gay Village, near the Chinese Quarter, is mainly located around Hurst Street. Nightingales is one of the oldest and longest running venues in the Gay Village.

[[Birmingham LGBT]] was set up in 2002, with the aim of reinvigorating the diverse LGBT community in the city.<ref>http://www.blgbt.org/?page_id=4</ref>

[[Boot Women]] is a local women's walking group.

[[Moseley Shoals]] is a local gay swimming and water polo club.

In 2011 [[Symon Hill]] walked from Birmingham to London, as a pilgrimage of repentance for homophobia.

Pride events were held for a few years from 1972, resuming in 1983. [[Birmingham Pride]] is held annually in May. It is one of the largest LGBT t festivals in the UK, held over three days <ref>http://www.birminghampride.com/</ref>. Controversially public streets are closed to the public and people are charged to enter the Gay Village.

The [[Birmingham Bi Women's Discussion Group]] met once a month at the [[Birmingham LGBT Centre]].

[[Gay Birmingham Remembered]] is a website based on oral history and other research, recording the development and history of the LGBT communities in and around Birmingham.

In 2022 the city hosted the Commonwealth Games <ref> Katie Sadleir, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, told BBC Sport she is open to the idea that LGBTQ+ medallists may be able to take the rainbow flag on to the podium at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/59571501</ref>. [[File:Oliverdyke27052023bham.jpg|thumb|right|200pxs|Oliver Dyke protests against Birmingham Pride ticket policy 2023 (photo by Dr Clifford Williams) ]]

2023 venues and shops listed on a map as LGBT+ included Eden, Birmingham LGBT Centre, Glamorous, Clone Zone, Missing Bar, Equator, Side Walk, The Village Inn, The Fountain, The Fox and The Loft <ref> Birmingham Pride Guide 2023 </ref>. The Anchor pub on Bradford Street, at junction with Rea Street, was flying the LGBT+ Pride flag in 2023. [[File:NightingalesBhamMay2025.jpg|thumb|left|200pxs|Nightingale Nightclub May 2025]]

Matt Daniels was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List 2026 for his work in Birmingham for LGB and T communities <ref> Man appointed MBE for services to LGBTQ+ community BBC News 29 December 2025
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0k7zn2x94o (accessed 14 January 2026) </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Birmingham| ]]
[[Category:West Midlands]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Metropolitan boroughs]]

George Lucas

2025-12-16T14:59:35Z

Wessexman: new book

'''George Lucas''' (born George Quirke) (1926–2014) was a gay man who worked in the Civil Service. He documented his life in a series of detailed personal diaries which he bequeathed to journalist [[Hugo Greenhalgh]]. When Greenhalgh started to examine the diaries he uncovered remarkable accounts of a man who recorded in some detail his use of male prostitutes in London, and other aspects of gay life.
Lucas took a great risk in keeping the diaries as some of the entries incriminated him in matters which were criminal offences before 1967. If the police had got hold of the diaries a number of other men may well have been arrested and prosecuted. Lucas did actually destroy some diary entries to protect others <ref> Following arrest in Germany in 1950 while serving in the army, Lucas destroyed ''all the earlier pages of my 1950 diary for fear of possible scrutiny that might incriminate any of the lads I have been friendly with'' (Diary entry 19 Oct 1950) </ref>.
The diaries are now being published on a Facebook page for Mr Lucas which is updated by Greenhalgh <ref> https://www.facebook.com/mrlucas1927/ </ref>.

[[File:Lucasinsoho1967.jpg|thumb|right|Mr Lucas by one of his favourite pubs The [[Golden Lion]], Dean St.,Soho, London 3 Jun 1967 age 41. (Image courtesy Hugo Greenhalgh) ]]

[[File:Diary51DSC 0889sept1951 .JPG|200pxs|thumb|left|Page of the 1951 diary (Image courtesy Hugo Greenhalgh) ]]

George Leo John Quirke was born 16 June 1926 and grew up in [[Chadwell Heath]], Essex. He attended [[West Ham]] Grammar School (now known as St Bonaventure's ) in Forest Gate. He suffered tormenting bullying at school and refers in his diaries to 1937-39 as years of pain and fear <ref> Diary entry 21 Jul 1979 when he visits Forest Gate and reflects on when he was there 40 years earlier </ref>. Evacuated on 1 Sept 1939, initially to Trimley near [[Felixstowe]] and then to Clacton.

In 1941 his 'interest in homosexual activities (was) beginning' <ref> Diary entries of 27 Aug 1979 and 31 Aug 1979 reflect on and refer to his first sex in a public lavatory in St Chad's Park in 1941, when he was not quite 15 years old. He visits the park and takes a photo of the lavatory </ref>. He served three years four months in The Royal Army Pay Corps leaving in January 1948. He then went to work in the War Office before rejoining the army as a commissioned officer in 1950 <ref> Lieutenant 56635 BAOR Store Audit Section </ref>. In October 1950 he was arrested in Germany for an indecent assault on a German young man <ref> Lucas was arrested by the German Police and accused of indecent assault on a German young man in a lavatory on the Kleverplatz in Dusselldorf. Lucas in his diary claims the young man was encouraging him to approach and had began masturbating. Lucas denied assaulting the young man. The German police handed him over to the military police. Lucas expected to get at least 9 months imprisonment and possibly 3 years. On 20 Nov 1950 he was found guilty at a court martial, cashiered and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. He appealed against the sentence. Diary entries of George Lucas 1950 (courtesy Hugo Greenhalgh)</ref>. He was court marshalled and while waiting for his appeal against sentence of six months imprisonment he was placed under close arrest. Fearing prison he was slightly relieved to be 'simply dismissed' in January 1951. He then had to be reinterviewed to return to the civil service and he was worried they might not accept him back after his 'disgrace' in Germany. However he was readmitted and posted to the Department of Trade where he spent the remainder of his working life. His latter years were lived in Clapham Park. He died 28 December 2014. His last address was 24a Mandalay Road Clapham London SW4 9EE. <ref> The Gazette notice https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3165566 </ref>.

An unremarkable man in many ways but the legacy of his diaries now make his contribution to LGBT history important. He frequented the [[Piccadilly Circus]] area and utilised and befriended a number of [[rent boys]].

On February 6th 2020 [[Mark Gatiss]] read extracts from Mr Lucas's diaries to a packed audience at the [[Bishopsgate Institute]] as part of [[LGBT History Month]] <ref> Mark Gatiss reads Mr Lucas’s diaries at Bishopsgate Institute, February 2020 https://changemakers.works/podcasts/never-lose-sight-of-your-horizons-the-power-of-story-telling-with-screenwriter-and-actor-mark-gatiss/?fbclid=IwAR3PBCCTuBQt1VN4-lzEqNHyJzktfq5f1PA0yDLWhG0cRdy8A-FVKrK_hrM Contains the recording of the event at The Bishopsgate Institute </ref> .

Here is one example of his description of 1950 in his diary entry for Jan 1st 1968; ''I look back 18 years to 1950. When I was 24, the London scene was not changed much; places, buildings, familiar to the homosexual world of 1950 had been familiar for a long time.And how many there were - the public rendezvous at Marble Arch and Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, the numerous gay bars: the Standard in Piccadilly Circus, the celebrated Fitzroy in Rathbone Place, the Bunch of Grapes on the south side of the Strand, with its stone canopy carved in form of a cornucopia over the door, Rainbow Corner by the Monico in Shaftesbury Avenue… and, of course, the lavatories of the “Grand Tour”; starting with Falconberg Court and ending at York Place <ref> https://www.facebook.com/mrlucas1927/posts/1137067069803920?__tn__=K-R </ref>.

In May 2022 it was announced that Atlantic Books had acquired The Diaries of Mr Lucas, written by journalist Hugo Greenhalgh, using a set of real-life diaries from the period <ref> https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/rights/atlantic-scoops-staggering-record-of-lost-queer-london </ref>. Publication of part of the diaries, edited by Hugo Greenhalgh, and titled 'The Diaries of Mr Lucas: Notes from a Lost Gay Life', took place in 2024. A paperback version followed in 2025.

On 27 August 2020 extracts of the diaries were read on BBC Radio 4 <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00138hx
Mr Lucas’s Diaries Archive on 4.George Leo John Lucas was a civil servant who wrote about his extraordinary life as an openly gay man. Mark Gatiss delves into his diaries from the 1950s and 60s </ref>.

==References==
<references>
[[Category:Diarists]]
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]

Steve Strange

2025-12-12T21:32:00Z

Wessexman:

[[File:Steve-strange-03.jpg|thumb|Steve Strange]]'''Steve Strange''' (born '''Steven John Harrington''', 1959, died 2015) was a pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/halloffame/showbiz/steve_strange.shtml "South East Wales Showbiz – Steve Strange – New Romantic pop star from Newbridge" BBC August 2009</ref> From the late 1970s he was a nightclub host and promoter.

==Early life==
Harrington was born in [[Newbridge]], [[Caerphilly]], Wales, but the family moved [[Aldershot]], [[Hampshire]], where his father was serving in the British Army as a paratrooper. They later moved back to Wales and lived in [[Rhyl]] on the north coast, where his parents bought a large guest house and opened sea front cafes. They then divorced and Steve moved with his mother back to Newbridge.<ref name=blitzed>Steve Strange ''Blitzed! The autobiography of Steve Strange'' Orion Books, 2002 ISBN 0-7528-4720-1</ref>

==Punk era==
After seeing a Sex Pistols concert at the Stowaway Club in [[Newport]] in 1976, Harrington befriended the bass player Glen Matlock. He then arranged gigs for punk bands in his home town and befriended Jean-Jacques Burnel of The Stranglers before leaving for [[London]] where he worked for Malcolm McLaren<ref name=blitzed /> and formed a punk band called The Moors Murderers. After a number of gigs, the band split up around early 1978.<ref>[http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/moors_murderers.htm Punk77.co.uk]</ref>

Later in 1978, Harrington briefly joined the punk/new wave band The Photons (originally from [[Liverpool]]) as vocalist and co-songwriter at the behest of David Littler (ex The Spitfire Boys).

Harrington was the subject of the song "Poseur" by fellow punk band Combat 84 in 1982.<ref>http://www.actionext.com/names_c/combat_84_lyrics/poseur.html "POSEUR LYRICS – COMBAT 84" Actionext.com</ref>

==Visage==
Shortly after leaving The Photons, and then using the alias "Steve Strange", Harrington formed Visage with then Rich Kids members Rusty Egan and Midge Ure and Magazine members Barry Adamson, John McGeoch and Dave Formula. Their first single "Tar" was not a success, but the following year, Strange appeared in the video for [[David Bowie]]'s no.1 hit "Ashes to Ashes", a song which helped to propel the burgeoning [[New Romantic]] fashion movement into the mainstream (although Bowie himself was never directly associated with it). Later that year, Visage signed a new record deal with Polydor and released their second single, "Fade to Grey" which became a top 10 hit in the UK and topped the charts in several other countries. As the public face of the band, Strange shot to stardom in Britain and other parts of Europe. Visage enjoyed a string of hit singles and two hit albums before later commercial disappointments led to their break-up in 1985.

After the dissolution of Visage, Strange formed the short-lived band Strange Cruise with Wendy Wu. The group signed with EMI Records and released two singles and an album in 1986, though failed to gain any chart success.

==Club host==
In the late 1970s, prior to their success with Visage, Strange and Visage partner Rusty Egan began to make a name for themselves as a nightclub host and DJ respectively at "Blitz" in London. Adhering to Strange's strict door policy of admitting only "the weird and wonderful", the club took off and became an essential location in the rise of what would become the New Romantic movement. Following this, Strange and Egan then fronted the Camden Palace nightclub for two years, which became one of the most famous venues of the era, attracting major celebrities on a regular basis. However, after conflicts with the financial backers of the club, Strange and Egan left the Camden Palace and moved on to a new club named "The Playground".

Later in the 1980s, Strange went to Ibiza, Spain and became an integral part of the budding trance club movement hosting parties for celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone.

==Visage Mk II==
In 2002, Strange took part in the "Here and Now Tour", which featured a revival of various 80s pop acts. In 2004, he then formed a new version of Visage, dubbed ''Visage Mk II'', with various musicians from electronic bands. None of the other original members were involved in the project.

In 2006, Strange collaborated with electronic music duo Punx Soundcheck for their album ''When Machines Rules The World'', co-writing and performing on the track "In The Dark".

==The Detroit Starrzz and Visage (Mk III)==
In February 2012, Strange appeared as a guest on the ITV chat show ''Loose Women'' and said that he was still working on a new Visage album and that nine tracks had been completed to date.<ref name="Loose">''Loose Women'' (2 February 2012). ITV Studios. Director Jo Johns, Producer Natasha Neeson.</ref> In early 2013, Strange announced another new version of Visage featuring himself and former member Steve Barnacle, along with former Ultravox guitarist Robin Simon and vocalist Lauren Duvall. A new album, ''Hearts and Knives'', was released in May 2013 (the first new Visage album in 29 years). In support of the album, the band made several live appearances in the UK and Europe in 2013.

Parallel to recording new Visage material, Strange has also been involved in another music project, The Detroit Starrzz. The group, which consists of Strange and various DJ/remixers, released their first single, "Halo", in 2011. While appearing on the chat show ''Loose Women'' in February 2012, Strange stated he had recorded a full album with the group, with another single, "Aiming For Gold", to be released later in 2012.<ref name="Loose"/> The group played a live set at the Citrus Club in [[Edinburgh]] on 3 February 2012.<ref>http://www.list.co.uk/article/40322-steve-strange-and-the-detroit-starrzz-citrus-club-edinburgh-fri-3-feb-2012/ Neil Cooper, "Steve Strange and the Detroit Starrzz – Citrus Club, Edinburgh, Fri 3 Feb 2012" list.co.uk 8 February 2012</ref>

==Personal life ==
Strange was always somewhat ambiguous about his sexuality, although he had made it known he had had relationships with both men and women.<ref name="stuart">http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/steve-strange-the-dandy-who-fell-to-earth-638252.html Julia Stuart, "Steve Strange: The dandy who fell to earth" ''The Independent'' 5 October 2000</ref>

For many years, Strange battled a heroin addiction. In later years he suffered a nervous breakdown and was given a three-month suspended sentence for shoplifting.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,4019282-103680,00.html Strange but true ''The Guardian''</ref>

In 2002, Strange published his autobiography, ''Blitzed!'', in which he speaks about his heroin addiction, his nervous breakdown, his sexuality, and the ongoing attempts to get his life back together.

Strange was portrayed in Boy George's 2002 stage musical ''[[Taboo]]'' which reflected on the New Romantic scene of the early 1980s.

In 2005, Strange appeared in a Channel 4 documentary called ''Whatever Happened to the Gender Benders?'', which reflected on the advent of the New Romantic movement of the early 1980s and the prominent roles that Strange, [[Boy George]] and [[Marilyn]] each played within it. In stark contrast to the glamour of the New Romantic era, interviews with all three stars in the present day highlighted the sheer devastation that fame, fortune and drug addiction had taken on them during the past 25 years, with Strange and Marilyn in particular being openly candid about the mental health problems they now try to cope with every day.

In November 2006, Strange took part in, and went on to win, the BBC reality series for Children in Need, ''Celebrity Scissorhands''. He returned to the show in 2007 and 2008<ref>http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/realitytv/a131442/scissorhands-contestants-unveiled.html "''Scissorhands'' contestants unveiled – TV News" ''Digital Spy'' 29 September 2008</ref> as Assistant Manager/Image Consultant. In that role, he was in charge of the catwalk, showing all of the best haircuts of the series and also people dressed in 80s style clothing and make-up.

In 2008, Strange (and Visage II keyboardist Sandrine Gouriou) made an appearance in the BBC drama series ''Ashes to Ashes'', set in 1981. In it, they performed the song "Fade to Grey" in a scene set in the "Blitz" nightclub.

In 2009, Strange and Rusty Egan appeared in Living TV's ''Pop Goes the Band'',<ref>http://www.livingtv.co.uk/shows/pop-goes-the-band.php ''Pop Goes the Band''</ref> a series in which pop stars from the 1980s are given a complete makeover in return for a one-off performance. The Visage episode aired on 16 March 2009, and was the first time that the two men had spoken in over 20 years. The episode focused (like others in the series) more on getting them fit in the gym than on the current state of their relationship, though they appeared to get on well enough. At the culmination of the episode, they performed "Fade to Grey".

In 2010, Strange was portrayed by actor [[Marc Warren]] in the BBC programme ''Worried About The Boy'', a dramatisation of [[Boy George]]'s rise to fame.

In January 2011, Strange and Rusty Egan reopened the "Blitz" Club for one night, with performances from Roman Kemp's band Paradise Point and electro punk artist Quilla Constance, plus DJ sets from Egan himself.

In January 2013, Strange appeared on Channel 4 News discussing the forthcoming release of David Bowie's album ''The Next Day''.

Strange died while in Egypt in 2015.

==References==
Adapted from a Wikipedia article.

<references>

[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Singers]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]

Aldershot

2025-12-12T21:19:14Z

Wessexman: amended reference to Libby Davies

[[File:Aldershotmilitarytown.jpg|thumb|A sign for Aldershot Military Town]]'''Aldershot''' is a town in the [[Rushmoor]] district of [[Hampshire]]. It has long been known as one of the British Army's major garrison towns.

==LGBT history==

A book by Xavier Mayne, privately printed in 1908, claimed that there were many soldier prostitutes in Aldershot <ref> Weeks, Jeffrey page 122 in 'Historical Perspectives on Homosexuality' edited by Licata and Petersen (1981) (Haworth Press; New York)) </ref>.

In 1923 L/Cpl Albert Dearnley engaged in a bondage act with a drummer James Ellis. Dearnley called it a game of cowboys and indians and Ellis submitted to being trussed up and gagged. Ellis died of suffocation and Dearnley was sentenced to hang. But his sentence was reprieved. Dearnley was released from prison in 1932 <ref> footnote pages 61 and 130 in David Green (2024) The Murder of Lily White (Hastings Press) </ref>.

[[Harold Gillies]] worked at the Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot. In 1951 he carried out gender reassignment surgery on [[Roberta Cowell]] (previously known as Robert Cowell) (1918-2011), the first known male to female surgery in the country.

The singer [[Steve Strange]] grew up there.

[[Libby Davies]] who was born in Aldershot in 1953 was the member of Parliament for Vancouver East, Canada from 1997 to 2015.<ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libby_Davies (accessed 12 December 2025) </ref>

==References==
<references>

==References==
<references>

[[Category:English towns]]
[[Category:Hampshire]]

Aldershot

2025-12-12T21:15:55Z

Wessexman: /* LGBT history */ 1923 case

[[File:Aldershotmilitarytown.jpg|thumb|A sign for Aldershot Military Town]]'''Aldershot''' is a town in the [[Rushmoor]] district of [[Hampshire]]. It has long been known as one of the British Army's major garrison towns.

==LGBT history==

A book by Xavier Mayne, privately printed in 1908, claimed that there were many soldier prostitutes in Aldershot <ref> Weeks, Jeffrey page 122 in 'Historical Perspectives on Homosexuality' edited by Licata and Petersen (1981) (Haworth Press; New York)) </ref>.

In 1923 L/Cpl Albert Dearnley engaged in a bondage act with a drummer James Ellis. Dearnley called it a game of cowboys and indians and Ellis submitted to being trussed up and gagged. Ellis died of suffocation and Dearnley was sentenced to hang. But his sentence was reprieved. Dearnley was released from prison in 1932 <ref> footnote pages 61 and 130 in David Green (2024) The Murder of Lily White (Hastings Press) </ref>.

[[Harold Gillies]] worked at the Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot. In 1951 he carried out gender reassignment surgery on [[Roberta Cowell]] (previously known as Robert Cowell) (1918-2011), the first known male to female surgery in the country.

The singer [[Steve Strange]] grew up there.

The Canadian MP [[Libby Davies]] was born in Aldershot in 1953.<ref>http://andrejkoymasky.com/liv/fam/biod1/davies01.html</ref>

==References==
<references>

==References==
<references>

[[Category:English towns]]
[[Category:Hampshire]]

Leicester

2025-12-11T19:51:10Z

Wessexman: /* LGBT history */ gay woman from Leicester wins Miss England

[[File:Curve Leicester full panorama.jpg|thumb|Curve Theatre, Leicester]]'''Leicester''' is a city in the [[East Midlands]]. It is a unitary authority, although located within the ceremonial county of [[Leicestershire]].

==LGBT history==

[[Joe Orton]] was born in Leicester in 1933.

Morley Clarke (1916-2010) was a tailor who lived and worked in Leicester. In 2021 Jo Somerset gave a presentation on the life of Morley and his life long partner Roland Spence as part of the [[Schools Out]] [[Outing The Past]] Festival <ref> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6fj0enXajM accessed 18 September 2021 </ref>. Morley and Roland moved to [[Narborough]] after Morley's mother died in 1971.

[[Ray Gosling]] studied at Leicester University.

There was a Leicester [[GLF]] and a [[Leicester CHE Group]] (founded 1971).

In 1987 Leicester was one of the cities chosen for a homosexual lifestyle study. This survey was designed to see how [[AIDS]] might be spread. The survey was criticised by Doctor John Bottril, Chairman of the [[Leicester Gay Group]]. <ref> A report on Central Television https://www.macearchive.org/films/central-news-east-05021987-sex-survey </ref>

In 1988 Sandra Lucille of the [[Leicester Lesbian Information Service]] was interviewed on Central Television about the rights of lesbians and [[clause 28]].<ref> https://www.macearchive.org/films/central-news-east-03021988-clause-28 </ref>

[[Leicester Wildecats FC]] is a gay football team.

[[Leicester Pride]] is held at the beginning of September.

[[Bossa]] is a small gay café bar on Granby Street.

[[Leicester LGBT Centre]] is a voluntary organisation established to support LGBT people.<ref>http://www.leicesterlgbtcentre.org/</ref>

There is an LGBT Oral History Project for Leicester, [[Leicestershire]] and [[Rutland]].

An openly gay woman, Grace Richardson from Leicester, won Miss England in November 2025 <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy84nvxn39do First openly gay Miss England has 'achieved dream' BBC 26 November 2025 (accessed 11 December 2025) </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Leicestershire]]
[[Category:English cities]]
[[Category:Unitary authorities]]

Transgender

2025-12-11T19:44:02Z

Wessexman:

'''Transgender''' is a relatively new term that is usually applied to changing one's birth sex and its associated gender.
Some transgender people who desire medical assistance to transition from one sex to another identify as [[transsexual]]. Transgender, often shortened as trans, is also used as an umbrella term; where it includes people whose gender identity is the opposite of their sex at birth (trans men and trans women),and people who are non-binary. In Scotland the term also includes people who cross dress, also known as [[transvestite]] <ref> s 11 (7) Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 gives the meaning of transgender to include a non-binary person and a person who cross dresses </ref>.

Being transgender is distinct from sexual orientation.

People who transition from one sex to another sometimes return to their original birth sex identity. This is called de transitioning (see [[detransition]]). A high profile case which lead to a court case is [[Keira Bell]] who lost her ability to give birth to children because of treatment received as a young person becoming a trans man.<ref> https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/01/woman-sue-nhs-rushed-gender-reassignment-treatment-12330020/ </ref>
In recent years there has been a lot of polarisation in lgbt communities over the issue of transgender rights and whether people identifying as transgender should be able to change their legal identity based on self identification. There is also debate about women's rights to single sex spaces such as toilets and changing rooms. And controversially many transwomen who grew up as males through puberty have been allowed to participate in women's sports <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ckgnwgnge4yo reports of a young woman who was disciplined for challenging the participation of a transgender woman in a football match BBC News 10 May 2025 </ref>.
The [[Gender Recognition Act]] requires an assessment and has safeguards to ensure those changing their legal status are fully qualified and prepared for the change.

A lack of evidence on medical interventions in gender care was highlighted by the review conducted by [[Dr Hilary Cass]], published in April 2024. With specific reference to children, Dr Cass raised concerns about what she called "diagnostic overshadowing" - when patients' other healthcare issues were overlooked in cases of patients questioning their gender. The report recommends that young people referred to the new clinics should have a "holistic assessment", which Dr Cass says should include screening for neuro-development conditions such as autism and a mental-health assessment <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68770641 Hilary Cass: Weak evidence letting down children over gender care BBC 10 April 2024 </ref>.

The number of people identifying as transgender in the UK is not known. A question was asked in the 2021 UK Census but the figures given were shown to be unreliable. The Census data suggested that the London Boroughs of Newham and Brent had the highest number of transgender people. Both have a large number of residents who spoke English as their second language, adding to concerns that the question may have been misinterpreted <ref> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13346919/uk-trans-population-census-figures.html?ico=topics_pagination_desktop The UK's trans population is not as high as the 'totally unreliable' census figures suggest, critics claim. Professor Michael Biggs said the 2021 census findings were based on a flawed question 24 April 2024 </ref>.

The first Member of Parliament to declare themselves as transgender was Katie Wallis, who was elected to Parliament as Jamie Hamilton Wallis in December 2019, as a Conservative Party politician. Wallis served as Member of Parliament (MP) for [[Bridgend]] in Wales for one parliamentary term until 2024 <ref> https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/other/transgender-ex-mp-harassed-wife-after-divorce/ar-AA1F4Sq3?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=664de575ec014991a8632e2760dc8509&ei=18 </ref>.

==References==
<references>

[[Category:Trans]]

LGBT History Project:Current events

2025-12-03T14:53:43Z

Wessexman:

[[File:LGBT Archive time capsule 650.png|300px|thumb|alt=Time capsule with LGBT Archive logo, labelled "Arts", "Sport", "Business", "Pubs & Clubs", "Health", "Press", "People"|UK LGBT Archive time capsule]]
__NOTOC__

==December 2025==
The Girlguiding charity changes its policy after having, for at least two or more years, allowed boys who identify as girls to join <ref> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7n921wyzvo Trans girls can no longer join Girlguiding, organisation says (accessed 3 December 2025) </ref>.

==April 2025==
Supreme Court ruling that definition of a woman is a biological woman under equalities laws <ref> Supreme Court backs 'biological' definition of woman https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg7pqzk47zo (Accessed 3 December 2025) </ref>.

==April 2024==
April 2024 [[Dr Hilary Cass]] published her final report into the Review of gender identity services for children and young people.

==October 2021==
21 October 2021 [[LGBAlliance]] held its first National Conference at the Queen Elizabeth 2nd Conference centre in [[London]].

==March 2020==
24 March 2020: restrictions on movement and work introduced in the U.K. to combat spread of corona virus (Co-Vid 19). All pubs, restaurants and other places of entertainment closed, as well as schools.
==January 2020==
31 January 2020: Brexit - the UK left the European Union.
==August 2019==
19 August 2019: by the end of the month, pages on this Wiki had been viewed seventeen million times.
==July 2019==
9 July 2019: the House of Commons voted in favour of same-sex marriage in [[Northern Ireland]].

==February 2019==
During Febuary, [[Jonathan Harbourne]] received a "Points of Light" Award from the Prime Minister for creating this Wiki.

==January 2019==
26 January 2019: The LGBT Consortium changes its name to just [[Consortium]], with a new logo and a new strapline including the term "LGBT+".

==December 2018==
During the month, this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 28 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

==October 2018==
31 October 2018: by the end of the month, pages on this Wiki had been viewed fifteen million times.

==July 2018==

3 July 2018: the UK Government publishes an [[LGBT Action Plan]].

1 July 2018: Same-sex marriages become legal in [[Jersey]].
==June 2018==

30 June 2018: During the month, this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 27 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).
==May 2018==

2 May 2018: pages on this Wiki have been viewed fourteen million times.

==February 2018==

23 February 2018: pages on this Wiki have been viewed thirteen million times.

10 February 2018: this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 26 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

==November 2017==
18 November 2017: the [[Gay Times Honours]] event is held.

==September 2017==
27 September 2017: pages on this Wiki have been viewed twelve million times.

==August 2017==
1 August 2017: The [[Scottish Episcopal Church]] is the first Anglican province in the UK to celebrate a same-sex marriage.

==June 2017==

8 June 2017: [[2017 general election|general election]] - a record number of LGBT candidates elected.

==April 2017==
9 April 2017: this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 25 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

==February 2017==
18 February 2017: this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 24 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

9 February 2017: pages on this wiki have now been viewed ten million times.

==January 2017==
31 January 2017: [[Turing's Law]] comes into force.

==December 2016==
25 December 2016: Death of [[George Michael]].

19 December 2016: Death of Rabbi [[Lionel Blue]].

==October 2016==
10 October 2016: [[Islington]] Council announces that it is setting up a new LGBT archive, probably housed in Islington Museum.

==September 2016==
20 September 2016: this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 22 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

17 September 2016: trans woman [[Chloe Allen]] is reported as the first female infantry soldier to serve in the British Army.

==July 2016==
29 July 2016: this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 20 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

13 July 2016: [[David Cameron]] resigns as Prime Minister, being succeeded by [[Theresa May]].

==June 2016==
23 June 2016: the UK votes in a referendum to leave the [[European Union]].

12 June 2016: over 100 people are killed or injured in the [[Orlando nightclub shootings]].

8 June 2016: this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 20 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

==May 2016==
31 May 2016: this Project received its [[Oriel College, Oxford|4000th article]].

26 May 2016: this Project received its eight millionth page view.

==March 2016==
15 March 2016: this Project received its seven millionth page view.

14 March 2016: death of [[Sir Peter Maxwell Davies]]

==January 2016==

10 January 2016: death of [[David Bowie]].

==December 2015==

31 December 2015: this Project received its six millionth page view.

5 December 2015: [[London Metropolitan Archives]] LGBT Conference: this Project was officially renamed the '''UK LGBT Archive'''.

==November 2015==

26 November 2015: Pre-launch for [[LGBT History Month]] 2016 at Queens' College, [[Cambridge]].

==September 2015==
19 September 2015: Death of art critic [[Brian Sewell]].

==August 2015==
31 August 2015: Death of [[Lord Montagu of Beaulieu]]

16 August 2015: Pages on this site have now been visited over five million times.

15 August 2015. The first [[Pinc List]] was announced, listing prominent LGBT people from [[Wales]].

==June 2015==
12 June 2015: [[Sir Simon Hughes]] receives a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

==May 2015==
23 May 2015: the results are declared in a referendum in the [[Irish Republic]]: over 60 per cent of voters supported a referendum to introduce [[same-sex marriage]].

22 May 2015: this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 16 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

7 May 2015: [[2015 general election|General election]]: [[Simon Hughes]], [[David Laws]], [[Steve Gilbert]] and [[Lynne Featherstone]] (all Liberal Democrat) and [[Eric Ollerenshaw]] (Conservative) lose their seats, but at least eight new LGBT MPs are elected: [[Peter Kyle]], [[Cat Smith]], [[Gerald Jones]] and [[Wes Streeting]] (all Labour), [[Ben Howlett]] (Conservative), and [[Mhairi Black]], [[Stewart McDonald]] and [[John Nicolson]] (all SNP).

==April 2015==
12 April 2015: The [[Black Cap]] in Camden Town closes down suddenly, despite having been declared an [[Asset of Community Value]].

==March 2015==
17 March 2015: This Wiki has now had over four million page views.

==February 2015==

13 February 2015: Professor Charles Upchurch delivers the first [[Allan Horsfall Lecture]] at the start of the [[First National Festival of LGBT History]].

==January 2015==
27 January 2015: this Wiki achieves a Wikifactor of 15 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

==December 2014==
31 December 2014: by the end of the year this Wiki had achieved a Wikifactor of 14 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

14 December 2014: the [[Marriage_Equality_(Scotland)#Marriage_and_Civil_Partnerships_Act_.28Scotland.29_2014|Marriage and Civil Partnerships Act (Scotland)]] comes into force.

10 December 2014: the [[Marriage of Same Sex Couples (Conversion of Civil Partnership) Regulations 2014]] come into force, allowing couples in England and Wales to convert their civil partnership to a marriage.

==November 2014==
18 November 2014: the [[LGBT History Month]] Pre-launch for 2015 was held at the Museum of St John, [[Clerkenwell]].

==October 2014==
26 October 2014: this Wiki has passed three significant milestones: we've achieved 3 million page views, 30,000 edits, and a Wikifactor of 11 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for an explanation).

7 October 2014: [[CHE 50th anniversary|CHE's 50th anniversary]] is recognised by the Lord Mayor and the Bishop in Manchester with a plaque unveiling, and [[CHE]] wins the Alan Turing Memorial Award at the [[Homo Heroes Awards]]

==August 2014==

8 August 2014: [[Michael Cashman]] appointed a life peer.

2 August 2014: [[Tom Daley]] wins a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

==July 2014==

26 July 2014: [[Trans Pride 2014]] in [[Brighton]] includes the country's first ever Trans March.

13 July 2014: [[Jersey]]'s first Pride rally protests against the deferment of legislation that would have introduced same-sex marriage.

==June 2014==

26 June 2014: we've now passed 2.5 million page views.

6 June 2014: this Wiki achieves a WikiFactor of 10 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for explanation).

==May 2014==
22 May 2014: Results declared for the [[European Parliament#2014 election|European Parliament election]], including two new LGBT MEPs (that we know of), one defeated, and one standing down.

17 May 2014: [[IDAHO]] (International Day Against Homophobia) is celebrated in various parts of the UK, including the [[One Love (Croydon)|One Love]] event in [[Croydon]] town centre.

10 May 2014: [[Tracey Byrne]] is announced as the new Chief Executive of the [[Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement]].

9 May 2014: this Wiki achieves a WikiFactor of 9 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for explanation).

==April 2014==
18 April 2014: our [[Arthur C Clarke|3000th article]].

==March 2014==

29 March 2014: the first same-sex marriages take place in England and Wales: see [[Marriage equality]]; and pages on this Wiki have now been viewed two million times.

25 March 2014: we have now achieved a WikiFactor of 8 (see [[[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for explanation).

13 March 2014: the [[Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013]] comes into force, and the [[Marriage and Civil Partnerships Act (Scotland) 2014]] receives the royal assent.

==February 2014==

11 February 2014: we have now achieved a WikiFactor of 7 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]]]] for explanation).

4 February 2014: [[Marriage and Civil Partnerships Bill (Scotland)]] passed by the Scottish Parliament.

==January 2014==
24 January 2014: the government launched a [[Marriage equality#Consultation on future of civil partnerships|consultation on the future of civil partnerships]].

2 January 2014: this wiki passed 1.5 million page views.

==December 2013==
30 December 2013: This wiki's [[LGBT Archive:Community portal‎#Geographical coverage|geographical coverage]] now complete, with an article for every local government district.

24 December 2013: [[Alan Turing]] receives a posthumous royal pardon.

14 December 2013: Our [[Ballycastle|2,500th article]]; the Wiki now also has over 1,000 illustrations.

10 December 2013: the Government [[Marriage equality#Date for first weddings announced|announces the timetable]] for the first same-sex marriages in England and Wales.

7 December 2013: This project [[LGBT Archive:LMA Conference December 2013‎|had a stall]], jointly with [[CHE]], at the [[London Metropolitan Archives]] LGBT Conference.

2 December 2013: Olympic diver [[Tom Daley]] reveals that he is in a relationship with a man.

==November 2013==

28 November 2013: This project [[LGBT Archive:Pre-launch 2013|had a stall]], jointly with [[CHE]], at the pre-launch for [[LGBT History Month]] 2014.

27 November 2013: The Supreme Court dismisses an appeal by guesthouse owners who had refused to give [[Steven Preddy and Martyn Hall]] a double room.

20 November 2013: The [[Marriage and Civil Partnerships Bill (Scotland)]] passes Stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament.

==October 2013==

30 October 2013: This Wiki was upgraded to Version 1.21.2 of the MediaWiki software.

13 October 2013: The ''Independent on Sunday'' published the [[Pink List 2013]].

7 October 2013: it was announced that the [[Gay Games]] in 2018 would go to Paris, putting an end to the hopes of the [[London 2018]] supporters.

==September 2013==

21 September 2013: We've added a [[Timeline of UK LGBT Music]] in honour of music being the theme for next February's [[LGBT History Month]].

==August 2013==

7 August 2013: [[Edward Carpenter Community|Our 2000th article]].

==July 2013==

17 July 2013: this Wiki received its [[LGBT_Archive:Community_portal#Statistics|millionth page view]].

17 July 2013: [[Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013]] receives royal assent and becomes law.

15 July 2013: [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill]] given an unopposed third reading in the House of Lords.

5 July 2013: Our [[Tom Robinson|1800th article]].

==June 2013==

27 June 2013: [[Marriage Equality (Scotland)|same-sex marriage]] bill published by the Scottish Government.

22 June 2013: [[Dyke March]] held in London.

11 June 2013: our [[LGBT Free Media Collective‎|1700th article]]; we have now also achieved a WikiFactor of 6 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for explanation).

4 June 2013: the [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill]] passes second reading in the House of Lords; [[London 2018]] announces that London has been shortlisted for the 2018 Gay Games.

==May 2013==

28 May 2013: the Scottish Government announces plans for [[Marriage Equality (Scotland)|equal marriage]] legislation.

25 May 2013: our new article [[List of Prides]] lists all known Pride festivals (past and present) in the UK.

21 May 2013: the [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill]] passes all its stages in the House of Commons.

==April 2013==

29 April 2013: the Northern Ireland Assembly rejects a bill introducing [[Marriage equality#Northern Ireland|equal marriage]].

27 April 2013: our [[Conor_Burns|1600th article]]

3 April 2013: our [[Bristol Bisons RFC|1500th article]].

2 April 2013: this Wiki has achieved a Wikifactor of 5 (see [[LGBT Archive:Community_portal#Statistics]] for explanation).

==March 2013==
26 March 2013: our [[Lichfield|1400th article]].

23 March 2013: [[Exeter Pride]].

19 March 2013: apparent suicide of trans woman [[Lucy Meadows]] following press intrusion.

==February 2013==
25 Feb 2013: Cardinal [[Keith O'Brien]], leader of the Roman Catholics in Scotland, resigns following accusataions of "inappropriate acts".

16 Feb 2013: this project [[LGBT Archive:LMA Conference 2012|‎had a stall]] (jointly with [[CHE]]) at a London conference organised by the [[London Metropolitan Archives]].

6 Feb 2013: [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill]] receives its second reading in the House of Commons.

==November 2012==

29 Nov 2012: [[Steve Reed]] is elected MP for [[Croydon]] North in a by-election.

24 Nov 2012: our [[Constans|1200th article]].

[[File:CHE and History Project display.jpg|thumb|The CHE / History Project display at Bletchley Park]]15 Nov 2012: The pre-launch for [[LGBT History Month]] 2013 was held at Bletchley Park in honour of Alan Turing. [[CHE]] had a stall there, one panel of which was devoted to the LGBT History Project.

11 Nov 2012: the entry for this Wiki was published on the [[UK Web Archive]].

9 Nov 2012: It was announced that [[Justin Welby]] will succeed [[Rowan Williams]] as [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. He is said to be opposed to equal marriage.

4 Nov 2012: The ''Independent on Sunday'' published its [[Pink List 2012]].

3 Nov 2012: Leaflets about this Wiki were handed out at the [[LGBT Consortium]]'s annual conference in [[Birmingham]].

==October 2012==

29 Oct 2012: This Wiki was added to [[WikiIndex]].

22 Oct 2012: a snapshot of this Wiki was archived at the [[UK Web Archive]].

20 Oct 2012: Leaflets promoting this Wiki were on display at the event in [[Manchester]] to commemorate the late [[Allan Horsfall]], founder of [[CHE]].

==September 2012==

25 Sep 2012: The [[Edinburgh|thousandth article]] was added to this Wiki.

[[Category:LGBT Archive]]

==June 2011==

24 June 2011: [[Jonathan Harbourne]] created the first page on this site.

==References==
<references>

LGBT History Project:Current events

2025-12-03T14:52:49Z

Wessexman: /* December 2025 */ added reference