Southampton
Southampton is a city and unitary authority in southern England, and a major seaport. It was historically within Hampshire and is still grouped with Hampshire for ceremonial purposes.
LGBT History
The Beaumont Society held its first 'full meeting' in a Southampton Hotel in 1966 [1]. Southampton CHE Group was founded in October 1972 by David Porter [2] The group initially met at Porter's home, then in 1974 at the Anchor in East Street, Southampton. Gay News reported in Sept 1974 the opening of Southampton's first all gay club; Beau Brummel above the Ambassadors Club in St Mary Street [3]. An article in Gay News in 1974 claimed that there were 3,000 gays on the scene in Southampton [4]. The CHE Conference was held in Southampton in May 1976. On each day of the Conference a special broadsheet newspaper called 'Daily Gay' was published [5]. In October 1976 they held a very successful and well attended event at the Haymarket where Quentin Crisp spoke. In 1978 the group nearly folded [6]. The group moved to the Joiner's Arms. In 1979 Gay Solent was formed (Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth co-ordinating and producing a regular newsletter).
By 1977 Solent Gay Switchboard had been established in Southampton [7]. The telephone number in the 1980s was Southampton 37363 and phone lines were available three times a week.
In 1982 there was a gay disco on Sundays at Nightingales near the Bargate [8]. At that time a Gay Youth Group met in Southampton on Sunday afternoons [9]. In 1985 Southampton Council issued a pledge of equality which included 'not to discriminate against gay men or lesbians who apply for jobs with the council' [10]. In 1988 two gay men took an industrial tribunal case after the Victory Inn, Southampton, turned them down for a job without an interview [11].
The Edge claims to be Southampton's only gay nightclub, operating since 1995.[12]
Solent Pride events were held in 1992, 1993 and 1994. Events were spread over two weeks [13].In 2012 there was a campaign to hold a Southampton Pride[14]. Pride was held in Southampton 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Basement Boys is a group for trans men in and around Southampton.[15]
References
<references>
- ↑ Beaumont Society website https://www.beaumontsociety.org.uk/ accessed 24.02.2019
- ↑ Gay Solent. Newsletters of the Gay Groups of Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth. Held in the LSE Hall Carpenter Archives Ref HCA/CHE/7/55. Issue 41 Sept 1982 has an article by Phil King 'Ten Years of Southampton CHE'
- ↑ Gay News no 55 Sept 1974
- ↑ Gay News 5 Dec 1974
- ↑ Copies in the LSE Hall Carpenter Archives HCA/CHE8/29
- ↑ A vote of 7 votes to 5 votes at a CHE meeting in April 1978 saved the group (Winchester Gay Group Newsletter Apr 1978)
- ↑ Winchester Gay Group newsletter no 11 Sept 1977 reports that the Switchboard is open Wed evenings on Southampton 32724 and that they average about 5 calls each Wednesday evening
- ↑ Gay Solent Newsletter no 43 Nov 1982
- ↑ Gay Solent Newsletter no 44 Dec 1982,and 'Gay Youth' No 1 page 3 (June 1981) which states 'In Southampton the gay youth group emerged at the same time as the gay soc collapsed'.
- ↑ Gay Times April 1985 page 14
- ↑ The Pink Paper 14 Jul 1988
- ↑ http://www.theedgesouthampton.com/
- ↑ Copies of the itineraries and other documents relating to Solent Pride (in Southampton) are held at the London School of Economics Hall-Carpenter Archives
- ↑ http://www.wessexscene.co.uk/news/2012/09/05/campaign-started-for-a-southampton-pride-event/
- ↑ http://gires.org.uk/tranzwiki/index.php/Basement_Boys