Timeline of UK LGBT History

Note: strictly speaking the year 2000 belongs to the 20th century, but for convenience it is treated here as belonging to the 21st (and similarly with other centuries).

2nd century

117 – Emperor Hadrian visits Britain.

6th century

c547 – Death of King Maelgwn of Gwynedd.

9th century

804 – Death of Alcuin.

12th century

1100 – Death of King William II.
1102 – Council of London condemns homosexuality.
1109 – Death of Saint Anselm
1125 – Hilarius writing around this time.
1167 – Death of Saint Aelred
1199 – Death of King Richard I

13th century

c.1290 – Publication of Fleta, first book to mention a punishment for homosexuality in English law.

14th century

1327 – Murder of King Edward II
1391 – Death of Sir John Clanvowe and Richard Neville
1395 – John Rykener arrested for cross-dressing

16th century

1533 – Buggery Act 1533 brings in the death penalty (hanging) for gay sex.

17th century

1625 – Death of King James I.
1625 – Death of Francis Bacon (philosopher).
1628 – Assassination of George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham
1631 – Mervyn Tuchet was beheaded for alleged sodomy with his page.
1664 – Death of Katherine Philips
1688 – "Glorious Revolution" brings William III to power.

18th century

1702 – William III dies, succeeded by Queen Anne.
1726 – Three men convicted of sodomy following cases brought by Thomas Newton.
1780 – The Ladies of Llangollen set up home together.

19th century

1810 – The White Swan, Vere Street raided.
1822 – Percy Jocelyn deposed as Bishop of Clogher for "Sodomitical practices".
1822 – Suicide of Lord Castlereagh.
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.
1883 – Publication of A problem in Greek ethics 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”.
1895 – Oscar Wilde convicted of gross indecency.
1895 – 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.

20th century

1900 – Death of Oscar Wilde.
1928 – Publication of lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall.
1954 – Lord Montagu of Beaulieu convicted of gay offences.
1957 – Wolfenden Report recommends decriminalisation of homosexuality.
1958 – Albany Trust and Homosexual Law Reform Society formed.
1962 – John Vassall arrested and charged with spying.
1967 – Sexual Offences Act 1967 partially decriminalises sex between men in England and Wales.
1967 – North Western Homosexual Law Reform Committee formed, later to be re-founded as CHE.
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.
1971 – CHE London Group Seven (later Croydon Area Gay Society) founded.
1971 – GLF Gay March: first London Gay March took place protesting against the unequal age of consent for men.
1972 – Allegro Music Group formed.
1972 – Gay News first published.
1972 – Gay Pride first march and carnival took place in London.
1974 – Lesbian & Gay Switchboard launched providing shared LGBT accommodation to Londoners.
1980 – Heaven, the first all-week gay nightclub, opens in London.
1980 – Scotland decriminalises male homosexuality.
1981 - London Bi Group forms, the first bi-specific social/support group.
1982 – Terrence Higgins Trust the HIV/AIDs charity formed.
1982 – Northern Ireland decriminalises male homosexuality.
1984 – Chris Smith MP Culture Secretary, becomes first MP to come out as being gay whilst in office. In 2005, he was the first politician to disclose he was HIV positive.
1988 – Section 28 passed.
1989 – Stonewall (UK) launched.
1989 – London Raiders LGBT Softball team begins.
1992 – Death of Francis Bacon (artist).
1992 – Gay Men Fighting AIDS founded (later GMFA and HERO).
1993 – Back Pocket Guide to London first published.
1995 – Adonis Art Gallery founded.
1995 – Launch of South London Gays.
1998 – LGBT Consortium founded.
1999 – Admiral Duncan pub bombed (30 April).

21st century

2000 – Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 repeals Section 28 in Scotland.
2000 – Military lifts ban on gay people serving.
2000 – Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 equalises the age of consent.
2001 – Croydon Friend closed.
2002 - First Cake Awards presented.
2003 – Section 28 repealed in England and Wales.
2003 – 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.
2005 – First Civil partnerships performed.
2009 – First Derek Oyston Film Award.
2010 – LGBT London website set up.
2011 – LGBT History Project website set up.
2011 – Diversity Role Models launched.
2011 – First Out Café London, closes after 25 years.

External links

Some other LGBT timelines: