Queer heritage and history is everywhere; since time immemorial, queer people have existed and formed a key part in society. In this blog, we have used Historic England’s fantastic “Pride of Place” [MK1] resource to highlight just a few places you can visit to learn more about the history of people representing the LGBTQ+ community across the British Isles.

Hadrian’s Wall (North of England)

Hadrian’s Wall is one of the most iconic historical landmarks found in England, with many people choosing to visit it and attempt to walk its entire length each year. But did you know that Emperor Hadrian was the first Roman Emperor to make it clear that he was homosexual?

Emperor Hadrian ruled Britain between 117 and 138 CE. In a unique move, he made a beautiful youth from Bithynia (modern-day Turkey) called Antonioüs his “official consort.” In this role, Antonioüs accompanied Hadrian on trips across his Empire. When Antonius died in the Nile in 130 CE, Hadrian was so distraught that he named a city in Egypt after him – Antinopolis. Hadrian also deified Antonioüs; sadly not much remains of this ancient city, but it is clear that its history is intrinsically linked to the queer experience in the Roman Empire.

Catterick, North Yorkshire

The earliest location that was identified to have connections to the LGBTQ+ community identified by Pride of Place is Cataractonium, which is present day Catterick in North Yorkshire. During a dig in the area, archaeologists uncovered the graves of a 4th century CE “gallus”. A gallus was an individual who was assigned male at birth, but who would become a priestess of the goddess Cybele by self-castrating, wearing feminine clothing and taking on the roles expected by society of a woman in order to demonstrate their commitment to the goddess.

The Cataractonium gallus was excavated with jet jewellery and other feminine accessories that suggested they held the status of a priestess. This find is a fascinating one, as the social and cultural role of a gallus sheds a light on the gender diversity that existed in Roman Britain.

Dolben Street, Southwark, and the Old Bailey (London)

As many of us will be aware, many of the major cities in the British Isles have a long and rich connection to the LGBTQ+ experience, and London is no exception.  While many of the stories we find about queer people can be incredibly positive and hope-filling, unfortunately this story is one that is all too familiar to the queer experience. Southwark and the Old Bailey are connected to one story, which occurred in 1835.

In August 1835, James Pratt and John Smith met at 45 George Street (now known as Dolben Street), which was a run-down lodging house at the time. They were seen having sex at this property and reported to the authorities. They were arrested on charges of sodomy; in the digitised transcripts[MK2]  of their trial at the Central Criminal Court refer to the two individuals as committing an offence that was ‘against the order of nature.’ These trial documents make incredibly difficult reading and emphasise the prejudices from this time. Both men were found guilty, and sentenced to death; John Smith was 40, and James Pratt was 30.

The two men were committed to Newgate Prison to await their executions. Supporters, including the men’s wives, petitioned the Home Office for clemency and the Privy Council heard their case. There were seventeen individuals who had been sentenced to death at the September and October sessions of the Central Criminal Court for offences ranging from burglary to attempted murder; all had their death sentences commuted, except from James Pratt and John Smith.

The story was such a well-known one at the time, that Charles Dickens even wrote about it. Dickens had visited the Newgate press room, where he saw the two men awaiting their executions. In his notes, he wrote:

‘[Pratt and Smith] had nothing to expect from the mercy of the crown; their doom was sealed; no plea could be urged in extenuation of their crime, and they well knew that for them there was no home in this world. “The two short ones,” the turnkey whispered, “were dead men.”’

James Pratt and John Smith were executed outside of Newgate prison on the morning of 27th November 1835. They were the last men to be executed for the crime of sodomy in England; sodomy remained a capital offence until 1861, when the maximum sentence was reduced to life imprisonment. Newgate Prison was demolished in 1904, and is today the location of the Old Bailey.

Onllwyn (Glamorgan)

Filming locations are a fascinating example of how the public learn about history. Onllwyn is a small village in Neath Port Talbot, and was used as the setting for the 2014 award-winning film Pride. The film chronicles the true story of a group of lesbian and gay activists who raised money to help families affected by the British miners’ strike in 1984; this film is well worth a watch for those interested in both LGBTQ+ history and the history of the miners’ strike.

At the 1985 Gay Pride Parade in London, hundreds of Welsh miners, led by the National Union of Mineworkers, arrived at the event to show their solidarity. The miners, along with the activists, led the Gay Pride Parade that year. A year later, in 1986, the Labour Party incorporated rights for individuals who identified as gay and lesbian into their party programme; this change was due entirely to the pressure placed upon them by the National Union of Mineworkers.

Lambeth Palace (London)

One Victorian woman who wrote of her joy in her sexual friendships with women was Mary Benson (sometimes known affectionately as “Ben”), who was the wife of the Archbishop of Canterbury and mother of his five children. In 1878, she wrote in her diary to express both her guilt and joy in her sexual friendships with women, stating:

‘Once more and with shame O Lord, grant that all carnal affections may die in me, and that all things belonging to the spirit may live and grow in me.”

One of “Ben’s” most significant relationships was with Lucy Tait, who was the daughter of the previous Archbishop. Their relationship was so significant that Lucy moved into Lambeth Palace and shared a bed with “Ben.”

All of the Benson children appear to have preferred same-sex relationships, and none of them married. Mary’s son EF Benson was a popular author of the early 20th century, with his “Mapp and Lucia” books satirising his neighbours in the town of Rye, Sussex. Benson lived in Lamb House in Rye, which had earlier been occupied by the novelist Henry James, who was a figure in the pantheon of gay and lesbian writers during this period.

As mentioned at the start of this blog, these are just a few of the places you could visit to learn more about LGBTQ+ history. Where else would you recommend to visit? We’d love to hear from you!

 [MK1]https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/lgbtq-heritage-project/

 [MK2]http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1835prat.htm

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the British Association for Local History (BALH). Any content provided by our contributors is of their own opinion and is not intended to malign any individual, group, organisation, or entity.