Do you wish Christmas was banned? Join the Puritan Club - the party-pooper kings. Though their intentions may have been sound their enthusiasm went against them. Under the Puritanical Oliver Cromwell, Christmas (including parties, games and mince pies) was illegal. In fact, anything that smacked of something the Catholics and Royalists supported was opposed by Cromwell.
The name Cromwell has appeared before in this blog: Oliver was greatnephew of Thomas. One Cromwell outlaws gay sex and the other outlaws Christmas - the family doesn't appeal to me very much!
Oliver Cromwell took a political road to enforce his Puritanism, but originally the Puritans wanted to worship simply without persecution. The Anglicans said they should worship the Anglican way or go to jail. Even death threats were made. The Catholics had been through all of this before, but this time the Puritans had an escape route - America.
Nottinghamshire is proud to be the home of the Pilgrim Fathers. These Bassetlaw Puritans worshipped in private and decided to found a new community in America. So, in 1620 they set sail with their followers on the Mayflower. Hundreds joined them over the next decades.
They took their Puritan beliefs with them. And the statute of 1534 which criminalised "active" gay sex. Plymouth colony introduced its own sodomy laws with the death penalty. In 1634 John Allexander and Thomas Roberts were found guilty of "lewd behaviour ... and spending their seed upon another". Because no penetration was proved they escaped hanging and were whipped. And in 1642 Elizabeth Johnson was found guilty of "unseemly behaviour" with a maid.
As the American colonies developed into the United States, same-sex activity became less of an issue so that, eventually, gay communities developed in places like San Francisco long before anywhere else in the world.
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Advent 2
There was a piece in the papers last week about the tradition of appointing a "boy-bishop", when a chorister was chosen to act as mock bishop at Christmas. It was very popular in medieval times. The boy-bishop conducted services and was treated like his adult counterpart even by the highest in the land.
This included the butch queen King Edward II, who received the boy-bishop of St. Mary's church, Nottingham, in 1316 while he spent his usual Christmas at the Castle.King Edward liked Nottingham. He appointed his equally butch boyfriend Piers Gaveston as its Constable, and held (usually all-male) parties throughout Christmas, from which even his wife was excluded.
Another bishoply connection with St. Mary's comes in the person of Dr. David Hope. He is famous as being the Archbishop of York who described his sexuality as a "grey area". He studied at Nottingham University in the 1960s and would have been familiar with St. Mary's.Dr. Hope's coat of arms shows his personal devotion to St. Mary (of course a central figure at Christmas) in the form of a fleur-de-lys and the colour blue - St. Mary's emblems. The design includes other clues to his life and career. The yellow part represents a church roof and also signifies his father's occupation of a builder. The pattern of tiles is called "papillony" and is meant to look like scales on a butterfly wing. Which is rather interesting. In France and Spain the slang name for a gay man is "butterfly" ("papillon" and "mariposa" respectively). So is Dr. Hope secretly revealing more about his sexuality than his words have done?
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage, click on http://www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk/
Friday, 5 December 2008
Advent 1
It's that time of year again, when people get sick of Christmas decorations and tired old festive songs, and wish Christmas was over - and it's not even begun! This is the first week of Advent when, traditionally, Christians start preparing for Christmas. Very few people bother to find out about proper traditions nowadays. For instance, NO decorations or trees should go up before Christmas Eve - it's considered unlucky. You should NEVER put anything on the top of the tree until Christmas morning for the same reason. And no self-respecting Christian ever takes their decorations down BEFORE 2nd February, the last day of Christmas.
Various opinions float around about homophobia and the church, mainly based on hearsay or prejudice. Even though the church has said that homosexuality is immoral, an abomination or unnatural, no Christian church has officially said it’s a sin, so no-one can use this as a reason to be atheist!
In England the first law that specifically targeted homosexuality was in 1534. This was in order to give Henry VIII extra ammunition in his battle to close the monasteries, which have always had a legendary reputation as hot-beds of gay sex, whether true or not. Henry enlisted the help of two sons of Nottinghamshire to formulate and enforce the Act. First was Thomas Cromwell, the King's Secretary. Cromwell's grandfather came from a long-established family from (you guessed) Cromwell. Thomas drew up the Act. The other man was Thomas Cranmer, born in Aslocton, the Archishop of Canterbury. His support for King Henry and the Act gave the monasteries no hope of calling on him for help.
Most of today's homophobia has its roots in this Act. Before 1534 punishment for homosexual acts was predominantly aimed at the clergy. After 1534 it included everyone. From then on all society became more homophobic, building up to the teachings of the Puritans a century later - something I'll mention another time.
(A genealogical footnote is that Cranmer's brother is ancestor of Lord Byron and Cole Porter).
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
Various opinions float around about homophobia and the church, mainly based on hearsay or prejudice. Even though the church has said that homosexuality is immoral, an abomination or unnatural, no Christian church has officially said it’s a sin, so no-one can use this as a reason to be atheist!
In England the first law that specifically targeted homosexuality was in 1534. This was in order to give Henry VIII extra ammunition in his battle to close the monasteries, which have always had a legendary reputation as hot-beds of gay sex, whether true or not. Henry enlisted the help of two sons of Nottinghamshire to formulate and enforce the Act. First was Thomas Cromwell, the King's Secretary. Cromwell's grandfather came from a long-established family from (you guessed) Cromwell. Thomas drew up the Act. The other man was Thomas Cranmer, born in Aslocton, the Archishop of Canterbury. His support for King Henry and the Act gave the monasteries no hope of calling on him for help.
Most of today's homophobia has its roots in this Act. Before 1534 punishment for homosexual acts was predominantly aimed at the clergy. After 1534 it included everyone. From then on all society became more homophobic, building up to the teachings of the Puritans a century later - something I'll mention another time.
(A genealogical footnote is that Cranmer's brother is ancestor of Lord Byron and Cole Porter).
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Nottingham gives bigot the hero treatment
I think I'll start a campaign to erect a statue to one of Nottingham's industrialists whose wealth was built on the slave trade and made the city prosperous. Or a plaque at the local TUC offices to honour Mrs. Thatcher's extraordinary length of leadership. Or even a statue in the Market Square to a racist, homophobic, egotistical, foul-mouthed bigot who bullied his employees. Wait a minute - someone's already done that last one.Why anyone in a society claiming to value equality should honour someone well-known for doing the opposite in all aspects of his life is beyond justification.
I don't believe in coincidence. Justin Fashanu's footballing career (he's still the only out professional footballer in history) went downhill as soon as Brian Clough dug his evil claws into him. The Football Association is keen to kick out homophobia, but how can it if people put vile men like Clough up as heroes. I'm not interested in how he put some sporting team on top of some league. His methods of abuse and bullying do not justify it, any more the Olympic movement could put up a statue to one if its most successful Olympic hosts, Hitler.
Personal bigotries have no place at work.Recently the FA gave its support to “The Justin Campaign”, which specifically addresses homophobia in football. It's co-ordinated by James Bartholomew Hall, an artist and an amateur footballer. Information can be found at http://www.thejustincampaign.com/.
The fact that no gay professional footballer who supports the campaign has the guts to come out makes them and the FA hypocrites. I know from personal knowledge as a hotel Night Manager that there are top players, with show-WAGS, who sleep with men.And the fans are as much to blame. Just a few weeks ago thousands of yobs were chanting homophobic abuse from Nottingham terraces. The back page of a recent Pink Paper gives more examples.
Wake up football! The world has moved on since Clough's day, why don't you!
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage, click on http://www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk/
I don't believe in coincidence. Justin Fashanu's footballing career (he's still the only out professional footballer in history) went downhill as soon as Brian Clough dug his evil claws into him. The Football Association is keen to kick out homophobia, but how can it if people put vile men like Clough up as heroes. I'm not interested in how he put some sporting team on top of some league. His methods of abuse and bullying do not justify it, any more the Olympic movement could put up a statue to one if its most successful Olympic hosts, Hitler.
Personal bigotries have no place at work.Recently the FA gave its support to “The Justin Campaign”, which specifically addresses homophobia in football. It's co-ordinated by James Bartholomew Hall, an artist and an amateur footballer. Information can be found at http://www.thejustincampaign.com/.
The fact that no gay professional footballer who supports the campaign has the guts to come out makes them and the FA hypocrites. I know from personal knowledge as a hotel Night Manager that there are top players, with show-WAGS, who sleep with men.And the fans are as much to blame. Just a few weeks ago thousands of yobs were chanting homophobic abuse from Nottingham terraces. The back page of a recent Pink Paper gives more examples.
Wake up football! The world has moved on since Clough's day, why don't you!
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage, click on http://www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk/
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
11/11/11
Today is Armistice Day. I come from a family steeped in remembrance. Even in her last year, riddled with cancer, my mother put a cross and poppies on the graves of her father and uncle, both of whom served on the Somme. And although she never talked about it, my step-grandfather was lost on the hospital ship Britannic in 1916.
LGBT servicemen have always played their part in war. They also gave their lives to serve their country, fighting for the freedom that they, as gay men and women, couldn't have. The most potent example is Alan Turing, grandson of the vicar of Edwinstowe. His work helped to break the Nazi war codes during World War II, but his most significant contribution is the theory of computer science whereby the modern computer was created. Before this happened Turing was convicted of homosexual activity. It broke his spirit and he committed suicide by eating a poisoned apple (hence the logo of an apple with a bite out of it). Having fought to defeat the Nazis, Turing was destroyed by discrimination at home.
Nottinghamshire is proud to be the site of the UK's only memorial to gay victims of the Holocaust, but it also serves to remind us all that violence, and even the death penalty, still hangs over some of the LGBT community around the world today. It took a long time for our particular rights to freedom to arrive.
Many stories of gay soldiers have been lost or unrecorded. I've heard stories about my grandfather and how he left the Somme with permanent disabilities, and a life-long friendship with the man the family always call Uncle Bill - Bill Hayes. Although never mentioned by my family, Bill was gay. He was a well-known entertainer in Bassetlaw - a comedian, dancer, singer, puppeteer, magician and panto dame. He chose to work in an engineering works during World War II, helping to build Bailey Bridges (those of my generation an older will know what these are; Bailey was friend of my Grandma Selby). Bill often took acting jobs, regular panto in Birmingham, and got my whole family involved in fund-raising concerts in the village in which he chose to live with my grandfather. It is very difficult finding out more of Bill's war time experiences because he hardly spoke of it to the family.
Memories of LGBT servicemen are getting rarer as time passes. It took over 80 years after World War I for the Ministry of Defence to recognise that LGBT servicemen are not a threat to the moral of those serving with them. Only within the last 5 years has a wreath been allowed to be placed at the Cenotaph ceremony to commemorate the LGBT victims. In a way it is those who survived who had to continue fighting for their freedom when everyone else had stopped.
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
LGBT servicemen have always played their part in war. They also gave their lives to serve their country, fighting for the freedom that they, as gay men and women, couldn't have. The most potent example is Alan Turing, grandson of the vicar of Edwinstowe. His work helped to break the Nazi war codes during World War II, but his most significant contribution is the theory of computer science whereby the modern computer was created. Before this happened Turing was convicted of homosexual activity. It broke his spirit and he committed suicide by eating a poisoned apple (hence the logo of an apple with a bite out of it). Having fought to defeat the Nazis, Turing was destroyed by discrimination at home.
Nottinghamshire is proud to be the site of the UK's only memorial to gay victims of the Holocaust, but it also serves to remind us all that violence, and even the death penalty, still hangs over some of the LGBT community around the world today. It took a long time for our particular rights to freedom to arrive.
Many stories of gay soldiers have been lost or unrecorded. I've heard stories about my grandfather and how he left the Somme with permanent disabilities, and a life-long friendship with the man the family always call Uncle Bill - Bill Hayes. Although never mentioned by my family, Bill was gay. He was a well-known entertainer in Bassetlaw - a comedian, dancer, singer, puppeteer, magician and panto dame. He chose to work in an engineering works during World War II, helping to build Bailey Bridges (those of my generation an older will know what these are; Bailey was friend of my Grandma Selby). Bill often took acting jobs, regular panto in Birmingham, and got my whole family involved in fund-raising concerts in the village in which he chose to live with my grandfather. It is very difficult finding out more of Bill's war time experiences because he hardly spoke of it to the family.
Memories of LGBT servicemen are getting rarer as time passes. It took over 80 years after World War I for the Ministry of Defence to recognise that LGBT servicemen are not a threat to the moral of those serving with them. Only within the last 5 years has a wreath been allowed to be placed at the Cenotaph ceremony to commemorate the LGBT victims. In a way it is those who survived who had to continue fighting for their freedom when everyone else had stopped.
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
In Loving Memory - A Personal Reflection
This week I was saddened by the death of one of the last real gentle men of this world, Jeremy Farrell. I had the honour of working with him at the Costume Museum in Nottingham in 2005. Jeremy was the Keeper of the Costume and Textile Collection and his knowledge of the subject was remarkable. Sometimes I felt like a captive audience, being perhaps the only person in days to whom he had the chance to talk about the collection. I was regaled with stories of items in storage as we repacked them into new boxes. Too many stories to remember them all clearly.
Several days a week Jeremy's partner David would do volunteer work and his knowledge is equally comprehensive. My thoughts are with David at this time as I know how devastated he will be by the loss of Jeremy.
When I was told a month ago that Jeremy had cancer I was shocked. Hearing of his death so soon afterwards came as a real blow. All of my former colleagues at Nottingham Castle, who had all worked with Jeremy at the Costume Museum, held him in high regard, and rightly so. This regard was never apparent amongst the management, however. Several years ago he was put on disciplinary charge for defending the council in the Evening Post without asking for their permission to do so. One friend who is still at the Castle asked the manager this week for Jeremy's address so he could send a letter, to be told (probably with that leering smirk he always reserved when talking to or about gay employees) "No, he's dead" - very tactful, I don't think.
With Nottingham's major role in the textile industry and development of the city's economy, and as a world-renowned manufacturer of lace, it’s impossible to think of the city without a costume museum. Yet, for the last few years Jeremy was forced to work, often alone, in a locked building devoid of regular staff, devoid of visitors, surrounded by thousands of items still in their display cases. The reason? The city council couldn't be bothered to put up enough cash to convert the building to comply with disability access legislation. Jeremy prepared the collection for its promised removal into a new building - a promise the council NEVER showed any sign of honouring. Instead they wasted millions on a contemporary art eye-sore in the area synonymous with Nottingham's textile industry, the Lace Market. What a stab in the back that would have seemed to Jeremy.
Without Jeremy Farrell Nottingham has NO authoritative expert on the subject. All his knowledge and experience was largely wasted. As is the collection he has looked after for many years.
Cancer is a horrible illness. I've lost the 3 most important people in my life to the disease (both parents and partner) and Jeremy's death has made me realise that some people don't get proper recognition in their lifetime. I want do to something to help keep Jeremy's name alive. I've thought of nominating him for a Certificate of Recognition which the NRH awards in February. Then I thought of a gallery at the castle called "Circle of Life". Most of the exhibits come from the costume collection and was perhaps Jeremy's last big project. What would be more appropriate than to rename it the Jeremy Farrell Gallery and keep it as a costume exhibition area. I'm sure my former colleagues at the Castle with support me. The question is - will the city council agree to rename the gallery in his honour?
I hope to write a proper short biography of Jeremy for another part of the website. In the meantime I'll be writing to various people about my idea, and I hope you will support me.
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
Several days a week Jeremy's partner David would do volunteer work and his knowledge is equally comprehensive. My thoughts are with David at this time as I know how devastated he will be by the loss of Jeremy.
When I was told a month ago that Jeremy had cancer I was shocked. Hearing of his death so soon afterwards came as a real blow. All of my former colleagues at Nottingham Castle, who had all worked with Jeremy at the Costume Museum, held him in high regard, and rightly so. This regard was never apparent amongst the management, however. Several years ago he was put on disciplinary charge for defending the council in the Evening Post without asking for their permission to do so. One friend who is still at the Castle asked the manager this week for Jeremy's address so he could send a letter, to be told (probably with that leering smirk he always reserved when talking to or about gay employees) "No, he's dead" - very tactful, I don't think.
With Nottingham's major role in the textile industry and development of the city's economy, and as a world-renowned manufacturer of lace, it’s impossible to think of the city without a costume museum. Yet, for the last few years Jeremy was forced to work, often alone, in a locked building devoid of regular staff, devoid of visitors, surrounded by thousands of items still in their display cases. The reason? The city council couldn't be bothered to put up enough cash to convert the building to comply with disability access legislation. Jeremy prepared the collection for its promised removal into a new building - a promise the council NEVER showed any sign of honouring. Instead they wasted millions on a contemporary art eye-sore in the area synonymous with Nottingham's textile industry, the Lace Market. What a stab in the back that would have seemed to Jeremy.
Without Jeremy Farrell Nottingham has NO authoritative expert on the subject. All his knowledge and experience was largely wasted. As is the collection he has looked after for many years.
Cancer is a horrible illness. I've lost the 3 most important people in my life to the disease (both parents and partner) and Jeremy's death has made me realise that some people don't get proper recognition in their lifetime. I want do to something to help keep Jeremy's name alive. I've thought of nominating him for a Certificate of Recognition which the NRH awards in February. Then I thought of a gallery at the castle called "Circle of Life". Most of the exhibits come from the costume collection and was perhaps Jeremy's last big project. What would be more appropriate than to rename it the Jeremy Farrell Gallery and keep it as a costume exhibition area. I'm sure my former colleagues at the Castle with support me. The question is - will the city council agree to rename the gallery in his honour?
I hope to write a proper short biography of Jeremy for another part of the website. In the meantime I'll be writing to various people about my idea, and I hope you will support me.
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
Monday, 3 November 2008
What's inside?
Last time I mentioned my friend Mark. Recently I got back in touch with another friend, Kats, who went back home to Japan 18 months ago. He asked if Nottingham had changed much. Of course he'd not recognise the Market Square, with its burst water pipe and mortuary slab feature supplied by water from the old public toilets (I wonder if parents remember this when their kids jump around in it - its like having a bath in your toilet at home!).
Then I thought of the LGBT venues Kats used to visit and how any of them had changed. He wouldn't have seen Niche at all - he never will now, with the manager doing a runner (I always had suspicions about Niche, as last year's Pride committee will know). So how best could I describe the interior of Niche to Kats?
How many times have you seen people taking photographs of their friends in the venues? Have you done the same? Its a lot easier these days, with mobiles and such, but in years to come how many will remember what Jacey's looked like, or the Flying Horse (the infamous Pansy’s Parlour)? Is there anything out there to show what they looked like inside? What about the old clubs (La Chic, Neros) or the old Admiral Duncan. And did anyone take a photo of the serpents on the bar in Gatsbys?
If you've got some good photos of the interior of venues, clubs and bars, then why not donate a copy to our project – or let us scan them if you want them back?
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on
www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
Then I thought of the LGBT venues Kats used to visit and how any of them had changed. He wouldn't have seen Niche at all - he never will now, with the manager doing a runner (I always had suspicions about Niche, as last year's Pride committee will know). So how best could I describe the interior of Niche to Kats?
How many times have you seen people taking photographs of their friends in the venues? Have you done the same? Its a lot easier these days, with mobiles and such, but in years to come how many will remember what Jacey's looked like, or the Flying Horse (the infamous Pansy’s Parlour)? Is there anything out there to show what they looked like inside? What about the old clubs (La Chic, Neros) or the old Admiral Duncan. And did anyone take a photo of the serpents on the bar in Gatsbys?
If you've got some good photos of the interior of venues, clubs and bars, then why not donate a copy to our project – or let us scan them if you want them back?
To return to Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage click on
www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk
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