This talk – part of our LGBTQ History Month programming – discusses the ways in which same-sex intimacies and gender diversity have been layered into the buildings that are part of our national heritage.
Just in the past five years, queer heritage has become increasingly visible through the work of organisations such as Historic England and the National Trust. Particular buildings and places have had their LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer) histories rescued and highlighted as an important part of the story, not only of that place but also of our wider national heritage. Drawing on the queer heritage projects that Professor Oram has led or contributed to, this talk will focus on the materiality of places and buildings – their histories and use – to discuss how same-sex intimacies and gender diversity in the past have been layered into the sites and streets that we continue to inhabit and visit today. Buildings might be ‘queer’ if they create a tradition of queer architectural style, or because of their association with LGBTQ inhabitants or activities. How do floorplans, bedrooms and studies – and of course interior décor - reflect the queer desires of their designers and inhabitants? This lecture will mostly focus on places that are established historic sites, such as Smallhythe and Sissinghurst (Kent) and Plas Newydd (Llangollen). Others are less well-known, including the modernist St Ann’s Court, built for a wealthy male couple on the outskirts of London in the 1930s. How did queer people reshape and design their domestic buildings to suit their relationships and desires, so that their resonances can still be felt today?
Professor Alison Oram is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London and Professor Emerita at Leeds Beckett University. She led the team who delivered “Pride of Place: England’s LGBTQ Heritage” for Historic England in 2015-16 and co-wrote the guidebook Prejudice and Pride: Celebrating LGBTQ Heritage for the National Trust’s 2017 theme in 2017. https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/lgbtq-heritage-project/ Her most recent book on lesbian and queer history is Her Husband was a Woman! Women’s gender crossing in modern British popular culture (2007). She is currently completing a co-authored book (with Prof Matt Cook) and other publications for the AHRC-funded research project Queer Beyond London. http://queerbeyondlondon.com/
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