Introduction

Researching lesbian and gay history is difficult because for the most part gay people have kept their sexuality a secret for fear of recrimination. The memories of ordinary people are a good source of information, when used with a degree of caution to allow for the tricks time can play. For times earlier than living memory can recall, the most readily available records are the reports of court proceedings in local newspapers. Although making for a depressing read, they do confirm that people we would now recognise as homosexual have been alive and kicking in Brighton for centuries.

Next: Improper characters, the 1800s

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