Thread by @nationaltrust

LGBTQ+ heritage is an important part of the history of the nation. It also plays a vital role in unlocking the histories of some of the places in our care.

Here's a thread on some of those stories 🧵 (1/15)

#Pride2023

Henry Cyril Paget

Known as 'the dancing Marquess,' Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey, was considered the 'black sheep' of the family owing to his eccentric behaviour and love of performance and costume.

(2/15)

Virginia Woolf

The author Virginia Woolf was a leading light of the Bloomsbury movement in the early 20th century. Her life was shaped by her unconventional approach to gender and sexuality.

(3/15)

Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson

Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, who bought and renovated Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, enjoyed an open marriage and both had numerous same-sex extramarital relationships.

(4/15)

William John Bankes

Kingston Lacy in Dorset was profoundly shaped by William Bankes, who fled England in 1841 to avoid prosecution for same-sex acts. Although forced to leave the home he loved, he continued to send back works of art and treasures.

(5/15)

Edith Craig, Christopher St John and Tony Atwood

Edith was a prominent producer, writer and actor. Along with Christopher and Tony, the three women found refuge in Smallhythe Place in Kent to express their art, gender and sexuality, living together in a ménage à trois.

(6/15)

TE Lawrence

After his military career, TE Lawrence (also known as Lawrence of Arabia) retreated to Clouds Hill in Dorset. There’s been much debate about his sexuality, largely prompted by his book The Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926)...

(7/15)

...in which he wrote about homosexual encounters among soldiers during the Arab revolt of 1916–18. He remains an important figure for many in the LGBTQ+ community.

(8/15)

Oliver Messel

Oliver Messel was one of the foremost stage designers of the 20th century. He grew up at his family home of Nymans in West Sussex, surrounded by art and culture. ...

(9/15)

...For 24 years, Oliver was in a same-sex relationship with Vagn Riis-Hansen, who supported him through some of his happiest and most creative years.

(10/15)

Simeon Solomon

Wightwick Manor in Wolverhampton has 10 paintings by Pre-Raphaelite artist Simeon Solomon, who was hailed a genius in his lifetime. In 1873, he was arrested and fined after an attempted liaison with another man...

(11/15)

...followed by a second arrest and three months in prison a year later. Sadly, his career never recovered and he passed away in the workhouse in 1905.

(12/15)

Rex Whistler

The famous murals painted by Rex Whistler can be seen in several country houses in our care, including Plas Newydd in Wales and Mottisfont in Hampshire. He was at the centre of a prominent group of artists, many of whom were gay.

(13/15)

Most of his friends and contemporaries assumed Whistler was homosexual, and he certainly had romantic involvements with both men and women.

(14/15)

To learn more about LGBTQ+ history at opur places, and why it matters, visit our website: bit.ly/3E9gcbY

(15/15)

#PrideMonth