LGBT+ History Month display at Surrey History Centre

Surrey has a rich and important LGBTQ+ history and the collections at Surrey History Centre reveal stories from 18th century punishment to 21st century Pride. Come and discover more with a free display celebrating stories from Surrey’s past and present.

The display will be available during normal opening hours in the foyer at Surrey History Centre from 1st to 29th February 2024. Booking is not required. If you haven’t visited the Surrey History Centre before it is in Woking and can be found at 130 Goldsworth Rd, Woking GU21 6ND. Opening times and how to find the Centre are here Surrey History Centre – Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk).

Stories featured include:

• Guildford Area Gay Society, Surrey’s earliest LGBTQ+ support group
• GIRES, Surrey’s pioneering trans research & education charity
• Roberta Cowell, the UK’s first trans woman, who lived and worked in Surrey
• Alan Turing, the codebreaker who lived in Guildford
• Gwen Lally, pageant master extraordinaire
• Dame Ethel Smyth, composer and suffragette
• Edward Carpenter, social and political reformer
• Gwen Farrer and Norah Blaney, music hall stars
• R. Ackerley and E.M. Forster writers
• Harry Daley, policeman and lover of E.M. Forster
• Edward Onslow, exiled from Clandon Park in 1781 for a gay affair