Each week during lockdown, Archives+ have published an online memory box focusing on different areas in Manchester. This week, to tie in with the Alternative Manchester Pride Festival from the comfort of your home, we’re sharing some of our brilliant LGBTQ+ archives. Young people from The Proud Trust have helped us to select some of the content and have created some fantastic illustrations and questions for the conversation starter worksheets. Take a look and see if the photographs and images trigger any forgotten memories for you and your friends and families.
Below you will find a collection of photographs and images from our LGBTQ+ collection, alongside 6 worksheets. The worksheets are set around 6 themes: The Gay Village, Radical, Culture, Community, The Proud Trust, and Information. The worksheets included can be used as prompts to start up a conversation and we’re encouraging everyone taking part to share their findings with us.
Dig out your old photos too, these can also be a brilliant resource to trigger fond memories of happy times. We encourage you to share your findings on social media, either as comments on our Facebook page or on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #ArchivesPlusMemorybox
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If you are unable to share your photos and stories online, when the libraries are fully reopen bring copies of your memories into your local library. In the coming year we will produce an exhibition in your local library of selected submissions, shared both online and in person.
Please make sure that if you share any information with us that the person you have spoken to is happy for you to share it with Archives+.When sharing your findings try to avoid sharing too much personal information such as surnames and date of birth as these details can identify your loved ones.
Resources:
Unlocking Your Sound Archive have produced a blog about conducting oral history interviews with family members. The audio clips included in this online memory box have been kindly supplied by Unlocking Your Sound Archive.
Rochdale Canal, Canal Street 1901Sackville Gardens, Whitworth Street 1957 (Manchester College of Science and Technology – view of the new part of the College of Science and Technology)Rochdale Canal, Canal Street looking towards Princess Street 1960The Rembrandt, Sackville Street/Canal Street 1962
Canal Street, View towards Princess Street 1963Richmond Street off Princess Street 1963Union Hotel, Princess Street, corner with Canal Street 1970Rochdale Canal, Canal Street 1970sNapoleon’s Club, Bloom Street, South side to Sackville Street 1973Canal Street from Sackville Street 1973
Never Going Underground concert, Feb 1988. ‘No demonstration I have ever been on before, or since, compares to what was, I believe, the most significant and powerful expression of lesbian and gay solidarity Manchester has ever seen.’ (David)Never Going Underground Northwest, n.d. M775.5Lesbians take over Piccadilly Plaza, Feb 1988. Lesbians took over Piccadilly Plaza and had to be taken down by firefighters. Even when removed, they weren’t going quietly!
Out And Proud Special Chartered Train poster, 30 Apr 1988 (GB127.M775/5) Northwest Campaign for Lesbian & Gay EqualityAlbert Memorial, 20 Feb 1988. This attracted 20,000 people to the rally, filling Albert Square outside the Town Hall. In the evening the Free Trade Hall on Peter Street was called for a festival of entertainment for the demonstrators.Out on the Streets demo flyer, 15 Jul 2000 (GB127.M775/1/5)
Love Rights festival programme, 1989 (GB127.M775/5). Northwest Campaign for Lesbian & Gay EqualityThe Lavender Ball poster, 28 Aug 1999 (GB124.G.FFLAG)
Mardi Gras, Canal Street 1999 (GB127.M775/1/3/11)A selection of flyers for Gayfest 2001Manchester People Europride special page 1, Aug 2003 (GB127.M775/1/3/13)‘The Village Fete’ poster, Sackville Gardens and Canal Street, 27 May 2007 (GB127.M800/3/14/1/16)Candlelit Vigil, Sackville Gardens n.d. (M825.lgf 23 60270 1)
Manchester Parents Group calendar 2002 (GB124.G.FFLAG)
Manchester Gay Centre flyer, n.d. (GB127.M775)Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays n.d. (GB124.G.FFLAG)LIK:T Guide to Sex and Relationships, Young Lesbian and Bisexual Women’s Health Project, 2005 (GB127.MISC/1179)The Lesbian and Gay Foundation 2009 (LGF-community-052)GAY flyer, Educational Action Challenging Homophobia, n.d. (GB127.M775)
Aerial shot of people outside the LGBT+ Centre at Farewell Festival from 8th June 2019. Many people attended the Farewell Festival event and came together to share memories and look forward to the future. A young member said “This photo shows how much love and support the LGBT+ Centre gets”. Photo credit: Sally Ann NormanYoung people’s entry for Manchester Pride’s parade theme: ‘Deep Space Pride: A Future World of Equality’. Around 20 young people worked on this collaborative piece for their float the ‘Safe Space’ in the week leading up to pride. side of a large lorry that they marched behind in the parade. Colours Youth Festival 2019. An event for Young LGBT+ people of colour. Portrait youth project with Manchester Fashion Institute. A group of LGBT+ young people worked with photographer Heather Glazzard to create portraits about identity, each person was asked a bag containing clothes and accessories, objects or belongings that reflected their personal identity and identity within their city and/or community. Young people chose pride flags, t-shirts, mobility aids, crafts and badges to express their identities.Outside The Proud Trust/LGBT+ Centre temporary space at Manchester Science Park, young people gather for a photo together with flags and placards before walking to the start of Manchester Pride parade. 2019Still from rebuild time lapse, work begins on the new LGBT+ Centre, July 2020. This photo is an important part of the LGBT+ Centre’s journey
Section 28 – Guide for workers in the Education Service, 1988 (GB127.M775/1/5) In 1988, Section 28, a controversial amendment to the Local Government Act 1986, was enacted. It banned local authorities from promoting homosexuality. Manchester City Council carried out a major programme of briefings to make sure that staff knew that Section 28 didn’t stop them providing Council services to lesbian and gay residents. The Council also produced pamphlets for staff in the Education and Social Services Departments with the theme of what staff could still do despite Section 28. Section 28 caused real problems for real people in their workplaces and in schools.‘Sex Education: Playground or Classroom’ booklet, c.1989 (GB127.M775/2). A paper for school governors, published by the Northwest Campaign For Lesbian & Gay Equality
Housing in Manchester, Manchester City Council, n.d. (GB127.M775/1/5)Gay to Z leaflet, Manchester City Council, n.d. (GB127.M775)Exceeding Expectations Initiative, Lesbian and Gay Foundation n.d. (m825-lgf-001)Lesbian & Gay Resources leaflet, Manchester City Council, 1992 (GB124.G.FFLAG)
We hope you have enjoyed looking back at the LGBTQ+ archives. More areas of Manchester will be continue to be covered in the upcoming months. If you would like to see more images, don’t forget to check out the photograph albums on Flickr and the Manchester Local Image Collection .
