Sexuality under scrutiny in 1930s Soho

In 1934, homosexual acts between men - in public and in private -
were illegal in the UK. Police surveilled a number of social
spaces across London suspected of permitting what the state then
considered to be 'immoral activity' and in August conducted a
raid on a venue in Soho called the Caravan Club. Possessions such
as cosmetics and personal correspondence were confiscated from
attendees and later offered as evidence in court.


Vicky Iglikowski, The National Archives' Diverse History Records
Specialist, discusses the content and context of a love letter
found in the Caravan on that evening, and considers the difficult
position it occupies now as both an important piece of LGBT
history and a document that wasn't intended for publication.


This podcast was produced as part of a series where archivists
talk about the documents they think you should know about. You
can view the rest of the series here.


Music:


'Sam, the Old Accordian Man' by the Williams Sisters


'Night Latch Key Blues' by Virginia Liston