Barnsley’s LGBT Past

‘Uncovered: Barnsley’s LGBT Past’ is a project led by the Barnsley LGBT Forum and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It focuses on revealing a hidden aspect of Barnsley’s heritage with the first LGBT people in Barnsley estimated to date back to around 2002.

There is a tendency for LGBT history to focus on middle class cosmopolitan experiences with the stories of regional working class areas under-researched and often marginalised. This project aims to raise the awareness of how LGBT people lived in Barnsley.

Project outcomes:

  • Documentary film
  • History trail
  • Education resource
  • Update Historic England’s ‘Pride of Place’ map

This project would not have been possible without the dedication of a team of volunteers, the support of Barnsley Council, resources from Barnsley Archives and Local Studies and thanks to funding raised by National Lottery players awarded by the Hertiage Lottery Fund.

Uncovered Documentary

LGBT History Trail

This trail was developed with volunteers to highlight the locations in Barnsley town centre associated with LGBT history. The trail was launched on 27th June 2017 to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.

Volunteers have been trained to deliver the walk and 500 printed trail leaflets are available at various town centre locations. You can also view the leaflet for free here.

Education Pack

This resource pack is designed to help young people learn more about LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) history with a particular focus on stories from Barnsley. It has been developed with schools in mind but could be used in more informal settings.

‘Uncovered’ is a project lead by the Barnsley LGBT Forum with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project aims to reveal previously unknown stories of LGBT history in the Barnsley area.

Englands LGBT Heritage

Pride of Place is a Historic England and History Pin initiative to identify the locations and landscapes associated with England’s LGBTQ heritage. Before the Barnsley LGBT Forum embarked on the ‘Uncovered’ project there was not a single entry for Barnsley.

Extensive volunteer research has been able to add a number of locations to the crowd sourced map and ensure Barnsley’s LGBT past is represented on a national level. Click below to visit the ‘Pride of Place’ website.