AFTERNOON OF TALKS

To mark the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act – a significant step in the decriminalisation of male homosexuality in England and Wales – this event will take a closer look at the documents within The National Archives’ collection that shed light on this pivotal moment in British history.

With varied offerings, ranging from contextual talks to an in-depth workshop on the secretive Polari language, this afternoon offers a dynamic and collaborative means to engage with the original documents and the real-life experiences that lie within them.

Event programme:

13.30 Sammy Sturgess, the lives of men from 1953 to the '67 Act

14.00 Mark Dunton, the Sexual Offences Act

14.30 Caroline Derry, Learning from Wolfenden’s silent women

15.00 Break and document display

15.45 Polari workshop: Dan Glass and Chris Park

16.30 Jeffrey Weeks on life after the 67 act.

16.50 Closing comments and questions

We run an exciting range of events and exhibitions on a wide variety of topics. For more details, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/whatson.

Entrance to The National Archives is free and there is no need to book, see nationalarchives.gov.uk/visit for more information.