The Molly House - A Queer History Talk

The Molly House
A Queer History Talk

18th century London was home to a flourishing gay subculture with Molly Houses at the centre of the social scene. A Molly House was a meeting place for homosexual men and gender-nonconforming people. The meeting places were taverns, public houses, coffeehouses or even private rooms where patrons could either socialise or meet possible sexual partners. ‘Molly’ was a slur used for effeminate, homosexual men and the term was adopted to describe the clubs, taverns, inns, or coffee houses where they met up in secret. Although the establishments or
meeting places were called ‘mollies,’ men of all types frequented the houses, including masculine, effeminate, working-class, aristocracy, etc. and Molly houses were spaces where gay histories and trans histories intermingled. It was common for patrons at the molly house to wear women's clothes and to speak and act in typically feminine ways. Most had alternative names such as Plump Nelly, Primrose Mary, Aunt May, Susan Guzzle, Aunt England, and the Duchess of Camomile.

If you want to learn more about Molly Houses then come along and join The Duchess of Lavender, Lady Genoise Sponge and Sonja Harms for queer history, chat, live music, high drama and frivolity!
Doors 6pm, Talk 7pm and Bar open 6pm – 9pm

This event is free and funded Lewisham Heritage / Lewisham Libraries

London Events Triangle LGBTQ+ Cultural Centre Talk History