The Welsh Valleys have provided a home for many influential and well known LGBT+ people from Ivor Novello to Ian H Watkins (Steps) and Luke Evans. In 2021/22 and 2023 the Welsh Government commissioned training in LGBTQ+ Language and History for local museums, libraries, and archives to encourage the celebration of local stories of sexual orientation and gender identity. This is part of the work being done on raising awareness and understanding of the diverse population of Wales, and compliments the Welsh Government Action Plan which aims to:
One of the outcomes following the LGBTQ+ Language and History training was the construction of timelines for each of the 22 counties of Wales (plus the historic county of Gwent). This provides a means by which local people, allies and events can be celebrated instead of replicating mainstream narratives and celebrities. A baseline of highlighted moments from history was constructed by Norena Shopland from her Welsh historic collection and it is hoped these will be added to by local organisations and individuals. The documents are open access and can be copied or adapted and we have copied and merged the timelines across the valleys to present them in one timeline.
King Edward II (1284–1327) is well-known in history for being sexually fluid and had two significant same-sex relationships first with Piers Gaveston who was assassinated for his closeness to the king, and later Hugh Despenser who held vast amounts of land in South Wales including Llantrisant Castle. When Edward’s wife Isabella staged a takeover, Edward and Hugh ran to Wales staying at Neath Abbey. However, when they tried to move, they were, according to tradition, arrested at Pant-y-brad (Hollow of Treason) close to Tonyrefail and held at Llantrisant Castle overnight. Hugh was executed for treason and there is debate about whether the king died or escaped the following year.
Penry Williams (1802–1885) from Merthyr Tydfil was in a long-term relationship with Welsh sculptor, John Gibson (1790–1866) and they lived together for many years in Rome. In his will, John left Penry £500 (about £73,000 today). Source : Brecon County Times, 9 June 1866
The Women of Our Mineral Districts: A writer … invokes the aid of men of the stamp ofLord Shaftesbury in ameliorating the condition of the women employed more or less in Merthyr, Dowlais, Aberdare, and in scores of other coal and iron districts in South Wales … “In the works the women, chiefly young females, are engaged in manual labour from morning to night, hearing all the common language and observing all the usual habits of the unrestrained and half-civilized men. The dress of these wretched females can scarcely be distinguished from that of the men. In voice, manner, appearance, and actions they have become unsexed." Source: Cardiff & Merthyr Guardian, May 10, 1867
Merthyr Police Court. Alleged Attempt to Commit an Unnatural Offence - David Lewis and William Davies were brought up on remand charged as above. The evidence was gone through in a cleared court on the previous Saturday. To-day the Stipendiary, after addressing the prisoners some words of warning, dismissed them. Source: Merthyr Telegraph, 10 October 1879
Yes, the young ladies of our town [Aberdare] are adopting the masculine attire with a vengeance. They are adopting anything they can to adapt them to the masculine sex. Now we see our ladies parading the streets decorated with fronts and collars. Where will it end? Source: Aberdare Times, 14 May 1887
Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar (1893–1949) is born. The eccentric millionaire and open homosexual, led a hedonistic lifestyle at Grade I listed Tredegar House in Newport, where he held legendary gatherings in the basement that mixed occult rituals with wild partying. Despite being married twice, Morgan’s most significant relationship was with writer Ronald Firbank, who he first met at London’s Eiffel Tower restaurant. Morgan was also an artist and writer himself, publishing several collections of poetry during the 1920s. Source: Cadw, ‘The Gay Aristocracy
Crown Court, Merthyr Cases. Thomas Henderson, 16, was charged with feloniously and wickedly committing an unnatural offence with Philip Wheelan, 23, at Merthyr on 31 May, both young Dowlais labourers. They were found guilty, with Wheelan received six months imprisonment, and Henderson four months. Source: South Wales Daily Post, 7 July 1894; Evening Express, 9 July 1894
Actor Kennedy Allen, gained famed for his cross-dressing role as the ‘Baroness of Ystrad Rhondda’ in an interview he recalled: About this time last year I was playing the ‘Widow Quankey’ at Ferndale. I was sweetly singing my song, when, all at once, the electric light went out. The gas was put on, and that went out, when suddenly an alarm of ‘Fire!’ was raised, and then the audience began to go out. I sang them two or three verses in the dark, but even my seductive voice could not entice them to remain to hear an invisible vocalist, so they departed thence, and in the silent gloom of the dressing room, whilst putting on my pants, the pocket turned inside out. and I lost my money. That was a very serious accident for me. The Ferndale populace will remember the occurrence. I shall never forget it. Source: Evening Express, 1 February 1895. For more on Kennedy Allen as the ‘Baroness’ see LGBTQ Cymru’s blog page: The Baroness of Ystrad Rhondda: an early drag act.
William Evans was charged with on 9 February 1896 ‘at Merthyr Dovan, unlawfully attempting to procure the commission by a male person named Thomas Powell of an act of gross indecency with himself. The prosecution was dropped. William had previously been arrested two years earlier, for attempted sodomy by assaulting George Edwards, and had spent two years in Swansea jail as a result. Source: Swansea Gaol Records 1877-1902; Glamorgan, Wales, Calendar of Prisoners, 1850-1920 1889-1894, both via Ancestry Indecent Exposure. Alfred Evan Williams and William Joseph Thomas were charged with indecent exposure at Penydarren. Prisoners were sent to gaol for a month with hard labour. Source: Merthyr Times and Dowlais Times, 14 May, 1896 A theatre in Merthyr, hosted Gowongo Mohawk (1860-1924), a playwright and actor born in Gowanda, New York of the Seneca Nation. Her husband was Charles I Charles, an army captain who served with General Custer, and she travelled the world with her plays. She brought her most famous work, Wep-ton-nomah, The Indian Mail Carrier to Merthyr in March in which she played the role of a Native American man. The play was first launched in Liverpool in 1893 with the only surviving copy of the script in the British Library. In her performance, Gowongo troubled stereotypes of indigeneity, race, gender, and sexuality with the Merthyr Times noting Gowongo, ‘exhibits such wealth of muscular arms and legs that at once attracts the attention of the house. With amazing rapidity she hurls a man, from sheer force of muscular power, over her head, and in the knife fight relies wholly on her superior skill. She feels as comfortable in male attire as in her broadcloth dresses and beads, as can easily be seen when she is on the stage.’ Gowongo also appeared in Swansea and Cardiff where this sketch of her was done. She is now recognised as a male impersonator or early drag act. Sources: Wikipedia; Merthyr Times, 12 March 1896; Evening Express, 7 March 1896
David Thomas, 23, collier, and James Davies, 35 labourer, were indicted with having attempted to commit an act of gross indecency on the mountain side at Tylorstown on January 2. The prisoner denied upon oath the charge, and after a hearing lasting over four hours the jury returned the verdict of “Not guilty,” and the prisoners were discharged. Source: Evening Express, March 22, 1898
Woman in Man’s Attire. Johanna Williams was summoned for being disorderly in Quarry-row, Merthyr. P.S. Toye said the woman, who was of rather large proportions, was dressed in a man’s clothes, and parading the streets with about 100 people around her. She said she only did it ‘for a lark. A couple of boys came from the front, and I said I would come from the front too and put on the clothes.’ (laughter in court) P.S. Toye said,‘The trousers were her husband’s and were too small for her. There were a lot of small children about.’ The Stipendiary said it was a serious offence and a ridiculous proceeding. Defendant would be fined 5s and costs. Source: Cardiff Times, 29 June 1901 Rhys Davies (1901–1978), the novelist and short story writer, is born near Tonypandy. Although a prolific author he never wrote about his homosexuality.
Female impersonator, Will Pritchard, ‘delighted’ the audience at Aberdare with the song ‘Men, men, men.’ Trevor Thomas was born in Ynsddu, Gwent. He became the youngest Keeper at the Liverpool Museums. In July 1946, his career came to a sudden end after he appeared in court charged with a public indecency offence. He later worked for the Campaign for Homosexual Equality.
Margaret, Lady Rhondda’s (1883–1958) known to have had same-sex relationships made her first major speech about women’s suffrage at the Temperance Hall, Aberdare but it quickly became apparent that a number of men were aiming to disrupt the meeting and the speakers were drowned out. As the women stood on the stage the crowd began throwing rotten vegetables, dead mice and even set live ones onto the stage, windows were broken, and mayhem threatened forcing the women speakers to leave.
Edith Gertrude Phillips, lived with her father, a pitman, her mother and five siblings at the Glynderis Engine House in Abercanaid but claimed her mother ill-treated her so she left home. She took her brother’s clothes, cut her hair, and walked to Dowlais Ironworks to look for a job. Unable find employment, she walked to the South Pit at Plymouth Colliery, and got a job as a miner’s ‘boy’ where she was highly valued by collier, Matthew Thomas. She lodged at a house in Nightingale Street, Abercanaid where she was discovered when having a wash. Source: Norena Shopland, Forbidden Lives: LGBT stories from Wales, Seren Books, 2017 The idea of women wearing trousers in the early 20th century was very controversial such as this episode: “Supposed Harem Skirt. Causes Excitement at Pentre. A young lady at Pentre had a disconcerting adventure. She was clad in a hobble skirt with an arrangement of frills at the ankles somewhat resembling a harem skirt. Her strange dress immediately attracted a large throng of interested spectators, who gathered round her and followed her home with such persistent attentions that she was obliged to seek refuge in the house of a sympathetic neighbour. The affair caused a considerable sensation for a short time.” Source: Rhondda Leader, 27 May 1911
Lewis Davies (1913–2011), was the younger brother of the writer Rhys Davies. Like him, he was born at Blaenclydach, a mining village near Tonypandy in the Rhondda valley and like his brother he was gay.
George Henry Edington was charged with ’feloniously, wickedly, and against the order of nature, carnally knowing Henry Stanley Davies, and then … did commit and perpetrate the abominable crime of buggery on the 28th May 1914, at Merthyr Tydfil.’ A second charge included the same, but on the 8th June. Source: Glamorgan Archives, Calendar of Prisoners, 1850-1920
Sarah Jane Rees (1839–1916) better known by her bardic name, Cranogwen, a teacher, poet, editor, master mariner and temperance campaigner died at the home of her niece, at 50 Wood Street, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd aged 82 years old. Evan Rees (1850-1923), better known by his bardic name, Dyfed. Originally from Puncheston in Pembrokeshire, his family moved to Aberdare where at the age of just eight, he began to work underground in one of the local collieries. Much later, he entered the ministry and became the minister of Pembroke Terrace in Cardiff, one of the most important Methodist churches in the town. He was a renowned poet, preacher and lecturer, and for 21 years served as Archdruid of Wales. He composed two englyns [a traditional Welsh poem] on the tomb of Cranogwen. She had two main relationships, first with Fanny Rees who died of tuberculosis and later with Jane Thomas. Had Rees known of these relationships, it is unlikely he would have commemorated Cranogwen.
Roy Jenkins (1920–2003) a Welsh politician, born in Abersychan, was Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary under the Wilson and Callaghan Governments. Jenkins was sexually fluid and Tony Crosland (1918–1977) a British Labour Party politician and author, described their relationship as ‘an exceedingly close and intense friendship. ’Roy was instrumental in the 1967 partial decriminalisation of homosexuality. Sources: John Campbell, Roy Jenkins: A Well Rounded Life, Jonathan Cape, 2014 & Norena Shopland, Forbidden Lives: LGBT Stories from Wales, Seren Books, 2017
The National Eisteddfod is held in Pontypool during which Edward Prosser Rhys (1901-1945), a Welsh journalist, poet and publisher, won with his poem 'Atgof' (Memory or Reminiscence). The poem is extensively about heterosexual sex, but there is a short section about a same-sex experience which caused some controversy. It has been speculated that the feelings expressed in the poem could be about Morris T. Williams, a close male acquaintance of Prosser Rhys who at the time was married to Kate Roberts, who is also suggested to be sexually fluid. Mihangel Morgan points out in Queer Wales, the author’s ‘special friend he describes as, ‘a charming yellow haired youth’ (‘[l]lanc gwalltfelyn, rhadlon’) and one night they fall asleep together and awake: A’n cael ein humain cofleidio’ dynn;A Rhyw yn ein gorthrymu; a’i fwynhau;A phallu’n sydyn fel ar lan y llyn … And finding ourselves in a tight embraceWith Sex overwhelming us; and enjoying it;And suddenly stopping as above the lake … Followed immediately by remorse: Llwyr-ddeffro … ac ystyried beth a wanedFe aeth f’ymennydd fel pwll tro gan boen;Roedd Cyfeillgarwch eto’n sarn dan draed,A ninnau gynau’n siwr [sic] santeiddio’n hoen!Mi lefais: Gad fi’n llonydd bellach Ryw,Yr wyf yn glaf, yn glaf, o eisiay Byw! Fully awake … considering what had happenedMy brain became a whirlpool of pain;Again Friendship was a stepping-stone underfoot,Hadn’t we just sworn to make it a sacred joy!I cried: Let me be now, Sex,I am sick, sick, for wanting to Live! This short extract, Morgan argues is ‘hardly the Great Poem of Welsh literature: it’s rather a sort of bisexual anti-sex mea culpa.' Source: Wikipedia; Mihangel Morgan, ‘From Huw Arwystli to Siôn Eirian: Representative Examples of Cadi/Queer Life from Medieval to Twentiethcentury Welsh Literature,’ in Huw Osborne (ed), Queer Wales: The History, Culture and Politics of Queer Life in Wales, (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2016)
Stanley Smart, 23, collier from Abertillery was arrested on the offence of attempting to commit buggery with Samuel Newman, 50, labourer. They were charged with ‘Gross indecency with male person,’ found guilty and Stanley was sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour, while Samuel received six months imprisonment with hard labour. Source: UK Calendar of Prisoners, 1868-1929, via Ancestry Evan Herbert, 45, collier was sentenced to three years imprisonment for committing buggery with Leslie Victor Duke on 28 July 1928 at Blackwood.Source: UK Calendar of Prisoners, 1868-1929, via Ancestry.
Welsh actor and author Vittorio Giorgio Andre “Victor” Spinetti (1929–2012) was born in Cwm, Blaenau Gwent. Spinetti lived with his partner of forty-four years, Graham Curnow.
Cedric Morris (1889–1982) was born in Sketty, Swansea but spent most of his adult life in East Anglia with his partner Arthur Lett-Haines. He was proud of his Welsh heritage and returned often to paint local scenes including Dowlais from the Cinder Tips in 1935. After the First World War there had been a lack of appreciation for Welsh art and works by Welsh artists was seldom seen in London, so Cedric organized an Exhibition of Contemporary Welsh Art in 1935 which led to the founding of the Contemporary Art Society for Wales. In a radio interview about the exhibition, he called for a community in art to be developed, a Welsh magazine and the organisation for exhibitions. That same year the South Wales Group was founded on very similar lines and Cedric became a member. He became closely involved with the Merthyr Tydfil Educational Settlement at Gwaunfarren House which had been set up in 1937 providing education and welfare services to people suffering in the Depression. Cedric also knew Heinz Koppel a German Jewish émigré who fled the holocaust, and in 1944 through Cedric’s influence, Heinz was teaching art at the Merthyr Tydfil Education Settlement which Cedric was closely involved in. This later grew into the Merthyr Tydfil Arts Centre with Koppel as principal. Several of Cedric’s paintings are in the Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery. Source: Norena Shopland, Forbidden Lives: LGBT stories from Wales (Seren Books, 2017)
John Davies (born 1938 in Rhondda) and respected Welsh historian comes out on S4C TV as bi-sexual in support of labour MP Ron Davies (no relation) who was accused of cruising for gay sex.
The Rev. Llywelyn Williams (1911–1965) was a Welsh Labour Party politician born in Llanelli, he later became a Congregational minister and served at Abertillery. During the debate in the year following the publication of the Wolfenden Report which recommended a partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality, William said in the House of Commons: Some words are very highly charged in their emotional content, and the word “homosexuality” is one of these. We should, therefore, be as free from emotionalism as possible in our analysis of these problems and difficulties. I admit that it is not easy for the so-called normal person, such as myself, whose physical and sexual life is happily integrated in a satisfactory marital relationship, to be unemotional or objective in these matters. I confess that it is only on the basis of knowledge acquired by extensive reading on the subject plus a deliberate act of a sympathetic imagination that enables me to understand or even to try to understand the problems and difficulties of a homosexual. But the effort must be made, otherwise there can be no progress in dealing with this admittedly difficult problem. His much longer speech can be downloaded from Hansard. Source: ‘Homosexual Offences and Prostitution (Report),’ Hansard, 26 November 1958 vol 596 cc365-508
The Red Cow pub in Merthyr Tydfil was a place where gay people were accepted.Source: Daryl Leeworthy, Queering Glamorgan, Glamorgan Archives
Ten years after the Wolfenden Report, Cardiffian MP Leo Abse introduced the Sexual Offences Bill 1967 supported by Labour MP Roy Jenkins, then the Labour Home Secretary. After recommendations of the Wolfenden Report (1957) were ignored by the government, several people attempted to have them enacted. However, it was Leo’s bill that on 27 July 1967 finally achieved what the Pontypool and Torfaen MP had campaigning for. He claimed to have an insight into the damage and pain blackmailers could inflict on people trying to hide their sexuality. He cited his friend Lord Tonypandy the former House of Commons speaker George Thomas who was threatened with expose of homosexual trysts. "He was living at a time when any overt expression of his homosexuality could have led to utter personal disaster and the end of his public life" Abse reflected, adding that he had intervened several times to protect George Thomas at one point lending him £800 (a small fortune at the time) to pay off the blackmailer. Leo was the area's representative in Parliament from 1958 to 1987 and had inspired nine Private Member's Acts. A bust of Leo, made by Luke Shepherd was presented to Torfaen Council to commemorate his work in the borough. Source: Wikipedia; Barry & District News, 18 November 2008 When Leo Abse pushed forward the recommendations of the Wolfenden Report of 1957 recommending a partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, in 1967, MPs reacted in a variety of ways. Eirene Lloyd White, Baroness White (1909–1999) was a British Labour politician and journalist who was elected Labour MP for East Flint in 1950, one of the first female MPs in Wales. She believed it was a ‘difficult, embarrassing, and distasteful’ subject and described homosexual activity as ‘something extremely repugnant’. Bizarrely she went on to support the motion. She thought, ‘that in considering the subject of make homosexuality a number of men consciously or subconsciously are moved to vehement condemnation by some feeling that they have to assert their own virility in the process.’ In 1970, Eirene retired from the House of Commons and was created a life peer on 12 October 1970 taking the title Baroness White, of Rhymney. Sources: Wikipedia; Tory Pride and Prejudice: The Conservative Party and homosexual law reform, Michael McManus (Biteback Publishing, 2011); Sexual Politics: Sexuality, Family Planning, and the British Left from the 1880s to the Present Day, Stephen Brooke (Oxford University Press, 2011).
Police kept a watch on a ‘cottage,’ public lavatories at Clarence Road, Pontypool, through holes in the ceiling to watch for homosexual men. Six were arrested for gross indecency and each was fined £20 (about £350 today). Cottaging is a gay slang term, originating from the United Kingdom, referring to anonymous sex between men in a public lavatory (a “cottage” or “tea-room”), or cruising for sexual partners with the intention of having sex elsewhere.Source: South Wales Argus, 19 November 1971
A letter to the Aberdare Leader, from someone called Blaine of the S. Wales Action Group, Homosexual Parents, etc replied to criticism by someone called Mr Anstey who had attacked the publication Gay News - ‘Mr Anstey says he is deeply compassionate to any and all who had suffered as a result of the “permissive” society and degrading publications. Does that apply to the Gay people who also have feelings towards the publication? Should they too have their say or does the word of a homosexual always go un-noticed? … I must stress that homosexuals are not all sinners. We too believe in Christ or perhaps that hasn’t occurred to Mr. Anstey either? … “Gay News” is a world-wide newspapers for homosexuals. It doesn’t bring heartbreak and disillusion. If that is what befalls anyone reading it then that is what they have brought on themselves.’ Source: Aberdare Leader, 29 September 1977 Gwent ban on “gay” literature: Gwent’s education committee rejected a request by the Newport branch of the Campiagn for Homosexual Equality to be allowed to distribute information on sex education to schools. The subject had previously been discussed at a meeting of the education policy sub-committee which recommended the request be refused. The full meeting of the education committee approved the recommendation without discussion. Source: Free Press of Monmouthshire, 15 April 1977
Luke Evans (born 15 April 1979) is a Welsh actor and singer born in Pontypool, and brought up in Aberbargoed, who made his breakthrough in the Clash of the Titans 2010 remake and has since appeared in action and thriller films. In 2020, he starred in a three-part TV miniseries The Pembrokeshire Murders. Luke is openly gay but is unwilling to discuss his sexuality in the press, asserting his personal life to be private however he did do an interview for the American LGBTQ+ publication Advocate while appearing on stage in Boy George's musical Taboo: “I had a very difficult upbringing. I was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness. And I'm the only child. And my mom and dad still are Jehovah's Witnesses, so I was never able to sort of naturally come out. It would have been very difficult anyway, even if my parents weren't Witnesses, to come out in the village that I was brought up in. [But] they both know now and they're both fantastic.’ When the interviewer asked if actors were good liars, Luke replied, ‘Look at George Michael, let's say. I mean, he hid it for so many years, and then he gets found out in a really awful way.... Y'know, you start a slippery slope downward, and I didn't want to start that at 22. If that means I'm going to be a poor man at 60, then at least I've lived a happy, open, gay life and not had to hide it from anybody.’ Sourc e: Wikipedia; Paris Barclay, ‘Breaking the Taboo,’ Advocate, 9 August 2011
