23 April 1726
Yesterday ... Gabriel Lawrence and William Grifin were cast for Sodomy; and some others were to be brought to their Trial for that unnatural Crime. (Mist’s Weekly Journal)
7 May 1726
Wednesday a Dozen more Sodomites were taken and committed. (Mist's Weekly Journal)
We hear that near 20 Houses have been discover'd, which entertain'd Sodomitical Clubs; besides the nocturnal Assemblies of great Numbers of the like vile Persons at what they call the Markets, which are the Royal-Exchange, Moorfields, Lincolns-Inn Bog-houses, the South Side of St. James's Park and the Piazza's of Covent-Garden, where they make their Bargains, and then with draw into some dark Corners to indorse, as they call it, but in plain English to commit Sodomy. However the Government having undertaken the Prosecution of them, 'tis not doubted, but strict Care will be taken to detect them in order to avert from these Cities those just Judgments, which fell from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, whose Sons of Perdition, so much resembled by our English Sodomites in their Aversion to the Female Sex, rejected Lot's Daughters and lusted after the Angels, believing them to be Men. (The Weekly Journal: or, The British Gazetteer)
On Thursday Mr. Serjeant Raby, Deputy Recorder of this City, made his Report of the Malefactors under Sentence of Death in Newgate, to His Majesty in Council, when the Ten following were ordered for Execution, viz. . . . Thomas Wright, Gabriel Laurence, and William Griffin, for Sodomy; Thomas Billings and Katherine Hayes for Murder; the latter to be burnt: But Joseph Treen convicted of Horse-stealing, Mary Scuffham of Felony, and George Kedger, alias Reger, of Sodomy, are reprieved. (The London Journal)
14 May 1726
Monday the following Malefactors were executed at Tyburn, viz. Gabriel Lawrence, William Griffin, Thomas Wright, the three Sodomites, who were conveyed together in one Cart to the Tree; John Gillingham, John Map and Henry Vigous, the three Highway-Robbers, together in another; and John Cotterell and James Dupress, two House-Breakers, together with Thomas Billings, one of the Murderers of Mr. Hayes, in a third Cart: Catharine Hayes being drawn thither on an Hurdle. (The Weekly Journal: or, The British Gazetteer)
The latter [Catharine Hayes] was drawn to Tyburn on a Hurdle, and there burnt alive, without the Indulgence of being first strangled, as has been customary in like Cases. But, to strike a proper Terror in the Spectators of so horrid a Crime, a special Order was sent to the Sheriff to the contrary. She was fasten'd to the Stake by an iron Collar round her Neck, and an iron Chain round her Body, having an Halter also about her Neck, (running through the Stake) which the Executioner pulled when she began to shriek: In about an Hour's Time she was reduced to Ashes. She affirmed in Newgate, that Billings was her own Son, got by Mr. Hayes's Father, when she lived with him as a Servant. So that Billings murder'd his own Brother, assisted in quartering him, and then lay with his own Mother, while his Brother's mangled Limbs were under the Bed. Billings was hanged in Chains near Tyburn in the Road to Padington. (The London Journal)
Catharine Hayes, as soon as the others were executed, was, pursuant to a Special Order, made fast to a Stake, with a Chain round her Waste, her Feet on the Ground, and an Halter round her Neck, the End whereof went through an Hole made in the Stake for that Purpose: The Fuel being placed round her, and lighted with a Torch, she begg'd for the Sake of Jesus, to be strangled first: whereupon the Executioner drew tight the Halter, but the Flame coming to his Hand in the Space of a Second, he let it go, when she gave three dreadful Shrieks; but the Flames taking her on all Sides, she was heard no more; and the Executioner throwing a Piece of Timber into the Fire, it broke her Skull, when her Brains came plentifully out; and in about an Hour more she was entirely reduced to Ashes. She confess'd herself guilty in part of the Murder of her Husband Mr. John Hayes, for which she beg'd God and the World Pardon, and declar'd she repenter herself heartily for being concern'd in it: She had a great Confidence of an happy State, becasue she said she was caritable and just in her Dealings. She own'd Billings to be her Son, and that his true Name was Thomas Hayes. She was somewhat confus'd in her Thoughts, and dyed in the Communion of the Church of England.
Thomas Billings was the same Day hang'd in Chains within 100 Yards of the Gallows. (The Weekly Journal: or, The British Gazetteer)
12 November 1726
Two persons stood in the Pillory this Week for Sodomy, and were sadly maul’d. [Presumably these were Hihons and Coleman.] (Mist’s Weekly Journal)
26 November
On Wednesday Horner and Whale were brought to the Court of King's-Bench to receive Judgment, for keeping a Publick House for the Accommodation of Persons committing sodomitical Practices, which being a Crime of an extraordinary Nature, the Court have taken Time till Monday next, the last Day of Term, to consider of some exemplary Punishment proper for the Offence, and the Convicts, who are in the mean time remanded to Prison, are then to be brought down again to receive Sentence.
3 December
Monday being the last Day of the Term, York Horner and Robert Whale, two Persons lately convicted of keeping a disorderly House for the Entertainment of Sodomites, (as mentioned in our former,) were brought to the King's Bench Bar, Westminster, to receive Judgment, and each of them were sentenced to stand twice in the Pillory, viz. at Charing-Cross and the Royal-Exchange, to suffer six Months Imprisonment, and to find Security for their good Behaviour for seven Years.
Exciting times lol
Old Bailey Proceedings - Trial Accounts
London's Central Criminal Court
20th April 1726
Thomas Wright
Sexual Offences - sodomyThomas Wright , was indicted for committing Buggery with Thomas Newton . Jan 10 1724- 5.
Thomas Newton thus depos'd.
Last January 12 Month, the Prisoner had the Carnal Use of my Body at his own House, in Christophers Alley in Moor-fields : He was a Wooll-Comber by Trade, but he sold a Dram among such Company as came to his House.
- He afterwards remov'd to Beech Lane, and there kept Rooms for the entertainment of Sodomites. He sold Ale, but he had it from other Ale-houses: He has often fetch'd me to oblige Company in that way, and especially to one Gregory Turner.
William Davison and - Sellars thus depos'd.
The discovering of the Molly Houses, was chiefly owing to a Quarrel betwixt Mark Partridge and - Harrington: For upon this Quarrel Partridge to be revenged on Herrington, had blab'd something of the Secret, and afterwards gave a large Information of a great many others.
The Mollies had heard something of the first Discovery, but did not imagine how far he had proceeded, and what further Designs he had upon them.
- By his means we were introduced to the Company, at the Prisoners Lodging's. There were 8 or 9 of them in a large Room, one was playing upon a Fiddle, and others were one while dancing in obscene Postures, and other while Singing baudy Songs, and talking leudly, and Acting a great many Indecencies.
- But they look'd a skew upon Mark Partridge, and call'd him a treacherous, blowing-up Mollying Bitch, and threatned that they'd Massacre any body that betray'd them.
The Prisoner was very fond of us, and kist us all at parting in a most indecent manner, Edward Sanders in behalf of the Prisoner depos'd, That he never heard any such report of the Prisoner before; That he was born and bred at Newbury, and was esteem'd an honest Man,
[Verdict: Guilty - Punishments: Death]
20th April 1726
Gabriel Lawrence
Sexual Offences - sodomy
Gabriel Lawrence, was indicted for feloniously committing with Thomas Newton, aged 30 Years, the heinous and detestable Sin of Sodomy .
Thomas Newton thus depos'd.
At the End of last June, one Peter Bavidge (who is not yet taken) and - Eccleston (who dy'd last Week in Newgate) carry'd me to the House of Margaret Clap (who is now in the Compter) and there I first became acquainted with the Prisoner.
Mrs. Clap's House was next to the Bunch of Grapes in Field-lane, Holbourn. It bore the publick Character of a Place of Entertainment for Sodomites , and for the better Conveniency of her Customers, she had provided Beds in every Room in her House.
She usually had 30 or 40 of such Persons there every Night, but more especially on a Sunday.
I was conducted up one pair of Stairs, and by the Perswasions of Bavidge (who was present all the Time) I suffer'd the Prisoner to commit the said Crime. He has attempted the same since that Time, but I never would permit him any more.
When Mrs. Clap was taken up, in February last, I went to put in Bail for her; at which Time, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Willis told me, they believ'd I could give Information, which I promis'd to do, and I went next Day, and gave Information accordingly.
- Samuel Stephens thus depos'd.
Mrs. Clap's House was notorious for being a Molly-House.
- In order to detect some that frequented it, I have been there several Times, and seen 20 or 30 of 'em together, making Love, as they call'd it, in a very indecent Manner. Then they used to go out by Pairs, into another Room, and at their return, they would tell what they had been doing together, which they call'd marrying.
The Prisoner acknowledg'd, that he had been several Times at Clap's House, but never knew that it was a Rendesvouz for such Persons.
- He call'd several to his Character.
Henry Hoxan thus depos'd.
I have kept the Prisoner Company, and served him with Milk these 18 Years, for he is a Milk Man, and I am a Cow-Keeper, I have been with him at the Oxfordshire Feast, and there we have both got drink, and come Home together in a Coach, and yet he never offer'd any such thing to me.
Thomas Fuller thus depos'd.
The Prisoner married my Daughter, 18 Years ago; She has been dead these 7 Years, and he has a Girl by her, that is 13 Years old.
- Several others deposd, that he was a very sober Man, and that they had often been in his Company when he was drunk; but never found him inclinable to such Practices.
[Verdict: Guilty - Punishments: Death]
20th April 1726
William Griffin
Sexual Offences - sodomy
William Griffin , was indicted for Committing Sodomy with Thomas Newton, May 10.
Thomas Newton thus depos'd.
The Prisoner and Thomas Phillips, (who is since absconded,) were Lodgers for near 2 Years at Clap's House.
I went up stairs, while the Prisoner was a Bed, and there he committed the Act with me.
Samuel Stevens depos'd, That he had seen the Prisoner, and his Gang at Clap's House.
[Verdict: Guilty - Punishments: Death]
I think that is being a bit harsh, in some ways Julia. As people get older, I think it would take a lot of courage to ''come out'' their colleagues, associates probably brought up with the same mind set, built in social expectations, rather a bit of a suprise.Mr A.N Other suddenly becoming Mis A.N. Other. A tragic example that of Lucy Meadows. I really don't know. I came out at 16, Living in the same place since I was 14, Very often wished I had'nt, or left it till I was older. Also depends on having someone who is supportive and protective to go home to.
Some places in London and not so far from where I live, quite a nice secluded area, Some knuckle dragging troglodyte moron, calls me a bwatty bwoy, tranny perv, whatever, I am hardly going to retaliate, or make an official complaint, the fear of getting stabbed, beaten, whatever. repercussions, Yes there are laws, but most of them apply retrospectively after you have been stabbed or beaten up. I am lucky, in that I have never had to actualy go out and look for a job, or compete for one. I wonder sometimes tho, now I have embarked on a new career, in a rather staid and somewhat closed enviroment, how will my past affect my advancement and acceptance. I don't think we should blanket judge everyone, for their fears and trepedation
In the main, the thread was just for interest. there were more prosecutions for homosexuality after it was made legal, many of them affecting transgendered people before the GRA came into force. Where by Transexuals were still legally male.
Because even gay sex was not legally tolerated in hotels and shared accommodation.
Cristine.
You put a lot of work into this . If anything I have posted here has offended you I am truly sorry.
We learn a lot from the past but I have to focus on now and the future . My future is not much but others is important to me.
Julia xx