The Pride in Our Past Exhibition
The Exhibition opened on April 28th and will run for nine weeks at the Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery Admission is FREE.
The exhibition is our primary means to make available to the public historical, cultural, and artistic materials related to the lesbian, gay bisexual and trans communities in Plymouth.
This thought-provoking exhibition is based on new research into the City’s LGBT communities and includes personal stories, objects, photographs and more. It spans three centuries and captures the heart of the changing ‘scene’ over the decades, as well as the political struggle both past and present.
Come along and find out more about this diverse and intriguing aspect of Plymouth’s history.
The Exhibition provides an opportunity for those involved in the archive project to disseminate what they have uncovered and learn new skills in the curation of the exhibition. It, like the website, also allows for learning on the part of the Plymouth population as a whole.
- Before the Labels
- Early 19th Century Plymouth
- Underground Subculture in the 50s through to the 70s
- Don’t Die of Ignorance
- Getting Political

- In Other Words
- Murder in the Park
- Proud to Serve
- Everyone’s Business
- Birth of Rights
- 21st Century Pride
Pride in Our Past | Setting the Record Straight in PLYMOUTH
Virginia Woolf once said:
Nothing has really happened until it has been recorded
Pride in Our Past was born from the realisation that Plymouth's LGBT community has people within it who have seen the world change; from a place where homosexuality could be regarded as criminal or a mental disorder into the more tolerant society of today. The aim of the project is to document and archive that shift in our past while considering where Plymouth is today . . . and what's next for our community and the city's community as a whole. Today will be the history of tomorrow so lets take this opportunity to make our voices count.


We also have a portrait by Plymouth Artist Robert Lenkiewicz being publicly exhibited for the first time.
One of Beryl Cooks original paintings from the Lockyer's Tavern is also on display.
Visit The Exhibition Page for more details
This is an amazing project – having worked for the minister responsible for taking the repeal of section 28 through parliament I know just how important these critical events can be and what a difference they make. Good luck to all those bringing the archive together and I cant wait to see the finished product
Alison Seabeck MP Plymouth Moorview
Read about The Project and journey to date, how we have met our aims and exceeded many of our expectations in key areas.
During the exhibition and beyond we will continue to build the Plymouth LGBT History Archive making the collected oral histories, stories, and articles available on-line. The physical items collected will be held as one of the permanent collections at the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office.
Pride in Plymouth in conjunction with the Friends of Devonport Park is now planning the fantastic Pride in the Park event that will take place on 28th July 2012. Pride in Our Past volunteers have been offered use of one of the marquees to spend the day engaging with the community to continue to build and promote the LGBT History archive.
PRIDE IN OUR PAST' EXHIBITION TOURS
Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Drake Circus
16 and 30 May and 6 and 20 June 2012
1pm to 1.45pm
Would you like to find out more about our 'Pride in our Past' exhibition and the research project behind it?
Why not join us for a 45-minute informal tour of the show which highlights new research about Plymouth's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities during the last three centuries?
Admission is free but places are limited. Please collect a ticket from the Museum Welcome Desk or phone 01752 304774 and we will post or put one aside for you. Unreserved tickets may be available on the day so it's worth checking with us. What's more, you can use your ticket to get a 20 per cent discount in our café afterwards.
TALK AND COMEDY PERFORMANCE: GATEWAY TO HEAVEN WITH CLARE SUMMERSKILL
Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery
Friday 11 May, 6.15pm to 8.30pm
Join Clare Summerskill from 6.15pm to 7.15pm for a talk and question and answer session about creating artistic projects from interviews with older LGBT people, in connection with Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery's 'Pride in our Past' exhibition.
Clare will also perform her stand-up routine and comedy songs from 8pm to 8.30pm. There will be an opportunity for you to have a look at the exhibition in between.
Clare Summerskill is a playwright, a singer-songwriter and a lesbian comedienne. Clare regularly performs her own one-woman comedy shows and tours them to theatres internationally. She has written and produced several plays and films in the verbatim theatre style, made entirely from interviews and performed by professional actors. These projects include Gateway To Heaven, a play based on memories given by older LGBT people and Queens’ Evidence, a film about the relationship between the Metropolitan Police and older LGBT people.
Admission is free but advance booking is essential on 01752 304774.
LUNCHTIME TALK: PRIDE IN OUR PAST
Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Drake Circus
Tuesday 22 May 2012, 1.10pm to 2pm
Listen as members of the Pride in Our Past project discuss the exhibition and the journey so far.
Admission is free but please collect a ticket in advance from the Museum's Welcome Desk or by calling 01752 304774. Any unreserved tickets will be available on the day although we cannot guarantee any will remain! Please turn up in plenty of time as we will not admit latecomers if the gallery is full or very busy.
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: WRITING IN THE LGBT CITY WITH HANNAH SILVA
Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery
Saturday 16 June, 10am to 4pm
Join Plymouth's 'Writer in Residence' for a one-day creative writing workshop in response to the ‘Pride in our Past’ exhibition. You will use the personal stories, objects and photographs in the exhibition as the inspiration for new poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Hannah will give you a variety of tools and exercises to get you going, and will support your writing throughout the day with feedback and advice.
The session is suitable for beginners as well as those who already have some writing experience.
Admission is free but booking is essential on 01752 304774.













