A new digital initiative is shining a light on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) history of Norfolk, England. The Queer Norfolk project, run by Adam Baker, has created an online platform to display over 100 items that have been stored away in museums and archives. These items range from posters, magazines, T-shirts, and trinkets, dating back as far as the 1700s.
The project’s goal is to digitize and collect more items, including photographs, that depict the county’s rich LGBTQ+ history. Baker says that the archives reveal a deeper and older history of the LGBTQ+ community in Norfolk, with people from the Victorian period “leading LGBTQ+ lives”. The project has been supported by Norwich Pride, a charity, and the Norfolk Heritage Centre, which has developed a collection of LGBTQ+ artifacts over several years.
Rachel Ridealgh, from the Norfolk Heritage Centre, says that the project needs help with promoting the website and supporting events. “It’s a great project to be part of,” she said.