A South London councillor has given his backing to a memorial for the last two men executed for sodomy in England. James Pratt and John Smith were arrested on Blackfriars Road in Southwark in August 1835 after a landlord spied on them allegedly having sex; they were subsequently hanged in 1835. Both
A South London councillor has given his backing to a memorial for the last two men executed for sodomy in England.
James Pratt and John Smith were arrested on Blackfriars Road in Southwark in August 1835 after a landlord spied on them allegedly having sex; they were subsequently hanged in 1835. Both men were excused by the Alan Turing Law in January 2017, which gave pardons to men in England and Wales convicted under historical laws that outlawed homosexuality.
Now Cllr Victor Chamberlain, member of Southwark Liberal Democrats, is working with local groups to bid for cash for a rainbow plaque to commemorate the two men.
Cllr Chamberlain and local groups were intending to apply to the council’s 2025 Pride Fund, with the aim of securing money for a plaque and unveiling ceremony. Up to £30,000 in cash is available through the fund this year for events that celebrate the borough’s LGBTQ+ identity and history.
The rainbow plaque would be erected on Blackfriars Road, where Pratt and Smith were arrested, under the proposals. Rainbow plaques, which take their inspiration from English Heritage’s blue plaques.
Cllr Chamberlain said: “Southwark is a proud home of a vibrant and growing LGBTQ+ community, and it’s important that our borough’s heritage is recognised and commemorated. A rainbow plaque for James and John is how we can pay tribute to them, and celebrate how much progress we have made—but also remind ourselves that progress is only achieved by a constant fight for rights and justice.”
