Ethical Matters: LGBTQIA+ Histories: Love, Life, War and Death

Delve into the lives of four forgotten figures in LGBTQ+ history with award-winning historian Chris Bryant MP and bestselling author Wendy Moore.

In ‘Jack and Eve: Two Women In Love and At War,’ Moore illuminates the remarkable story of Vera ‘Jack’ Holme and Evelina Haverfield, suffragettes turned lovers. Jack, an actor known for cross-dressing roles and chauffeur to suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, found love with Eve, an aristocratic activist. Together, they journeyed to Serbia and Russia during World War I, providing vital medical aid and driving ambulances to the front lines. Moore’s narrative offers a profound lens into the suffragette movement, women’s wartime contributions, and the evolution of lesbian identity.

In ‘James and John: A True Story of Prejudice and Murder,’ Chris Bryant MP uncovers the tragic tale of James Pratt and John Smith, condemned for the ‘unnatural offense’ of homosexuality. As Charles Dickens once observed at Newgate prison, their crime was so taboo it went unnamed, leading to their isolation and eventual execution amidst a jeering crowd. Bryant meticulously reconstructs their lives from public records, shedding light on the prejudice and violence they faced. These two captivating narratives shed light on LGBTQ+ history and the enduring struggles for acceptance and justice

Their books Jack and Eve: Two Women In Love and At War and James and John: A True Story of Prejudice and Murder will be available at this event.