How to look for records of... Sexuality and gender identity history

1. Why use this guide?

This guide will help you find records relating to sexuality and gender identity history at The National Archives, including finding records relating to people who we might now consider to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. It may also assist with exploring other archives on this topic, although this is not it’s primary function.

This guide provides an overview of the types of records held at The National Archives, explores historic language, and outlines subject-specific research approaches. The guide also suggests some useful search methods, sources, and terms – but it is not exhaustive. Certain methodologies help to get more from these records, such as reading records against the grain of their original purpose to reveal more personal or marginalised experiences. For support on how to approach this type of research see our blog on Researching LGBTQ+ histories in the archives of government .

In 2026, this guide was updated with the support of a lived experience focus group, whose insights helped make it more inclusive, practical, and compassionate. We are deeply grateful for the time and knowledge the participants shared.

To help us better support researchers, including with catalogue navigation – we welcome your feedback through Your Views.

2. Content note

Our records, spanning 1000 years, hold many possibilities for exploring and understanding the past. These records powerfully show the historical existence of sexual and gender variation but also reflect historic homophobic, biphobic and transphobic attitudes. As state-produced documents, they often privilege certain perspectives and rarely represent an individual’s own voice or sense of identity.

These records can be bureaucratic and dehumanising in nature; frequently including outdated, problematic, and offensive language. Consent is not always clear, some records reference sexual violence, reflect colonial attitudes, or relate to sensitive medical issues. Researchers may encounter records that document issues still relevant and challenging for LGBTQ+ people today.

If you’ve been affected by the content of these records, support is available. You can find guidance on looking after your mental health and wellbeing through the NHS Every Mind Matters website, the mental health charity Mind, and the national LGBTQ+ charity Switchboard.

3. What kinds of records are held at The National Archives?

The National Archives’ records provide valuable insights into how the government interacted with and viewed LGBTQ+ communities in the past. The state’s attempts to suppress and regulate sexuality and gender have left us with many sources that document the experiences of LGBTQ+ people. As the official archive for England and Wales and the UK government, England and Wales are the primary focus with some records that relate to Scotland, Northern Ireland, former colonial and overseas territories. This guide mainly focuses on the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

The collection primarily reflects the government’s perspective on LGBTQ+ people, including police, criminal justice, policy, and legislative materials that capture key moments and milestones in LGBTQ+ history. These can be vital sources in times when preserving personal histories was dangerous or difficult.

Government records reflect the interests of those in power, leading to some parts of this community being represented more than others. Intersectional experiences—shaped by race, class, disability, and other identities—are often underrepresented or obscured.

Other archives—including some listed in Section 13—actively collect materials from LGBTQ+ individuals and activist organisations, offering more personal narratives and experiences. Asking whether the government would have been interested in a particular subject can help determine if The National Archives is the right place for you to research.

We hold many 20th-century criminal records but a significant proportion remain closed under the Data Protection Act. If you come across a closed record like this in our collection, there will be an option to request a Freedom of Information review to see if it can be opened.

4. What can I see online?

Although no major LGBTQ+ archive collections have been digitised, there is some online material that might be of interest to researchers in this area:

• Old Bailey Online– search proceedings from 197,752 criminal trials held at London’s Central Criminal Court 1674-1913. Proceedings may not be reported in cases involving “indecency”.
• The archived Cabinet Paperswebsite has themed pages which you can browse.
• UK Government web archive– search or browse government videos, tweets, and websites dating from 1996 to the present for information, reports and advice published online by government bodies relating to sexuality and gender identity. This could include public health advice or blogs from the Government Equalities Office.
• For legislation see gov.uk. Such as full text versions of Gender Recognition Act 2004 and Civil Partnership Act 2004.
• Hansard (reports of Parliamentary debates). Search online for the official reports of all parliamentary debates, both in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, from 1803 onwards. You can search by date and keyword.
• British Newspaper archive – LGBTQ+ lives have often been sensationalised in the press, with moments of protest or public backlash making headlines in both national and local newspapers. The British Newspaper Archive gives access to millions of historical newspapers from around the world.
• British Film Institute – short and feature films on the BFI Player and YouTube channel, showing the best from the BFI, national and regional archives.
• Bishopsgate Institute’s Special Collections and Archives – have digitised some of the most frequently researched and significant material from its collections. There is a lot more to view in person at the archives.
• The London School of Economics and Political Science archives on Flickr feature a selection of photographs and ephemera from the Hall-Carpenter Archives, documenting the development of gay activism in the UK since the 1950s, and on .
• Digital Transgender Archive – Access to digitised trans collections from archives and libraries from across the globe.

5. Searching The National Archives’ catalogue

Discovery, our catalogue, incorporates catalogues of over 2,500 archives across the UK and some abroad. This means that when you search Discovery your results can include records held at many different archives, or you can choose to search only records held by the National Archives. For more information about effective searching and understanding your search results use the Discovery help pages.

Records at The National Archives are listed with varying levels of detail, often just one or two words representing a file title. Searches are of catalogue descriptions not the contents of files. Identifying records relating to LGBTQ+ history is particularly difficult as the catalogue descriptions do not always make it clear that they contain relevant material.

Terms used to describe sexuality and gender identity have evolved over time. LGBTQ+ is used in this guide as an umbrella term across time periods. Historically, such language was shaped by legal, medical, moral, or sexological perspectives. Only in the past 50 years has mainstream terminology become more community driven.

To search our catalogue effectively, it may be necessary to use historical terms as research tools. This includes outdated or offensive language, which we retain to preserve the authenticity of records, reflect the lived reality people faced and avoid imposing modern concepts on the past. For more explanation, see our guidance on Cataloguing approach to offensive terminology and Addressing offensive terminology in our catalogue.

Some historical terms found in our records are listed in the appendix to this guide. Note that while these terms might be used within a record, they may not appear in the catalogue description and using them for keyword searches may not find all relevant records.

If you restrict your search to records held at The National Archives, you can filter search results by government departments, allowing you to focus on records of courts, Metropolitan Police, the Home Office or other government departments.

Some records, for example, correspondence of the Foreign Office or Colonial Office, may not be keyword searchable. Our research guides will provide more general advice on research strategies.

 

6. Life records at The National Archives

Life records related to LGBTQ+ people, or people we might now recognise as reflected in these terms before the language existed, are created incidentally through their interactions with government. They were not created because of their sexuality or gender but can shed light on individuals’ identities and relationships.

6.1 Divorce

Divorce case records can offer valuable insights into LGBTQ+ history, including personal histories and instigators for legal change. They may include references to:

• ‘Irregular marriages’, where .
• Marriages of convenience, often used by individuals concealing their sexuality.
• Cases where sexuality or gender identity were cited as grounds for divorce.

Read our guide on divorces to learn about what records survive and how to search for them.

6.2 Wills and death duties

Wills and death duty records show what and who was most important to someone at the end of their life. They can often be revealing of intimate relationships. These can be particularly helpful for tracing love that could not be expressed in other ways, such as criminal or socially unacceptable relationships.

The National Archives holds a substantial collection of wills, refer to our research guides to

• Wills and administrations before 1858
• Disputed wills

For death duty records

• Death duties 1796-1903 – The National Archives

6.3 Census records

From 1841 to 1921 we can use surviving census records to focus on people’s home lives and the family units they were living in. LGBTQ+ people can be found on the enumeration sheets of the census, just as everyone else can. However, until 2021, the census did not ask for information about sexuality or gender identity.

You can search these records by name. It is simplest to trace LGBTQ+ people who were openly known to be in same-sex relationships, identified as bisexual, were gender non-conforming or identified as a different gender than the one they were assigned as at birth.

On the more recent censuses, it is also possible to search by other categories of information, such as “relationship to head of household”. Try speculative searches such as:

• “Partners”
• “Friends”
• “Joint owners”

While not definitive evidence of romantic relationships – some will relate to companionship, business and financial reasons – others will statistically represent same sex relationships given the diversity of historic lived experiences.

7. Court and police records

It has never been illegal, as such, to be gay, but the associated sex acts between men have been punishable at various times throughout history.

Similarly, while the state did not directly criminalise gender nonconformity or trans identities, certain associated behaviours were targeted. For example, feminine presentation in people perceived as male was often treated as evidence of homosexuality or fraud.

The legal framework means there is a substantial body of criminal records documenting prosecutions against men. In contrast, female homosexuality was never explicitly criminalised, meaning lesbian relationships are generally absent from criminal records and underrepresented in our collections.

7.1 Court records

Read our overview guide on criminal court cases to learn about what records survive and how to search for them.

Court records can include:

• indictments that list a person’s name and offence
• depositions of the evidence taken by the court

Transcripts of trial proceedings are very rare.

Search our catalogue for records held by The National Archives relating to defamation, slander, libel and blackmail which often involved allegations of sexual ‘immorality’.

Home Office files contain discussions of individual cases and considerations of appeals. The series HO 17 and HO 18 contain petitions for the revocation or reduction of sentences. For example petitions linked to James Pratt and John Smith the last men in England hanged for “sodomy”.

Read our guidance on Home Office correspondence 1839-1959 to find out more about how to use Home Office records in your research.

HO 161 consist of the Casement Diaries, including three private diaries, a notebook and a ledger related to Roger Casement, a diplomat and Irish nationalist who was tried for treason. Items about his imprisonment, trial and execution are available by general catalogue searches, in HO, PCOM and MEPO records.

7.2 Hate crimes

LGBTQ+ people have also been the target of crimes, because of their sexuality or gender identity.

You can try searches by type of crime, individual or place, such as the Neo-Nazi bombing of the iconic LGBTQ+ venue the Admiral Duncan pub.

7.3 Censorship and obscenity

Public depictions of LGBTQ+ people in literature, art, and media often faced censorship or prosecution under obscenity laws. The 1928 novel The Well of Loneliness was subject to an obscene publications trial. Relevant records can be found in departments such as HO, LCO, CRIM, MEPO, and DPP. You can search for an author, publication title, artist or film.

7.4 Police records

The National Archives holds London Metropolitan Police records, while City of London police records are at The London Archives.

Other police constabulary records are held in local or county archives.  

Other government departments, particularly the Home Office, may also have records relating to policing practice and policy. For example, HO 500/165 Policing the gay community, 1994-1996.

 

8. Legal and policy changes

These records can be used to chart the historical criminalisation of homosexual acts and more recent progressive legislation.

Discussions behind acts of parliament can be found in various series depending on which government department legislation was being created by and which government departments might have had an interest in it. Various government departments sponsored legislation. For example, Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 was created by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, but sections of government, such as the Department of Education, also had an interest.

Some legislation that was not enacted is still discussed in the records. In 1921 a Parliamentary Bill to criminalise ‘gross indecency between females’ failed to become law, associated discussions appear in Home Office  , HO 45/12250.

Try keyword search terms relating to specific legislation or broader terms, such as “Criminal Amendment Act” or “sexual offences”.

Language and policy changed over time, with a more active focus on equality from the 1990s. Search terms similarly change over this period, with files named “homosexual rights” encompassing broader LGBTQ+ issues, including trans rights, and “equality and diversity” used by the early 2000s, covering wider equality issues.

Records of various committees can be found at The National Archives, including

• HO 345 – Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution: Records. Transcripts of evidence, minutes of meetings, the report, and other papers of the Committee appointed by the Home Secretary to consider the law and practice relating to homosexual offences and prostitution. 1954-1957. Including a digitised copy of the Wolfenden Report.
• HO 291/123-131 – records relating to action on homosexual law reform from the departmental committee on homosexuality and prostitution to introduce the Sexual Offences Act 1967.
• BS 2 – Royal Commission on the Press (Finer and McGregor Commission), 1974-1977.
• BS 12 – Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure (Philips Commission), 1977-1981
• HO 265 – Committee on Obscenity and Film Censorship, 1977-1981

Correspondence and papers from the Prime Minister’s office also contain records of policy and legislation discussions. The period of the Wolfenden Committee is covered in PREM 11 and PREM 13

Read our research guide to Cabinet and its committees for advice on searching our catalogue for cabinet papers.

Read our guidance on Political history in the modern era for some general advice to researching in this area.

Refer to our guide to Parliament for guidance on researching debates, reports and legislation.

9. Activism

The National Archives is not the best place to come for records relating to campaigning organisations themselves, however in the course of campaigning for change many activists, charities and LGBTQ+ organisations have interacted with government.

The activities of these organisations and the political debates they generated are reflected in government records – particularly those from the Home Office (HO), Cabinet Office (CAB) and Prime Minister’s Office (PREM). Sometimes these organisations would write into the government, submit evidence to committees or work together on policies.

Search Discovery using the names of the organisations or other keywords to identify relevant documents. It is often advisable to look for broader topic’s activist groups might have been campaigning on, such as the age of consent or Section 28, to find any associated correspondence.

The archives of campaign groups themselves are not held by The National Archives. Specialist LGBTQ+ archives, political archives and local archives (for local groups) may hold these records. See Section 13 for some specific archives that will be useful in this area of research.

10. Colonial and migration related records

10.1 Colonial Office records

that criminalised and marginalised LGBTQ+ people across the globe. While The National Archives’ Colonial Office records are extensive, their intersection with LGBTQ+ histories has been underexplored, and they frequently reflect the dehumanising language and attitudes of the time.

Much of the material is described in broad terms, and locating relevant content often requires navigating original indexes.

This guide provides an overview of how to locate records relating to the British Empire from 1782 onward and offers strategies for researching particular topics. However, tracing LGBTQ+ lives in colonial records remains a challenge. Many of these lives are obscured in the archives, and their presence is often ephemeral or indirect.

For reflections on the challenges of using these records, see Garfield Campbell, Narrating ephemeral archival presence: LGBTQ+ histories and Colonial Office records.

10.2 Migration and citizenship records

The National Archives holds hundreds of thousands of citizenship records. Many, but not all, are name searchable. Some of these records are likely to comment on sexuality or gender identity as a reason to refuse or grant asylum or citizenship but are not catalogued in a way that this is searchable. Such records will be limited as unsuccessful applications may not have been retained.

Case papers are likely to contain more discussion. See our Naturalisation, registration and British citizenship for research options.

For policy related to this try combined keyword searches such as “homosexuality”, “same-sex” or “sex change” and “immigration” or “naturalisation” or “nationality”.

11. Public health, medicine and the welfare state

Items in this area of research are likely to contain medical terminology, outdated and discriminatory language, as well as potential medical images. Some items will also reference death and state failings towards marginalised communities.

The state attitude to LGBTQ+ people has changed over time, and this is reflected in their medical treatment. For general guidance see Public health and social policy in the 20th century. Use search terms, such as “health AND homosexual” or “sex change operations”.

Sexuality and gender identity have often been pathologised and historically associated with mental health. Refer to our guide to asylums, psychiatric hospitals and mental health for research advice. Many records of asylums are kept in local archives and most patient files have been destroyed.

11.1 HIV/AIDS epidemic

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) emerged in the UK in the early 1980s, affecting a significant number of gay and bisexual men, as well as other groups including Black communities, people who inject drugs, haemophiliacs, sex workers, and individuals facing barriers to healthcare. Records may contain medical images, stigma and outdated medical attitudes.

Search our catalogue with full or abridged search terms, such as “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome”, “AIDS” or “HIV”.

Key series include:

• JA 235 – this encompasses the committee meetings, papers, and correspondence of the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS from 1985 to 2000. It also contains records concerning various groups of people impacted by HIV and AIDS, such as women, children, people of the global majority, sex workers, bisexual men and immigration and overseas visitors. Some items include sample advertisements by government and non-government organisations, as well as advocacy from charities and community groups.
• PREM 19 – this includes cabinet papers relating to the conservative administration of 1979 to 1997 and include the government initial response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
• BN 97 – a government-commissioned survey assessed the impact of AIDS awareness campaigns across diverse groups, collecting data on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. Datasets are available for download but are currently in hard to interpret formats, work is underway to change this. It later developed into The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) who have their own data archive.
• FD 10 – Registered files of the Medical Research Council dealing with the award (or refusal of award) of grants for medical and related biological research projects, including HIV and AIDS.

For further information on HIV and AIDS collections see HIV and AIDS highlights gallery and ‘Documenting the HIV and AIDS epidemic: a survey of HIV and AIDS archives in England and Wales’.

12. Education

Single-sex institutions such as prisons, borstals, and reform schools drew official scrutiny regarding sexuality and gender identity. Archival evidence reveals both the presence of same-sex relationships and institutional anxieties about them, including decisions about whether individuals should be placed in male or female facilities. Keyword search series within PCOM and ED.

Local archives may also have relevant records.

Authorities often aimed to ensure children conformed to heterosexual norms. LGBTQ+ teachers were viewed with suspicion, particularly in educational and youth settings. This context intensified with the introduction of Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which prohibited local authorities from “intentionally promoting homosexuality.” Section 28 was also known as Clause 28 and Section 2A in Scotland, all terms can be used to search, as well as broader phrases.

See Researching Section 28 for more advice.

13. Records in other archives

There are many records relating to LGBTQ+ history in other archives across the UK. Use our Find an Archive tool or explore the selection below:

• Manchester Central Library– see under LGBT history.
• Liverpool libraries and archives– see under other collections for LGBT heading.
• Glasgow Women’s Library, The Lesbian Archive.
• The London Archives– see their information leaflet on LGBTQ+ archives.
• British Film Institute– including the Sandi Hughes film archive.
• Bishopsgate Institute– includes Lesbian and gay news media archive.
• LSE archives and special collections.

14. Further resources

14.1 Books

The National Archives collections reflect a specific, government perspective. Use our library to support your research and to supplement our records with themes or perspectives they do not cover.

• See our list of LGBTQ+ publicationsheld at The National Archives Library.
• You may also be able to find these books in a local library.

Some books offer support through the research process:

• Same sex love 1700-1957: a history and research guide by Gill Rossini
• A practical guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records by Norena Shopland
• Forbidden lives: lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender stories from Wales by Shopland, Norena

14.2 Websites

• Researching LGBTQ+ histories in the archives of government – National Archives blog by Vicky Iglikowsk- Broad

• [ARCHIVED CONTENT] Gay and Lesbian History at the National Archives: An Introduction – Your Archives
• [ARCHIVED CONTENT] Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) History in The National Archives: Identified documents by theme – Your Archives
• Link to archived blog content – [ARCHIVED CONTENT] UK Government Web Archive – The National Archives
• Discover the stories behind the records: Explore the collection – The National Archives
• Pride of Place: England’s LGBTQ Heritage – resource and map by Historic England
• Queer Britain – a museum of British LGBTQ+ history and culture located in Kings Cross, London. It is the first dedicated LGBTQ+ museum in the UK.
• Digital Resources – Lesbian Herstory Archives – the Lesbian Herstory Archives collects personal papers and organizational records donated by Lesbian individuals and groups, some are digitalised.
• Digital Transgender Archive – online hub for digitized historical materials, born-digital materials, and information on archival holdings throughout the world.

15. Appendix 1: Terminology

Historic language can be used as research tools to unlock areas of our collections.

Historical terms relating to sexuality:

• character defect
• deviant
• gay
• homosexual
• homogenic
• immoral
• intermediate sex
• invert
• lesbian
• lesbian type
• pervert
• queer
• same sex
• same sex co-habitation
• sapphism
• sodomite
• tribade
• vice

Historical terms relating to gender expression, gender identity and intersexuality:

• change of sex
• cross-dressing
• drag
• drag dance
• female husband
• females in male attire
• gender
• gender affirmation surgery
• gender reassignment
• gender recognition
• hermaphrodite
• male impersonator
• males in female attire
• masquerading
• sex-change or sex change
• transgender
• transsexuals
• transvestite

Historical terms for relevant criminal offences:

• blackmail (extortion or extorting)
• buggery
• conspiracy to corrupt public morals
• corrupting morals
• disorderly house
• fraud
• gross indecency
• homosexual offences
• importuning
• indecency
• masquerading
• misconduct
• obscenity
• sexual offences
• sodomy
• soliciting
• street offences
• unnatural act
• unnatural offences

Terms related to the policing of queer spaces

• bottle parties
• disorderly houses
• liquor licensing
• unregistered clubs

16. Appendix 2: Timeline

This is a list of some select key moments in the history of sexuality and gender identity history, mainly in relation to the UK. These have been selected to convey the context of this history, give ideas of potential areas to research and illustrate some of our records potential.

• 1534 – Although already proscribed under Canon Law, ‘buggery’ was first made a criminal offence.
• 1728 – Chevalier d’Éon was born. D’Éon lived part of their life as a man and part as a woman.
• 1860 – The British colonial government introduced Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which outlawed “carnal intercourse against the order of nature”.
• 1865 – James Barry, army surgeon, dies and was reported to have female body parts.
• 1870 – Performers Fanny and Stella were arrested for the “abominable crime of buggery”. The pair dressed in male and female clothes and used masculine/feminine names interchangeably.
• 1885 – The Criminal Amendment Act, including the controversial Labouchere Amendment, became law. This amendment extended the acts that were criminalised between men.
• 1900 – Oscar Wilde died in Paris, having left England after his imprisonment for “gross indecency”.
• 1921 – The House of Lords reject a proposed new offence of acts of gross indecency between women under the Criminal Law Amendment Bill.
• 1928 – Prominent censorship trial against Radclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness due to its depiction of lesbian relationships.
• 1935 – The Shim Sham Club opened on Wardour Street, London. This club encouraged a queer cliental of all backgrounds and nationalities.
• 1946 – Harold Gillies and a colleague carried out one of the first sex reassignment surgeries from female to male on Michael Dillon.
• 1952 – Alan Turing, famed codebreaker and computer scientist, was arrested and prosecuted for “gross indecency”. He was given oestrogen injections and is believed to have died by suicide.
• 1957 – The Wolfenden Committee recommended that private homosexual acts between consenting adults should be decriminalised.
• 1958 – The Homosexual Law Reform Society was formed to campaign for the Government to implement reforms recommended by the Wolfenden Report.
• 1967 – The Sexual Offences Act was passed, decriminalising homosexual acts in private in England and Wales. There was a higher age of consent, an in private clause and the Armed Forces and Merchant Navy were exempted.
• 1970 – After a high profile court case model April Ashley’s divorce was annulled on the basis that she was considered legally male, setting a precedent for trans people for decades.
• 1972 – The first UK Pride march was organised by the Gay Liberation Front
• 1974 – Gay Switchboard (now known as LGBT+ Switchboard) helpline was founded to support lesbian and gay people.
• 1980 – Homosexual activities were partially decriminalised in Scotland on the same terms as the 1967 Act under the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980.
• 1982 – North Ireland decriminalises same sex acts between men in line with England, Wales and Scotland, after pressure from the European Court of Human Rights.
• 1984 – Gay’s the Word, the renowned LGBTQ+ bookshop, was raided but ultimately not prosecuted under obscenity laws.
• 1988 – Section 28 was introduced under the Local Government Act putting in to law a ‘Prohibition on promoting homosexuality’ by local government.
• 1991 – Actor Ian McKellen met Prime Minister John Major to discuss gay rights. McKellen co-founded the LGBTQ+ campaigning organisation Stonewall.
• 2001 – The age of consent was lowered to 16 in England, Wales and Scotland for gay and bisexual men after decades of campaigns.
• 2004 – Gender Recognition Act was passed, enabling people to change their legal gender under certain conditions.

• 2021 – England, Wales and Northern Ireland were the first countries in the world to hold a national census that asked about sexual orientation. A question about gender identity was also asked.