Content
The content of this website is a mix of memories from contributors, background research on the web and in the library, and gleaned from loaned and donated materials including a number of local gay and lesbian newsletters.
Events, topics and timeline
All the material has been sorted by theme, topic, and where appropriate or possible, by actual or approximate start (and end) date. Click on the coloured theme buttons at the top to see a list of primary topics. Opening any of these will show a list of related topics to the right. Click on the time line to be able to sort the theme by decade, with all dated events appearing in chronological order. In due course we will also be adding clickable maps, showing the location of key places at different times.
Contributors and memories
Following an excellent response to a call for contributors in our ?Go down in history? appeal, we interviewed over 80 people during the summer and autumn of 2007. Our contributors came from a range of age, ethnic and cultural background, and experience. They included people who had lived in Birmingham all their lives, or part of it, who had returned, and who had moved away.
The information, descriptions, anecdotes, perspectives and memories they shared with us form the bulk of the material on this site. Look out for the memories linked to any topic which are listed on the right hand screen. Memories are either a summary of what the person said, or their own words, if in speech marks "...".
Contributor details - the contributor of each memory is indicated by their name, which may be their full name, first name, or pseudonym. Where, known, we have included the contributor?s age at the time of the interview, in 2007. This helps put in context, how old they would have been at the time of the period or event that they are referring to. Where relevant we have provided some additional information about contributors within their memories.
If you click on the contributor?s name, it will show you all the memories contributed by them, which may or may not appear in a logical or chronological order. A link to their full interview will be added in due course.
We also welcome additional memories, information and anecdotes from you and others. If you would like to add a memory please go to the contribute section.
Search and Quick Links
There are several ways to find something you are interested in as well as using the theme buttons and time line. Type in a word or words to the search box, using ??.? for exact phrases. Alternatively, look at the quick links on the right hand side, and to see all the links available, click MORE QUICK LINKS which will give you an alphabetical list of exact phrases. Click through to find events and memories containing the exact phrase, or hover over the words for a quick description, (not present for all).
Images
We have tried to illustrate the site with photos and other pictures. We are still uploading these and not all of them have yet been credited with the source, bear with us!
Documents
In due course we will be adding links so that you can read longer articles and documents.