Historical gay rights poster given to museum

A man who campaigned against a law prohibiting local authorities from "promoting" homosexuality has given a historical gay rights poster to the London Transport Museum.

Ian Wilmott presented the museum with one of the "last remaining original" Never Going Underground posters from 1988, which adapted a version of the roundel used on London's public transport.

It forms part of a research project between the University of Westminster and the museum, which will highlight the stories of LGBTQ+ passengers and transport workers in the 1970s and 1980s.

Wilmott said the poster would show future generations the "powerful and enduring connection" between London and a grassroots campaign in Manchester.

The research project, Pride, Passengers and Personnel, is seeking input from people who travelled or worked on London's transport network during the 1970s and 1980s and also aims to collect historically important items from that time.

Doctoral researcher Zoe Few said the project focused on a "significant" time in LGBTQ+ history, and hoped her research "improved the museum's collection".

Wilmott said the Never Going Underground campaign was a response to Section 28 of the Local Government Act, which was enacted in May 1988 under the watch of Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

It was brought in to "prohibit the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities".

The Never Going Underground campaign poster featured the London transport roundel and was used during the 1988 Manchester campaign against Section 28.

The campaign culminated in "one of the largest LGBT demonstrations ever held in the UK", and contributed directly to the eventual repeal of Section 28 and the development of equality legislation, the University of Westminster said.

Wilmott said: "I am delighted that, having used, without their permission, the London Transport iconic logo for a historic campaign, we now have the opportunity to thank them personally by gifting one of the last remaining original posters.

"It is in mint condition and will be lovingly preserved within the museum's poster archive, allowing future generations to see how London's transport logo and a grassroots equality campaign in Manchester found such a powerful and enduring connection."

Few added that through her research, she hoped to hear about people's experiences of travelling to LGBTQ+ places in London, the transport network as a cruising space, and the impact of HIV and Aids on passengers and transport workers, among other experiences.

Dr Ellie Miles, from London Transport Museum, said the project brought "vital social context to the museum's existing collections".

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