About this Event
Recently one of our long-term volunteers made some unusual discoveries. These revealed that the old Adelaide Circulating Library shelves contained a selection of LGBTQ+ literature from the 1950s.
This was unusual for the era. It indicates a determined refusal to censor on the part of Adelaide’s post-war librarians.
In 1931 an Adelaide court case involving charges of gross indecency made headlines. The result was a sentence of five years with hard labour for politician, café owner and hotelier Bert Edwards.
Meanwhile LGBTQ+ writers continued to explore connection, relationships, and a sense of place. Regardless of how readers identify, these mid-twentieth century writers are well worth revisiting.
Image: Bert Edwards Tea Rooms, Compton Street, Adelaide, 1912, Francis Gabriel, SLSA B 1831
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
State Library of South Australia, Hetzel Lecture Theatre, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
AUD 0.00