Pankratz: Created page with 'A place to meet for men who have sex with men. According to Rictor Norton, the 18th century saw the development of a homosexual subculture in London. The men met there, drank and…'

2009-12-01T09:13:25Z

Created page with 'A place to meet for men who have sex with men. According to Rictor Norton, the 18th century saw the development of a homosexual subculture in London. The men met there, drank and…'

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A place to meet for men who have sex with men. According to Rictor Norton, the 18th century saw the development of a homosexual subculture in London. The men met there, drank and ate. Cross-dressing, giving each other nicknames (such as Fanny Murry, Lucy Cooper, Kitty Fisher), performing mock-ceremonies (such as weddings and baptisms) were part of the rituals in Molly houses. The patrons of Molly houses came from all classes, with a slight predominance of the middle class.
In spite of forming its own subculture, homosexuality was still considered a capital crime. Hence, Molly houses and their customers were often raided and men convicted of sodomy were hanged at Tyborn. Those caught in the attempt had to pay a fine, go to jail and/or stand in the pillory.

Sources:

Norton, Rictor. ''Mother Clap’s Molly House. The Gay Subculture in England 1700-1830''. London: Gay Men’s Press, 1992.

http://rictornorton.co.uk/

Molly house - Revision history

Pankratz: Created page with 'A place to meet for men who have sex with men. According to Rictor Norton, the 18th century saw the development of a homosexual subculture in London. The men met there, drank and…'