Dr Sally Holloway

I just realised after I said that, he's from Derby. Sorry. LAUGHTER

I just realised after I said that, he's from Derby. Sorry. LAUGHTER

It's a key vehicle for wooing. You know, it's men are showing off their literary skill, their education, their verbal agility. But it's all really underpinned by the cult of sensibility, which sort of emerged around the 1720s or 30s and peaked around 1770s, 80s. He's showing that he's romantic. He's in touch. He's a person of feeling.

It's a key vehicle for wooing. You know, it's men are showing off their literary skill, their education, their verbal agility. But it's all really underpinned by the cult of sensibility, which sort of emerged around the 1720s or 30s and peaked around 1770s, 80s. He's showing that he's romantic. He's in touch. He's a person of feeling.

Yeah, I mean, of course there were. You know, we do have evidence of really enormously intense romantic relationships between same-sex couples in this period. So one example is the American schoolteacher Charity Bryant. She was a tailor as well, and she exchanged all sorts of poems and acrostics with women that she was interested in.

Yeah, I mean, of course there were. You know, we do have evidence of really enormously intense romantic relationships between same-sex couples in this period. So one example is the American schoolteacher Charity Bryant. She was a tailor as well, and she exchanged all sorts of poems and acrostics with women that she was interested in.

And they also exchanged accessories, things like jewellery, like hairpins and And they used rings to signify a lifelong commitment as well. And we have, you know, examples in England too. So the Yorkshire heiress Anne Lister is the most famous one. You know, she's often described as the first modern lesbian. In 1821, she gave her partner Marianne Lawton a gold ring. Wow. This is my favourite bit.

And they also exchanged accessories, things like jewellery, like hairpins and And they used rings to signify a lifelong commitment as well. And we have, you know, examples in England too. So the Yorkshire heiress Anne Lister is the most famous one. You know, she's often described as the first modern lesbian. In 1821, she gave her partner Marianne Lawton a gold ring. Wow. This is my favourite bit.

She turned Marianne's wedding ring from her husband on her finger. So it was already on there, but Anne turned it round. In order to make this new promise of marriage over the top of the one that she'd already made. Wow.

She turned Marianne's wedding ring from her husband on her finger. So it was already on there, but Anne turned it round. In order to make this new promise of marriage over the top of the one that she'd already made. Wow.

So it's interesting because you can see that in some cases they're appropriating these rituals used by straight couples like the exchange of a ring to form a marriage, even if it didn't have the same sort of legal backing.

So it's interesting because you can see that in some cases they're appropriating these rituals used by straight couples like the exchange of a ring to form a marriage, even if it didn't have the same sort of legal backing.

But I mean, the evidence is much more difficult to find because, you know, so often the letters were destroyed and they're obviously not going to be shared around family and friends in the same way as the ones that we've been talking about. And often we do have to rely on evidence in a legal context. So things like trials for assault or indecency between men.

But I mean, the evidence is much more difficult to find because, you know, so often the letters were destroyed and they're obviously not going to be shared around family and friends in the same way as the ones that we've been talking about. And often we do have to rely on evidence in a legal context. So things like trials for assault or indecency between men.

But yeah, couples did exchange letters and they did exchange tokens and they did use these in similar ways to build really intense relationships.

But yeah, couples did exchange letters and they did exchange tokens and they did use these in similar ways to build really intense relationships.

Yeah, I mean, one recourse that she would have had, Lydia, say she became pregnant and then she thought they were about to get married and then he deserted her. She could sue him for breach of promise, for financial damages for her hurt. And it was aggravated by factors like pregnancy. He still wouldn't have to marry her, though. So she'd still be... Well, sometimes juries could order...

Yeah, I mean, one recourse that she would have had, Lydia, say she became pregnant and then she thought they were about to get married and then he deserted her. She could sue him for breach of promise, for financial damages for her hurt. And it was aggravated by factors like pregnancy. He still wouldn't have to marry her, though. So she'd still be... Well, sometimes juries could order...

enormous damages in the hope that that would make them conduce him to offer his hand because he'd think oh my god i'm about to be utterly utterly ruined unless we get married which is a great way to start any union absolutely brilliant forced by a jury of your peers uh it was that or bankruptcy so i thought my darling my dearest darling p.s i will marry you

enormous damages in the hope that that would make them conduce him to offer his hand because he'd think oh my god i'm about to be utterly utterly ruined unless we get married which is a great way to start any union absolutely brilliant forced by a jury of your peers uh it was that or bankruptcy so i thought my darling my dearest darling p.s i will marry you