Meet the Author: Michael Hall - A Queer Inheritance

Details

Meet author Michael Hall, writer of ‘A Queer Inheritance - Alternative Histories in the National Trust’.

National Trust houses and landscapes might seem to embody conventional family values, but for generations some very different stories were hidden away. These belong to owners now considered queer for defying the norms of sexual orientation or gender identity – sometimes blatantly, occasionally as open secrets, but most often very discreetly.

Michael Hall explores not only the best-known examples of sexual difference, such as Lawrence of Arabia at Clouds Hill, Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst and the 'Dancing Marquess' at Plas Newydd; he also covers more recently unveiled stories, such as the lesbian community at Smallhythe and the homosexual scandals associated with Clumber. Then there were the quietly confirmed bachelors, keen to pass their properties and collections to the Trust for posterity...

Your ticket also includes admission to Queer Britain Museum - before or after the event, you can explore our exhibitions.

Location

Queer Britain
2 Granary Square, London, N1C 4BH

The Lineup

Michael Hall, author

Michael Hall has published several books on architecture, country houses and collecting, including Waddesdon Manor: The Biography of a Rothschild House (3rd ed., 2012), George Frederick Bodley and the Later Gothic Revival in Britain and America (2014) and Art, Passion and Power: The Story of the Royal Collection (2017). A former Architectural Editor of Country Life and Editor of Apollo, he was Editor of The Burlington Magazine from 2017 to 2024

Seb Harding, host

Seb is a writer and content creator. He has worked with institutions including the V&A, Royal Academy and RIBA. His work focuses on exploring themes of historic identity and sexuality in relation to the built environment, he writes regularly on the subject in his substack (Behind the Brick Wall). In addition, he consults with fine art and heritage organizations on how to better leverage social content to promote their work.