1972 – The Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent had a local Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) group that was part of a national network of CHE groups that met across the UK. The goal of the CHE was to promote legal and social equality for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. A local group formed in Stoke-on-Trent around 1972 and initially met in members homes and then the 141 (One for One) club that opened a year later. Membership cost 50p
The group was listed in the first issue of Gay News around 1st May 1972 under the heading “Campaign for Homosexual Equality” (clipping below). The same issue also listed a local Gay Liberation Front Group. Read about the Stoke on Trent Gay Liberation Front Groups here…
Listing in Gay News Issue 1 May 1972
CHE Meetings at the Vine
An article in Gay News Issue 46 published 9 May 1974 tells us that the group later met at The Vine Inn…
Article in Gay News Issue 46 May 1974
The Vine Inn was in Vine Street Hanley, no longer there as it was demolished a while ago
Nationally, the CHE has evolved into the CHE Research Trust (CHERT) a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) established to research and publish the history of LGBT rights in the UK. See www.chert.org.uk
Copyright Notice
The newspaper cuttings featured here have been compiled by the posts author, Andrew Colclough, from online archives as part of his personal research into local LGBT+ history. Copyright belongs to the newspapers that published the articles. The news cuttings have been shared here by this post’s author, Andrew Colclough, on the basis of fair personal/non commercial use.
Clippings from Gay News have been retrieved from the Gay News Archive Project
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