A cycle tour exploring
London’s literary
LGBT history
Photo: Holborn Library, London Borough of Camden by The wub, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Originally taken 18 September 2016.
Join Open City for a cycling tour in celebration of Pride month exploring the fascinating history of LGBT literary activism from the East End to Bloomsbury
This fun and inspiring cycle tour led by Golden Key Academy graduate Justin Manley celebrates the history of the bookshops, libraries, and archives which have been preserving and sharing queer stories in London for decades.
Bookshops and public libraries have long brought readers and writers from a range of diverse and campaigning backgrounds together. This leisurely three-hour cycle between Mile End and Bloomsbury is a celebration of literary LGBTQ resistance and resilience in London.
See the public library that defied the government to keep LGBTQ stories on its shelves. Visit the bookshop whose inventory of LGBTQ literature was seized by the government, and the booksellers who fought in Central Criminal Court and won back their books and their right (everyone's right!) to keep selling them. Hear about the archives where banners and posters from decades of protests are preserved and more.
Highlights of the route include: Holborn Library, Bishopsgate Institute and The Common Press Shoreditch High Street a key example of queer book activism today.
Key information
Participants must be competent riders and bring their own bicycle.
Meeting point: In front of the Tower Hamlets Local History & Archives, 277 Bancroft Rd E1 4DQ. The 2nd stop on this tour is xxxx
End point: Gay's the Word bookshop, 66 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AB
Duration: 3 hours approx
Difficulty: Moderate, the route does include some large main roads, and slopes (gently!) upwards for much of the route.
Distance: 6.8 miles / 11km
Accessibility: There is a very gentle downwards incline across the entire route. There are no places where participants are required to carry bicycles up or down stairs.
*3 of stops on the tours are shared between this and London Libraries cycle tour Justin also leads for Open City. The content of only one of those stops, Gay's the Word is the same.
Cost: £19.50 / £17.50 / £13.50 / £9.50
Tickets are non refundable and our tours go ahead rain or shine…
We aim to be inclusive and accessible where possible, please contact Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk to discuss your needs, reduced ticket prices and if you require a free carer ticket or have any additional queries.
MEET THE TOUR GUIDE
Justin Manley is a graduate of the 2023 Golden Key Academy, a masterclass for urban and architectural tour guiding run by Open City.
Previously, he designed and led architecture tours in Chicago as part of that city’s annual urbanist festival. An avid reader, Justin holds library cards from across the US and UK: the New York City suburbs where he was born; Chicago; San Francisco; and of course, London.
Chances are that at this very moment, he has books checked out from two or three public libraries around London. Learn more about Justin at http://justinmanley.work.
He joined the Open City tours team in December 2023.