Series 1: Episode Five
The Real Diaries of Anne Lister
Gentleman Jack is based on the real diaries of Anne Lister, who sometimes wrote in code to disguise her innermost thoughts.
Here we have selected extracts from the diary and explain how they feature in the episode.
In Anne's Diary: 25th November 1832
Anne writes...
Highlighted Above
An impertinent fellow with a great stick in his hand asked if I was going home and made a catch at my queer.
‘Goddam you’, said I, and pushed him off.
He said something which I took as meaning an attack, so said I:
‘If you dare I’ll soon do for you’ and he walked one way and I the other.
I did not feel the least frightened. How involuntarily and bitterly I always swear on these occasions!
Under Attack
The scene in which Anne Lister is attacked by a thug as she walks from Ann Walker’s home to her own is inspired by this passage from her diary.
It is not clear whether it was a random or premeditated attack, but the man did not appear to anticipate Anne’s spirited response to his assault.
Learn more
Anne Lister’s diaries – along with other items that belonged to her – are kept at the Calderdale Archives in Halifax.
Visit their website to find out more, and practice your mastery of Anne’s code on high-resolution digitised scans of every page.
