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Manchester鈥檚 First Drag Ball?

Manchester drag royalty Cheddar Gorgeous looks at whether a 鈥淒rag Ball鈥 in 1880 kicked off Manchester鈥檚 famous LGBT+ scene.

Manchester drag royalty Cheddar Gorgeous looks at whether a 鈥淒rag Ball鈥 in 1880 kicked off Manchester鈥檚 famous LGBT+ scene.

By the 90s the LGBT+ party scene in Manchester was famous enough to be known as Gaychester 鈥 but why did Manchester become known for its queer community?

Each episode of In This Place: Gaychester looks at a different aspect of the city鈥檚 queer history.

If you鈥檙e in Manchester, you can use this podcast as a walking tour and visit the locations spoken about.

If you stand on the corner of Fountain Street and York Street you鈥檒l find a rainbow mosaic 鈥 this is the spot where it鈥檚 believed the 1880 Fancy Dress Ball took place.

Presenter: Cheddar Gorgeous
Producers: Robert Beck, Jo Deahl and Jo Newsholme
Editors: Nicky Edwards and Sam Turner

Thanks to Ric Brady and Stephen M Hornby for the audio of their play 鈥淎 Very Victorian Scandal鈥 and to the performers Graham Eaglesham, Gareth George, Mark Roberts, Joel Parry and John Smeathers

Available now

17 minutes

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