Croydon Pride 1993
The Croydon Pride 1993 events pamphlet is one of several queer artefacts identified by Mark Goldby in Chapter 1 of the Queer+ Croydon Exhibition. This small pale pink A5 pamphlet is a window into the world of the Local LGBT+ community of Croydon in the early 1990s.
In Chapter 2 of ‘Queer+ Croydon’ we learnt how Ray Harvey-Amer was involved in the setting up of a charitable support system, ‘The Gay Health Link’ from his home in Shirley during the early days of HIV/AIDS in 1987. As demand grew for HIV support in Croydon, the group moved to the ACE Centre at Queen’s hospital and was renamed the ‘ACE Project’. The focus was on delivering advice about welfare and benefits and providing alternative forms of support to people affected by HIV.
By 1993 HIV/AIDS was running rife through the UK gay community, with as many as 80% of the total AIDS cases being attributed to gay and bisexual men. It is useful to remember that many people found themselves disowned by family after coming out, and often suffered further discrimination by straight and gay people alike after disclosing their HIV status. The ACE Project offered a ‘buddies’ system so that gay men with HIV could be paired up with gay volunteers. By providing support and care via the gay community, HIV patients were able to access a direct link back into the wider LGBT community. This helped to address the stigma attached to AIDS, educating future generations about the disease, and helping to prevent further alienation.
“…it is up to us as individuals and collectively to support each other and prevent, as much as possible, the consequences the virus is having within all sections of our gay communities.”
On top of the buddy service, there were several befriending activities including the ACE Players theatre group, a lunch club and a self-help support group called The Croydon Body Positive Group. Though the ACE Project provided much needed support for those living with HIV, it relied heavily on funding and donations to continue its work. The Croydon Pride Organising Group was formed - of which Ray was a prominent member – to create a fundraising initiative with gay and gay friendly bars and clubs in Croydon and South London. Various events would be put on to raise money for the ACE Project and other Croydon LGBT groups such as Croydon Friend.
Streets Bar in Penge – marketed as “London’s newest gay bar” – put on a ‘raunchy launch’ event, followed by a queer Ball, while The Hollybush in Crystal Palace put on a Bermuda shorts BBQ and Karaoke evening to help raise funds. PJ’s Bar in Thornton Heath celebrated its first birthday in 1993 with a blessing from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and several Cabaret evenings followed. Croydon’s best-known gay bar, The Bird-In-Hand which was located on Sydenham Road put on an inter-pub Rounders Challenge, a Garden Party BBQ and Bullseye style Quiz. Bar staff who were known as the ‘Ladybirds’ and ‘Bird Boyz’ were heavily involved in activities, including a member of staff named ‘Jae’ who designed the Croydon Pride 1993 T-shirt which could be purchased for £6.50 each.
On the 19th June 1993, buses and transport were arranged to take people from participating Croydon venues into London for the gay pride parade. People could march behind the Croydon banner from the Embankment to Hyde Park, where they could then be transported to Brockwell Park to attend the free Pride Festival, which had become the largest free music event in Europe.
The story of Croydon Pride 1993 is an inspiring account of a community coming together in a time of crisis. By visibly raising funds within the LGBT+ community, Croydon Pride sent out a message to all people affected by HIV that they still mattered, and that they were loved by the queer community. I am particularly inspired by the small businesses that joined forces to fundraise, and the programme of creative events they came up with to encourage people to donate.
Sadly, none of the bars and clubs mentioned from 1993 still operate as gay bars, but Croydon has several gay friendly establishments such as The Oval Tavern, which runs year-round events for the LGBT+ community. The Spreadeagle is another establishment that supports the LGBT+ community, hosting the ‘Not So Lovelies’ lesbian drama troupe from 2015-2017, and continuing to host monthly meetings and lunch clubs for the Croydon Area Gay Society (CAGS) to this very day.
Mark Goldby
Exhibitor and Artist
If you remember Croydon Pride 1993, or have any information, photographs or artefacts relating to it or any of the establishments mentioned, please get in contact with the Museum of Croydon at museum@croydon.gov.uk or visit the Queer+ Croydon Collecting page here.
