The Cleveland Street Scandal

1889 was the year of the Cleveland Street scandal, in which a male brothel was raided in Cleveland Street, in London’s West End. At the time, sexual acts between men were illegal in Britain, and those who visited the house of assignation on Cleveland Street faced prosecution. However, due to the high social standing of many of the clientele of 19 Cleveland Street, only a few men faced prison time, as the British government were accused of covering up the scandal in order to protect members of the establishment.

Sources:

Rose Staveley-Wadham, Unlock the Story of the Cleveland Street Scandal, The British Newspaper Archive, https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2023/08/01/unlock-the-story-of-the-cleveland-street-scandal/

Colin Walks London, Cleveland Street Scandal, https://www.colinwalkslondon.com/articles/cleveland-street-scandal

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