Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1959-2006 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
24 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Michael James (Lynham) was born in Northern Ireland in 1941. Following his move to London, he worked as a window dresser, an antiques dealer and a coffee shop manager. He was an active member of the London Gay Liberation Front in the early 1970s, participating in the Media Workshop which produced Come Together, and in several well publicised demonstrations including the disruption of the Festival of Light in 1971. He was also involved with radical drag and lived in the Colville House commune, which he left in 1973. Following a prison sentence, Michael James worked from 1984 onwards for Body Positive, an HIV/Aids counselling organisation, undertaking full-time hospital visiting and becoming co-ordinator of the Hospital Visitors Group. He left the organisation in 1990, but returned later that year as a centre volunteer and worked for the Gay Switchboard until 1994. He now lives in Brighton.
Archival history
GB 0097 MICHAEL JAMES PAPERS 1959-2006 collection 24 boxes James , Michael , b 1941 , gay activist
Michael James (Lynham) was born in Northern Ireland in 1941. Following his move to London, he worked as a window dresser, an antiques dealer and a coffee shop manager. He was an active member of the London Gay Liberation Front in the early 1970s, participating in the Media Workshop which produced Come Together, and in several well publicised demonstrations including the disruption of the Festival of Light in 1971. He was also involved with radical drag and lived in the Colville House commune, which he left in 1973. Following a prison sentence, Michael James worked from 1984 onwards for Body Positive, an HIV/Aids counselling organisation, undertaking full-time hospital visiting and becoming co-ordinator of the Hospital Visitors Group. He left the organisation in 1990, but returned later that year as a centre volunteer and worked for the Gay Switchboard until 1994. He now lives in Brighton.
Given by Michael James in 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Further material was given by the AIDS Social History Programme, in 1991 and the National Sound Archive, in 1993.
Papers of Michael James, 1959-2000, including correspondence, 1977-1986, notably letters sent to and written by Michael James whilst in prison, 1977-1982; journals and diaries, 1980-[1999], including material relating to the impact of AIDS on the gay community and Body Positive hospital visiting; notebooks, 1977-[2000], containing poetry and prose, diary entries, records of dreams and predictions, sketches, draft letters, notes and cuttings of articles written by James for gay publications; material relating to published and unpublished poetry, articles, reviews and interviews, 1974-1986; papers relating to Body Positive, 1984-[1994], including annual reports, minutes of the Annual General meetings, Hospital Visiting Group meetings and the Counselling Group meetings, newsletters and other publications, and correspondence; photographs, 1959-1989, including Gay Liberation Front and Body Positive events; printed material and ephemera, [1972-1986], notably copies of Come Together; the years of gay liberation, 1970-1973, and Men in frocks (GMP, London, 1984) by Kris Kirk and Ed Heath; a cassette tape and synopsis of an interview by Michael James for the AIDS Social History Programme, 1991, relating to his work with Body Positive; summary of a life history interview taped for the National Sound Archive, 1993; papers of Tarsus Sutton, 1932-1990, including personal papers, leaflets and pamphlets, letters and postcards from Michael James and a notebook relating to hospital visits for Body Positive; personal papers, memorabilia and diaries documenting gay life in Brighton, 1995-1998; audio tapes, [1988-2000], including material relating to the Gay Liberation Front, the Notting Hill commune, and Body Positive hospital visiting. M3364 (deposited February 2007): correspondence and diaries, 2006, with papers relating to community activities in Brighton and Hove, 2006 (including copies of the 'Kemptown Rag' , papers relating to the Defend Council Housing campaign and Brighton Pride photo souvenir magazine). Also CDs containing letters and diaries from 1997-2006.
Arranged as outlined in the Scope and Content. Deposits after 1993 are unsorted.
Apply to Archivist.
Copyright retained by the donor and their heirs.
English
The collection includes audio tapes.
Catalogue available from Archives staff for the 1990 and 1993 deposits. Later deposits are unlisted.
The British Library of Political and Economic Science holds the Hall-Carpenter Archive, which contains records and publications of gay organisations and individuals in the UK and worldwide, including those of the GLF and Body Positive (Ref: HCA).
Lisa Power No bath but plenty of bubbles: an oral history of the Gay Liberation Front, 1970-73 (Cassell, London, 1995).
Sources: British Library of Political and Economic Science Archives catalogue; Lisa Power No bath but plenty of bubbles: an oral history of the Gay Liberation Front, 1970-73 (Cassell, London, 1995). Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Updated Apr 2008 by LSE Archives. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Feb 2001; Apr 2008 Aids Social History Programme Body Positive , HIV/Aids counselling organisation Brighton Counselling Cultural conditions Cultural life Drag England Europe Gay Liberation Front HIV/AIDS counselling Homosexuality James , Michael , b 1941 , gay and drag activist and counsellor Lesbian and gay press Liberation movements Life styles London Notting Hill Political movements Press Radical drag Sexuality Social work Sussex Sutton , Tarsus , d 1994 , gay and drag activist Transvestism UK Western Europe Kensington and Chelsea East Sussex
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Given by Michael James in 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Further material was given by the AIDS Social History Programme, in 1991 and the National Sound Archive, in 1993.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Michael James, 1959-2000, including correspondence, 1977-1986, notably letters sent to and written by Michael James whilst in prison, 1977-1982; journals and diaries, 1980-[1999], including material relating to the impact of AIDS on the gay community and Body Positive hospital visiting; notebooks, 1977-[2000], containing poetry and prose, diary entries, records of dreams and predictions, sketches, draft letters, notes and cuttings of articles written by James for gay publications; material relating to published and unpublished poetry, articles, reviews and interviews, 1974-1986; papers relating to Body Positive, 1984-[1994], including annual reports, minutes of the Annual General meetings, Hospital Visiting Group meetings and the Counselling Group meetings, newsletters and other publications, and correspondence; photographs, 1959-1989, including Gay Liberation Front and Body Positive events; printed material and ephemera, [1972-1986], notably copies of Come Together; the years of gay liberation, 1970-1973, and Men in frocks (GMP, London, 1984) by Kris Kirk and Ed Heath; a cassette tape and synopsis of an interview by Michael James for the AIDS Social History Programme, 1991, relating to his work with Body Positive; summary of a life history interview taped for the National Sound Archive, 1993; papers of Tarsus Sutton, 1932-1990, including personal papers, leaflets and pamphlets, letters and postcards from Michael James and a notebook relating to hospital visits for Body Positive; personal papers, memorabilia and diaries documenting gay life in Brighton, 1995-1998; audio tapes, [1988-2000], including material relating to the Gay Liberation Front, the Notting Hill commune, and Body Positive hospital visiting. M3364 (deposited February 2007): correspondence and diaries, 2006, with papers relating to community activities in Brighton and Hove, 2006 (including copies of the 'Kemptown Rag' , papers relating to the Defend Council Housing campaign and Brighton Pride photo souvenir magazine). Also CDs containing letters and diaries from 1997-2006.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged as outlined in the Scope and Content. Deposits after 1993 are unsorted.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Apply to Archivist.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright retained by the donor and their heirs.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The British Library of Political and Economic Science holds the Hall-Carpenter Archive, which contains records and publications of gay organisations and individuals in the UK and worldwide, including those of the GLF and Body Positive (Ref: HCA).
Finding aids
Catalogue available from Archives staff for the 1990 and 1993 deposits. Later deposits are unlisted.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English