Lecture Series Defamation and Desire Exploring Edinburghs Queer History
**Gladstone’s Land Accessibility Guide: Exploring Jane Pirie’s Story**
Dive into the captivating and intricate tale of Jane Pirie, once a resident of Gladstone’s Land. In 1810, Pirie, alongside her colleague Marianne Woods, found themselves at the center of a notorious libel case when a student alleged they were in a same-sex relationship. Their prolonged courtroom struggle would later serve as the inspiration for the 1961 film *The Children’s Hour*, featuring Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine.
At the dawn of the 19th century, Edinburgh was a city of stark contrasts. The New Town reflected the Enlightenment values of reason, advancement, and structure, while the Old Town clung to its medieval roots, crowded and bound by tradition. Jane Pirie navigated both realms, connected to two significant National Trust for Scotland properties. She spent her early years in accommodations at Gladstone’s Land, nestled in the historic Old Town, and later taught at a school near The Georgian House in the refined New Town.
This presentation will delve into the pivotal moments that defined Pirie’s life and their aftermath, shedding light on the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and social class in Edinburgh during the early 1800s.
**Event Details:**
– Doors open: 6:30pm
– Talk begins: 7pm
The session will be led by Indigo Dunphy-Smith, a member of the Visitor Services team at The Georgian House and co-chair of the LGBT Network for The National Trust for Scotland. Indigo has recently collaborated with the Queer Heritage and Collections Network to develop a toolkit that supports historic sites in uncovering LGBTQ+ stories within their existing collections. As part of The National Trust for Scotland’s decade-long vision, *Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone*, we are committed to highlighting the lives of those who defied societal norms. This initiative includes reexamining how we portray individuals tied to our historic properties.
**Note:** This is a paid event.
