Titti La Camp | Lost Gay London TITTI LA CAMP 'Thora Hird' The Regina Fong Gala, Black Cap 19/5/09 'I Dreamed a Dream' The Bulldog Pub (Brighton) 'Feed The Birds' The Bulldog Pub (Brighton) 'Defying Gravity' The Bulldog Pub (Brighton) 'Hopelessly Devoted To You' The Bulldog Pub (Brighton) Check out Titti's youtube page

Practically untouched since its April 1985 opening (with dusty boots dangling from the ceiling to prove it), John Edwards's bar The Backstreet (referred to as simply 'Backstreet') abides by its strict fetish dress code, and the pay-off for its loyal leather and rubber clientele is an unfussy, dark and atmospheric cruising space — the closest thing London has to an old-style European leather bar. THE BACKSTREET London's oldest leather bar The Backstreet was a gay leather bar on the Mile End Road in London's East End. It was London's longest running, and last remaining leather bar, having opened in April 1985. In 2019, it was saved from redevelopment by Tower Hamlets Council, which stated that the redevelopment would "harm the long-term provision of a nightclub that serves the LGBT+ community". The reprieve was short lived however, and the bar closed permanently on 17 July 2022. In 2024, a documentary film about the leather bar. The Backstreet premiered at the Sheffield Docfest directed by Romain Beck

RUBYVENEZUELA aka Brian Pierce Born in Plymouth, Ruby became a hit on the drag circuit, performing at Madame Jo Jo’s and Club Fantastic. “I may not be young, but as soon as the music starts I can’t help but jump around" “There’s not many of us left. Now drag artists are basically transvestites who mime and can’t sing. But people will always love over-the-top glamour, and it fits in nicely with the burlesque revival.” Soho singer Lanah P recalled meeting a “huge ball of sequins” in the 1980s and told how Ruby raised funds for Aids hospices or homelessness, performing at the The Soho festival or Phoenix Theatre. Lanah added: “I’ve always been interested and partial towards the avant-garde or post-modernistic elements of the performer and one of my fave periods of Ruby was when she’d come on stage dressed as a bed. It even had cigarette burns on it – but tidier than Tracey Emin’s – and sing this mad song called I’d Rather Have You, but she’d changed the words to “I’d rather have crumbs in my bed”. Hilarious! “I always found her great theatrical value and quite a kind-hearted, generous soul, so now rest in peace, dear.”The editor of Pride Life, Nigel Robinson, told Gay Star News: “I hesitate calling her a drag queen/artiste because she was more than that, more like a bonkers tornado coming in from Kansas, the lovechild of Mrs Shufflewick, Ethel Merman, Mervyn Peake, and Beryl Cook, but above all else her very own character, bringing delight to everyone, young and old.” “Ruby was a terrific performer who loved Soho and cared deeply about this community. She was a true Soho icon and in her passing it feels like another feather boa has been stripped from our streets.” - Rev Simon Buckley Theatre producer and manager Clive Chenery, in an online post, described Ruby as “Soho royalty”, adding:“Ruby sang at my 40th at Steph’s Restaurant. He was truly a one-off and is irreplaceable. He was immortalised by Beryl Cooke who was his next- door neighbour in Plymouth during his childhood. I was fortunate to know, and work with, Ruby on many occasions.”He recalled driving Ruby driving back to Soho to perform in a show at Madame Jo Jo’s from a production of Cinderella in Guildford Civic Hall in 1988.“They got a free tank of petrol one night on the A3 when Ruby got out to pay cash… in full drag.” A portrait of Ruby by Damien Frost

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Our Mission Statement Our mission is to celebrate, document, and preserve the vibrant history of London’s Gay past — its people, places, parties, and protests — before they fade from the collective memory. Through these curated archives, personal stories, and cultural artefacts, we aim to honour the bold spirit and creativity of a scene that shaped identities, built community, and sparked change. This site is a living tribute to the nightlife, art, activism, and resilience that defined gay London, ensuring that the echoes of its legacy continue to inspire future generations. Gage Öhrn Founder Lost Gay London 2012 - 2025

The Wig Party is an iconic fundraising extravaganza of the London party scene held at Café de Paris. The once a year event has helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for HIV Charities including NAT (National AIDS Trust).

James Lee Williams (12 April 1992 – 3 January 2025), known professionally as The Vivienne, was a British drag queen from Colwyn Bay, Wales, and winner of the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019 and seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2022 and became the first drag performer to compete on Dancing on Ice, placing third in the fifteenth series in 2023. In 2015, before the release of Drag Race UK, they were the UK drag ambassador for the American series RuPaul's Drag Race. THE VIVIENNE aka James Lee Williams James Lee Williams, known professionally as The Vivienne, was a British drag queen from Colwyn Bay, Wales, and winner of the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019. They later competed in the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2022 and became the first drag performer to compete on Dancing on Ice, placing third in the fifteenth series in 2023. In 2015, before the release of Drag Race UK, they were the UK drag ambassador for the American series RuPaul's Drag Race. 1/3 In addition to appearing on television, The Vivienne released music, including the extended play Bitch on Heels (2022), and acted on stage, notably as the Wicked Witch of the West in the 2024 UK tour of The Wizard of Oz. The Vivienne died two days before being found on 5 January 2025 from a cardiac arrest, associated with a ketamine overdose, at 32 years of age. (12 April 1992 – 3 January 2025) “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend. “James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person. “I see it online all the time, “Oh, she’s a bitch.” I ’m like, ‘You’ve never met me!’ The on-tour people say I’m the nicest person they’ve ever worked with! It was season one of Drag Race UK that did it.” The Vivienne “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.“James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person." Family Spokes Person