On Thursday Evening last a Barber and Peruke-maker was committed to the Gatehouse for Sodomitical Practices. (General Advertiser)
Thursday, 20 August 1752
Yesterday a Master Painter was committed to the Gatehouse, by Justice Fielding, for attempting to commit Sodomy with a Foot Soldier. (General Advertiser)
Friday, 21 August 1752
We hear from South Wales, that an eminent Chinaman not far from St. James’s, was tried there for attempting to commit Sodomy on a Country Farmer; for which he was sentenced to stand in the Pillory. (General Advertiser)
Monday, 24 August 1752
On Wednesday last ... a Man was committed to the Gatehouse by the said Justice [Fielding], being charged with Sodomitical Practices. (General Advertiser)
Tuesday, 25 August 1752
Last Week one Samuel Hill of Debenham was committed to Ipswich Goal, for stealing 20 Ewe Lambs from Mr. John Carter of Occold. And John Griggs, an old Man, who stood in the Pillory five Years ago in Ipswich, for an Attempt to commit Sodomy, was also committed to the said Goal for the like Crime. (General Advertiser)
Wednesday, 2 September 1752
On Saturday Evening a Person was taken into Custody of a Peace Officer, for Sodomitical Practices, near the Tower, but being admitted to Bail hanged himself. (General Advertisere)
Bristol ... On Saturday last, about Ten o’Clock in the Morning, Richard Arnold (near sixty Years of Age, who formerly kept the Lamb and Flag-Alehouse in Tucker-street, and since the Lamb and Flag in Temple-streeet) and William Pritchard, a Footman to a Gentleman of this City, aged about 20, were apprehended in a back Room at the Swan Alehouse in Broad-street by the Landlord, on a violent Suspicion of having committed the detestable Crime of Sodomy; and being carried before Mr. Alderman Day, were by him committed to Newgate. (General Advertiser) [In August 1753 they were both sentenced to be hanged. See also Bristol Gaol Delivery Fiats. And see report on their hanging.]
12 October 1752
May 21. We hear from Dublin, that a Personage of great Distinction in the British Nation has lately suffered an Amputation of both his Ears, by a Gentleman on whom he had the Impudence, as well as the enormous Baseness, to attempt the Commission of Sodomy; and indeed it is a Pity that some other of his Members had not undergone the same Fate. (The Virginia Gazette, American Colonies; see also report for 27 October.)
Yesterday was held a Court of Common-Council at Guildhal, when, amongst many other Reports from the Committee of City-Lands, one concerening pulling down the Wall, that parts the Upper from Middle Moorfields, was read and agreed to; (this Wall has been a longTime a great Nusance [sic] to the Neighbourhood, as it was a Screen for Thieves and the most obnoxious persons.) (General Advertiser) [See also the report for 28 October. The path along this wall was famous as ‘the Sodomites Walk’ in the 1720s.]
On Tuesday Night Mr. Banks, a Barber and Peruke-maker in Earl-street, near the Seven Dials, found Means to hang himself in his Room. And on Wednesday evening the Coroner’s Inquest sat on the Body, and brought in their Verdict Lunacy. (General Advertiser) [It seems likely that this is the barber arrested for sodomy on 15 August.]
Tuesday, 24 October 1752
On Sunday Night two Men were detected in Sodomitical Practices in the Temple Boghouse, one of whom underwent the Discipline of the Thames. (General Advertiser)
27 October 1752
Extract of a Letter from Dublin, of May 19.
"Some of your London News-Papers are fill’d with cursed Falshoods, said to be transmitted from Dublin, concerning a great Person’s having his Ears cut off for an Attempt to commit S—y; that horrid Vice (God be praised) not being known in this Island." (The Virginia Gazette)
Several Workmen are daily employed in puling down the Wall that separates Lower from Upper Moorfields, in order to level the Ground, make it more agreeable to the View; and also to prevent the daily Assemblies of idle Fellows the Thieves, who have frequented that Place for many Years, and debauch’d the Morals of ’Prentices and other unguarded Youth. (General Advertiser) [See also the report for 13 October.]
SOURCE: The General Advertiser newspaper, dates as given.
CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation:
Rictor Norton (Ed.), "Newspaper Reports, 1752",
Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook, 14 August 2002, updated 17 January 2012
<http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1752news.htm>.