We’re thrilled to share that Emma, a producer for BBC Radio Norfolk, has created a new radio programme and podcast called “Norfolk: That’s a Queer Ol’ Place”. The series was broadcast throughout January and into LGBT+ History Month on radio Norfolk’s daytime programme, and is now available to listen to on BBC Sounds as a podcast.
Emma reached out to us and has worked closely with our volunteers and wider community to create these beautifully crafted short audio stories exploring Norfolk’s rich and often-overlooked queer histories.
Below is an episode‑by‑episode guide to help introduce the series and the stories it uncovers.
8 minutes
The series opens at Norwich Millennium Library, home to an archive dedicated entirely to Norfolk’s LGBTQIA+ history. This episode sets the scene: why queer archives matter, what they preserve, and how community volunteers have shaped them. Queer history is everywhere, sometimes hidden in plain sight.
11 minutes
This episode shines a light on Anna Gurney, a remarkable 19th‑century figure from Norfolk. A scholar, translator, archaeologist, philanthropist, Gurney lived a life packed with achievement. The story explores her achievements and her close relationships with women, raising questions about how we understand and name queer lives in times before queerness had modern language.
9 minutes
Moving to Great Yarmouth, this episode revisits the story of the Ferrow brothers, who were once known as sisters but later lived as brothers. Their transition in the 1930s drew public fascination. The story sits within a longer local history of gender‑diversity and provides a striking early example of trans lives lived publicly in Norfolk.
10 minutes
This episode traces the life and work of Barbara Ross, a Norfolk social worker remembered as a pioneer. Ross challenged norms, supported trans people unapologetically, and approached her work with a radical compassion that now reads as decades ahead of her time. Her story highlights how the compassion of one person can transform an entire community.
10 minutes
The final episode explores Norfolk’s LGBTQIA+ nightlife. James and Jules explore past venues, DIY scenes, safe spaces, and the cultural life that unfolded after dark. From clubs to pubs to informal gatherings, the episode celebrates the places where queer people found connection, romance, joy, and sometimes sanctuary.
You can listen to the whole series now on BBC Sounds.
Queer Norfolk is a volunteer-led archiving project that hands ownership of queer collections back to communities, empowering people to access, discover, and contribute to local collections that reflect our shared histories.
