UK’s fist ever national Pride march took place in Huddersfield in 1981
- First national Pride match begun at old Leeds Road stadium
- Huddersfield Town share commemorative event video
- Original march took place on 4 July 1981 in Huddersfield
The UK’s first ever national Pride march took place in Huddersfield on 4th July 1981, with the Club helping to commemorate the occasion by recently sharing a video dedicated to the event.
Having begun from one of the car parks at our old Leeds Road stadium, the history of the march and Pride in Huddersfield is therefore inextricably linked to the Club, with the event holding great significance across the entire of the UK’s history with LGBT+ awareness and support.
To mark the fortieth anniversary, a series of arts and archive events are took place until in the town back in 2022, to celebrate this milestone in the LGBTQ+ history of the UK. The different elements of the project were known as “The Day The World Came To Huddersfield.”
A four-minute film has been made using recovered pictures, some new portraits of local LGBT+ people taken by internationally renowned artists Ajamu X and some specially commissioned animations. The archive elements are from pictures already donated to WYAS and from the Robert Workman Archive at the Bishopsgate Institute in London. The films tells the story of Pride 1981, and can be viewed below.
🌈 Did you know that the first national Pride march took place in Huddersfield?
— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) March 9, 2022
Back in 1981, that inaugural event began in our stadium car park, back at the old Leeds Road 🏳🌈
Find out more about the history of the event from @KirkleesCouncil: https://t.co/Kk1aecGgXa#htafc pic.twitter.com/zAV5BjfemX
Professor Sue Sanders, Chair of Schools OUT UK, founders of LGBT+ History Month said:
“This excellent film really gives a sense of actually being on the march and everything it stood for. And it’s just a part of this extraordinary project. The first national Pride in Huddersfield in 1981 is a wonderful piece of forgotten history that needs to be known across the UK.”
Ajamu X, Huddersfield born photographer said:
“It’s very special to me to be able to take these portraits celebrating the hidden queer history of my hometown. It’s so moving to know some of my work is there now on New Street not far away from where I stood as a 17-year-old, watching the Pride 1981 march go by.”
