ANNE LISTER TOUR OF EDINBURGH

Somewhere EDI Community Interest Company in partnership with Hands On Consulting have recently completed a series of National Heritage Lottery funded tours of Edinburgh, celebrating the life and times of Anne Lister, chronicling her escapades in the city in the 19th century. 

The famous 19th century lesbian landowner, traveller, diarist and ‘star’ of HBO/BBC smash hit drama “Gentleman Jack” visited the city in 1828 with her companion Sibella MacLean, a noblewoman from the Isle of Mull. 

Part of their two and a-half-month tour of Scotland included a stay in Edinburgh, and through the direct quotes from Anne’s diary, expert guide and cultural interpreter Stef Lauer traces her very footsteps, recounting her unique insights and experiences and bringing this newly-discovered 200 year-old LGBTQ+ heritage to the city for the very first time.

Throughout 2021 and 2022, Heritage Lottery funding enabled introduced the tour to over 100 LGBTQ+ people and allies over a 15 month period, opening up this important piece of queer heritage to new audiences from the community and beyond. With support from their network of LGBTQ+ charities and organisations across Scotland, Somewhere and Hands On Consulting were able to give the community an exciting new experience.

Part of the funding enabled the creation of the Anne Lister Grove in the Trees for Life plantation in Glen Affric. To date, the initiative has created 62 tree donations, and growing.