4 July 2000

The Leather Archives & Museum in Chicago has named Tony Brown and Roland Jaggard Centurions in recognition of their significant service to the 20^th-Century Leather Community. The awards will be presented during SM Gays Meeting, Thursday 20^th July 2,000 by a member of Chicago Hellfire Club on behalf of the Leather Archives & Museum.

Tony Brown and Roland Jaggard were defendants in the ‘Spanner’ case who appealed their convictions for engaging in consensual SM up to the House of Lords and to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Their CenturionAward citation reads “They were thrust into the light of bigotry and stood for us”.

The Leather Archives & Museum opened in its new permanent premises in Chicago in February 2000. To celebrate this and the end of the first century of leather/ SM / fetish sex and sexualities, a number of Centurion Awards were made at the opening. These recognised those who, in the opinion of the Museum’s Executive Director, Joseph Bean, had contributed most to the making of the first century of leather /SM /fetish sex and sexualities. The awards recognised leather men, women, clubs and authors: some for their pioneering work, being “out” about their leather/ SM /fetish sexuality, long before it was widely accepted; others who created powerful bonds between sexes and orientations; and others who made significant individual contributions.

Background sheets are attached on The Leather Archives & Museum, The Spanner case and the Spanner Trust plus a Guide to SM and the Law since the Spanner Case

For more information contact: Ian Gurnhill, Leather Archives & Museum’s UK Regional Co-ordinator Tel: 020 7736-3477

Presentation:

Date: Thursday 20 July 2000

Time: During SM Gays meeting, around 9pm

Place: Hoist Bar, Railway Arch 47c, South Lambeth Road, Vauxhall, London SW