Person    | Male  Born 22/10/1870  Died 20/3/1945

Lord Alfred Douglas

Journalist and poet. Son of the Marquess of Queensbury and lover of Oscar Wilde. Known as Bosie (a nickname given to him by his mother as a derivation of 'boysie'). After Wilde's release from prison, the couple briefly lived together in Naples. He married Olive Custance in 1902, with whom he had a son, Raymond. In 1923 he served six months in prison for libelling Winston Churchill. The phrase "the love that dare not speak its name" is from Douglas, aged 22, not Wilde.

2021:Patrick M. B. Hinchy told us that Douglas lived for 10 years (1935-44) by St Ann's Well Gardens in Hove, East Sussex, and that he died at a farm in Sompting, close to Lancing in West Sussex. He drew our attention to this LA Times piece: about the death of Douglas's last friends: "In December 1944, the widowed Douglas accepted the couple’s {Sheila and Edward Colman} invitation to stay at their farm. The Colmans cared for Douglas at their home until he died of heart failure in March 1945 at age 74."

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Lord Alfred Douglas

Commemorated ati

Oscar Wilde - Clapham Junction

The plaque was unveiled by actor Russell Tovey and Mayor of Wandsworth, Lesli...

Read More

Other Subjects

Girls Friendly Society

Girls Friendly Society

From English Heritage: "... founded in 1875 by Mary Townsend as an Anglican organisation that offered care and support to such women, through seven 'lodges' across west London, in areas like Ealing...

Group, Gender Issues, Social Welfare

1 memorial
The Black Cap

The Black Cap

Public House. It was originally called the Mother Black Cap after a local legend concerning a witch, and had that name, according to licensing records, as early as 1751. In the mid 1960s it became ...

Building, Food & Drink, Gender Issues

1 memorial
First gay rights demonstration

First gay rights demonstration

The first gay rights demonstration in Britain took place in Highbury Fields when about 150 members of the Gay Liberation Front held a torchlight rally against police harassment. Louis Eakes of the ...

Event, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Anna Haslam

Anna Haslam

Co-founder of the Irishwomen’s Suffrage and Local Government Association. Born Anna Maria Fisher in County Cork, Ireland, to a large Quaker family already involved in social welfare and reform. Mar...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Ireland

1 memorial
William Thomas Stead

William Thomas Stead

Campaigning journalist and spiritualist. Born Northumberland. Committed to the peace movement, women's rights, civil liberties. As part of his campaign against juvenile prostitution he 'bought' 12 ...

Person, Gender Issues, Journalism / Publishing, Paranormal, Peace, Tragedy

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Reverend St John Groser

Reverend St John Groser

Priest and social reformer.  Born Australia to parents who were there as missionaries.  Educated in England.  Vicar of Christ Church, Watney Street from 1929-48.  Held left-wing views that he acted...

Person, Politics & Administration, Religion, Social Welfare, Australia

1 memorial
John Birnie Philip

John Birnie Philip

John Birnie Philip was born on 23 November 1824 in London, the third son of the five children of William Philip (1781-1865)  and Elizabeth Philip née Rhind (b.1786). His father was a tailor and he ...

Person, Sculpture

61 memorials
Margaret Ashton

Margaret Ashton

Chairperson of the North of England Society for Women’s Suffrage. Manchester’s first woman councillor. Active in women’s peace campaigns during First World War. The photograph shows her at the Manc...

Person, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson

Actor.  Born Paddington.  Her parents are the actors Eric Thompson and Scottish actor Phyllida Law.  Married first Kenneth Branagh and then Greg Wise, both actors.

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, TV & Radio

1 memorial