The Cleveland Street Scandal: Telegraph Boys, a London Brothel, and Aristocratic Clients
About this episode
The episode explores the Cleveland Street Scandal of 1889, revealing the involvement of telegraph boys and high-profile clients in a male brothel.
A routine Post Office investigation in 1889 led to the discovery of a male brothel on Cleveland Street, involving telegraph boys and high-profile clients linked to the royal household. As the case unfolded, key figures escaped prosecution—raising questions about power and accountability. Source Materials H. Montgomery Hyde, The Cleveland Street Scandal H. Montgomery Hyde, The Love That Dared Not Speak Its Name: A Candid History of Homosexuality in Britain Katie Hindmarch-Watson, “Male Prostitution and the London Telegraph Boys,” Theo Aronson, Prince Eddy and the Homosexual Underworld British Newspaper Archive, “Unlock the Story of the Cleveland Street Scandal” https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2023/08/01/unlock-the-story-of-the-cleveland-street-scandal/ Rictor Norton, “The Cleveland Street Scandal (1889)” https://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1889clev.htm Contemporary newspaper reports from The Times (1889–1890) Contemporary newspaper reports from The North London Press (1889–1890)
People in this episode
Host: Lizzie
Topics covered
- Cleveland Street Scandal
- male brothel
- telegraph boys
- aristocratic clients
- power and accountability
- homosexuality in Britain
Keywords
- Cleveland Street Scandal
- male brothel
- telegraph boys
- aristocrats
- 1889
- homosexuality
- London
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Times, The North London Press
Books & works: The Cleveland Street Scandal, The Love That Dared Not Speak Its Name: A Candid History of Homosexuality in Britain
Places: London
More episodes of Historical True Crime
- Tom Horn: Murder on the Wyoming Frontier
- The Birdman of Alcatraz: Myth vs Reality
- The Princes in the Tower: England’s Most Famous Royal Disappearance
- Anna Marie Hahn: The Cincinnati Poisonings
- The Murder of Emanuele Notarbartolo (1893) — Sicily’s First Mafia Case
- The Ratcliffe Highway Murders: Terror in London’s East End
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Historical True Crime podcast page.