1935: Police observations on the Shim Sham Club. Catalogue: MEPO 2/4494
The Shim Sham Club was an unlicensed club on Wardour Street in London. It was heavily associated with African-American culture, described as ‘London’s miniature Harlem’. It was also frequented by the LGBTQ+ community. All of this caused the police to keep the club under surveillance. This document shows a surveillance report from an undercover police officer.
The Shim Sham Club was one of a small number of underground clubs where LGBTQ+ people in 1930s Britain could gather.
Transcript
At 2:16 AM, two women both of the Lesbian type left and walked to Shaftesbury Avenue where they entered a cab. As they passed me, one said to the other: “That was a dear dance for ten bob”.
At 2:17 AM the boy on the cycle left.
At 2:19 AM a man of colour entered.
At 2:23 AM a man under the influence of drink left. He was wearing a fancy hat and blowing a squeaker.
At 2:30 AM three men left and entered a cab.
At 2:34 AM one man and two women in evening dress arrived in a cab and entered.
At 2:37 AM a man entered, following by a boy carrying a bottle, who arrived on a cycle.
At 2:42 AM three women left.
At 2:44 AM a boy, and the cycle left.
At 3:1 AM five men left, all very rowdy, they walked towards Coventry Street.
At 3:8 AM three men of colour left.
At 3:20 AM two prostitutes entered.
At 3:38 AM four women left.
At 3:50 AM two women left.
- What descriptors is the policeman using that stick out to you? What does the language used in this police report infer?
- What does this report tell you about the type of people that the police might view as cause for concern?
- What does this report reveal about the people who went to the Shim Sham Club?