The Link – transcript

Video transcript: The Link

The Link. The story of a 1920s romance with the flair of the 21st century. Created in 1915 by Alfred Walter Barrett, The Link was an anonymous monthly magazine, which was used for many forms of non-matrimonial matchmaking.

By 1920, the consequences of World War One were tugging at the people of Britain
and the Commonwealth. The heart and soul of the nation had been under constant siege for four years, inflamed in the angst of warfare and the ultimate fear of receiving a red letter through the post.

With families losing numerous relatives and mothers losing their sons as well as their husbands, Britain became a nation of lonely individuals. The weather was bleak and British. Life was mundane and the economic squeeze of war was affecting individuals’ livelihoods.

Any glimmer of hope seemed to crack and peel away as the relentless consequences of war kept constricting people more and more. It drove people to a breaking point, and the people of Britain were lonely and consequently looking for someone to requite their sadness.

The Link also highlighted, as it has always been, that LGBTQ+ couples have always existed. Personally I think the trauma of warfare and the sense of existentialism the war highlighted made individuals question their own lives and almost feel like they had nothing to lose in revealing themselves through The Link.

Ernie and Geoff were one such couple who incited conversation through letters thanks to one 25-word description that was posted in a 1920 issue of The Link. They sent and received letters to one another and they spoke of music, art, dancing and amusement.

Whilst letters were exchanged, it is never known whether Ernie and Geoff ever met. The letters are surprisingly enigmatic, whilst being exceptionally open given the criminalisation of homosexual acts at the time of writing.

‘All my love is for my own sex.’ Surely the ultimate acceptance of their love, which is sustained through their letters. This line is a powerful self-acceptance of love, which effectuates love for oneself as well as the same gender.

Given relationships like Ernie and Geoff’s were frequent in the monthly issues of The Link, with blatant expressions of individuals looking for same-sex romance, The Link was investigated by Metropolitan Police. Alfred Walter Barrett was put on trial for allowing such relationships alongside his colleague Gladys McCarthy. Both defended the paper, saying they were unaware of what was going on and both were not charged.

However, public attitudes surrounding The Link differed to the judge. An issue of the Daily Telegraph from the 9th of June 1921 revealed public attitudes saw this case as revolting. The use of language in the paper expresses a clear attitude of disgust towards homosexual relationships with the newspaper’s tone reflecting societal attitudes of ostracising and trying to suppress the LGBTQ+ community.

The Link was not just used by LGBTQ+ individuals. It was used by everyone in society, regardless of class, gender or profession. There was a place for everyone in The Link’s monthly subscription. However, as a contemporary interpreter, one criticism of The Link might be its classification of people into women, ex-military or middle class men with no alternative categories. Whilst the magazine was used by a diverse range of people, they were all still classified, creating a barrier to the extent to which people could actually be themselves.

Hopefully today Ernie and Geoff would feel comfortable with who they are and they might have the chance to meet one another. However, still, like the 1920s, there are those who are oppressed into not allowing themselves to be who they are. In a post-COVID society, where the numbers of people feeling lonely have drastically increased more than ever, we should feel comfortable and pride in who we are, knowing that a society has been created where everyone can be who they are destined to be.

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