John Grindrod presents: Tales of the Suburbs
John Grindrod presents: Tales of the Suburbs
Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 6.30pm
The Gallery, 70 Cowcross Street, London, EC1M 6EJ
Best-selling author of Concretopia (2013), Iconicon (2017) and Outskirts (2022) John Grindrod presents his latest book Tales of the Suburbs: LGBTQ+ Lives Behind Net Curtains.
Throughout LGBTQ+ history, suburbia has been seen as somewhere to escape from: a place where heterosexuality rules; where differences will not be tolerated; where you’ll never find a soulmate. But for many, those streets of twitching curtains and pebble-dashed semis were – or still are – a place to call home.
From Addlestone to Wilmslow, Tales of the Suburbs explores the relatively untold twentieth century tale of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people in small towns and suburbia. Through remarkable archive material and original interviews, social historian John Grindrod reveals stories that are messy and moving, dark and funny, uplifting and extraordinary.
Join John Grindrod in conversation with the former Historic England architectural investigator Matthew Whitfield, author of England's Suburbs 1820-2020 (2025), to discuss the past and future of the suburban life.
John Grindrod is an award winning author, social historian and a friend of C20 Society. He hosts the podcast Monstrosities Mon Amour, about loving the places other people hate.
If you can't make it in person, there's an online version of the event too.
The book will be available for purchase at the event.
C20 Society Member £11;
Non-Member £16;
Young C20 member + guest Free*;
Student + guest £5 **
*For Young C20 members, please email lukas@c20society.org.uk to secure a place.
**For student pricing please select from the dropdown option next to ‘membership number’ on the booking form below.
Includes a glass of wine
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Note: This event is hybrid and is being run both in-person at Cowcross Street Gallery and online via Zoom. The event will be recorded and offered as a catch-up lecture for those who have booked and will be available for two weeks.
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The Twentieth Century Society is an IHBC (Institute of Historic Building conservation) recognised CPD provider and is a registered charity, no 1110244
Image above: Tales of The Suburbs book cover and portrait of the author by Katie Belcher.