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An obscenity trial that shocked Victorian Britain
Michael Meyer reveals how an 1877 court case revolving around birth control – and the fearless woman at the heart of it – scandalised the nation
- Ellie Cawthorne
Published: March 18, 2024 at 7:05 AM
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In 1877, Annie Besant took the stand. She was on trial for selling an "obscene publication" – a pamphlet designed to educate the masses on birth control. Author Michael Meyer tells Ellie Cawthorne about how this sensational legal case lit a fire under Victorian society, and why the woman at the centre of it decided to represent herself in the courtroom.
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Michael Meyer is the author of A Dirty, Filthy Book: Sex, Scandal, and One Woman’s Fight in the Victorian Trial of the Century (WH Allen, 2024)
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Authors
Ellie CawthorneHead of content (audio)
Ellie Cawthorne is head of content (audio) at HistoryExtra
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