Friends of Dorothy Society


The Friends of Dorothy Society is a bell ringing society for LGBT people and their friends. The society is based in the United Kingdom but has members throughout the world; particularly in the United States of America and Australia.
The Society takes its name from the euphemism Friend of Dorothy, meaning gay man.

History

The society started following a notice placed in The Ringing World in May 1991. The notice aimed to assemble a band to ring for the London Pride Festival that year.
A number of people responded to the notice and the bells of St. Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square were rung for that year’s parade.

Tours

The society holds a spring tour and an autumn tour each year. The first tour was to Bristol in October 1991. Since then, members of the society have toured many cities throughout the United Kingdom. The first international tour was held in May 2006 when members visited Washington DC.
YearDateLocation
199111-13 OctBath & Bristol
199228 Feb - 1 MarManchester
199220-22 NovBrighton
199326-28 FebNottingham
199425-27 FebLondon
199428-30 OctNewcastle
199527-29 OctBlackpool
199624 FebBasingstoke
199625-27 OctYork
199721-23 FebManchester
199725-26 OctBirmingham
1998OctGloucester
1999OctLiverpool
200026 FebPetersfield
200027-29 OctNewcastle
20012-4 MarCardiff
200119-21 OctLeeds
20029-11 FebNorthern Ireland
200218-20 OctBirmingham
20037-9 FebSouthampton
200317-19 OctYork
200427-29 FebShrewsbury
200415-17 OctEdinburgh
200419-20 NovLeicester
20054 - 6 MarCoventry
200521-23 OctCanterbury
200610-12 FebNottingham
200625 May - 4 JunWashington DC, Philadelphia & New York
200620-22 OctExeter
200723-25 FebManchester
200726–28 MayBoston MA, USA
200728-30 SepOxford
200822-24 FebReading
200816-19 OctDublin
200927 Feb-1 MarBristol
200925-27 SepLiverpool
201019-21 FebWorcester
201010-12 SepCambridge
201118-20 FebLeeds
201114-16 OctLondon

Today

The society’s membership is ever-increasing. Peals are rung several times each year. There are annual spring and autumn tours and the society rings for London Pride and Brighton Pride.