Walking in footsteps of Gentleman Jack

AN event will be held tomorrow to celebrate Anne Lister, known to millions of television viewers as Gentleman Jack.

The day-long series of events will be held at Holy Trinity Goodramgate in York to mark the 190th anniversary of Ms Lister and Anne Walker taking sacrament together at the church,

This was to seal the commitment they had made to each other to live as a married couple.

The events tomorrow will include 11am to 3pm meet the parishioners; 11am to 3pm Tea in the Pews; and 3pm to 4pm the launch of a book called Anne Lister’s York Walking Tour, by Sarah Cowling.

A spokesman for the event said: “Come to Holy Trinity Church, 11am- 3pm, and you will be able to step back to 1834 and meet the parishioners.

“Anne Lister’s extensive diaries of over five million words detail many aspects of her life, including day to day dealings with her York solicitor, a cabinet maker from Ogleforth and the owner of the Draper’s Shop on College Street.

“People depicting these characters will be at the church. To celebrate the one year anniversary of “being together so comfortably and so happily” Anne Lister and Ann Walker celebrated with plum pudding. The organisers would like to mark the anniversary of them taking communion by serving tea, coffee, plum cake with clotted cream and jam at £7.50 per person in the pews.

A new book taking you step-bystep through the streets of York will reveal the story of Anne Lister, who was was a landowner, industrialist, explorer and mountain climber, diarist and sometimes described as the first modern day lesbian.

There are often walking tours starting at Micklegate Bar, via the houses of her friends, the places she went to party, where she shopped and went about her business. The walking tour ends at the church of Holy Trinity.

The book is written by Yorkbased, Blue Badge tourist guide, Sarah Cowling who will be at the church from 3pm.

The Anne Lister in York Walking Tour takes place on the last Saturday of every month. The next one will take place on Sunday at 10.30am, starting at Micklegate Bar.

The Gentleman Jack historical drama television series was created by Sally Wainwright and set in the 1830s in Yorkshire.

It starred Suranne Jones as Anne Lister.

Details can be found here www. annelistertoursyork.co.uk.