LGBTQ+ History Month: An Anglo-American love story

In this online talk, we will explore the story of a remarkable gay couple and the museum they founded – the American Museum & Gardens in Bath.

Dallas Pratt was the grandson of a US oil magnate with a thirst for learning and access to a vast fortune. John Judkyn was a middle-class Midlander, furniture restorer and antique dealer with impeccable taste.

From their chance meeting in 1937 until John’s tragic early death their love and lives embodied a passion for collecting which inspired them to create the American Museum in Britain at Claverton Manor near Bath.

This extraordinary but little-known story continues today as the Museum passes its 60th anniversary.

Image: Courtesy of the American Museum and Gardens in Bath,

Speaker: Andrew Foyle is a historian specialising in Bristol’s history, and a member of OutStories Bristol. Andrew co-curated Revealing Stories, Bristol’s first exhibition of LGBTQ history at M Shed in 2013. This talk is a collaboration between M Shed, the American Museum and Gardens in Bath, and OutStories Bristol.

How to take part

This free, online talk will be held over Zoom. Please book your place below. Details of how to join the session will be in your registration email. Please check your spam folder if the email does not arrive. Bookings close at 2pm on Wednesday 16 February.

Although this talk is free, we would be grateful if you could consider making a donation.

Please visit the Zoom website for guidance on joining meetings.