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Alan Bray

1948 – 2001

British gay rights activist

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About Alan Bray

Lived 1948 – 2001 (aged 53). Alan Bray was a British historian and civil servant.

Alan Bray (13 October 1948 – 25 November 2001) was a British historian and gay rights activist. He was a Roman Catholic and had a particular interest in Christianity's relationship to homosexuality.

Early life Bray was born in Hunslet, Leeds, to a working-class family. His mother died when he was 12, an event that profoundly affected his relationships. He attended Leeds Central High School, where he met his lifelong friend Graham Wilson. He attended Bangor University and spent a year at an Anglican seminary before beginning a career in civil service.

Gay rights activism He became involved with the Gay Liberation Front in the 1970s and actively campaigned for gay rights. Nick Rumens' Queer Company: The Role and Meaning of Friendship in Gay Men's Work Lives (Ashgate, 2011), is also inspired by Alan Bray's scholarship. Valerie Traub (Thinking Sex with the Early Moderns) is amongst many subsequent LGBTQ scholars who have engaged with and been inspired by Bray's scholarship.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Bangor University
Employers
Inland Revenue
Awards
Longman-History Today Awards
Also known as
Alan V. Bray

People in Alan Bray's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Alan Bray's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Alan Bray?

British gay rights activist (1948–2001)

When was Alan Bray born?

Alan Bray was born on 13 October 1948 in Hunslet.

When did Alan Bray die?

Alan Bray died on 25 November 2001 in London.

What was Alan Bray's occupation?

Alan Bray was a historian and civil servant.

What nationality was Alan Bray?

Alan Bray was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Alan Bray

· Wikidata: Q4706238

· DBpedia: Alan Bray

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alan Bray. https://biography.guide/alan-bray/

MLA: "Alan Bray." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alan-bray/.

Chicago: "Alan Bray." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alan-bray/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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