Margaret Clap

Margaret Clap or Mother Clap († 1726 in London ) was an English landlady for a club for homosexuals (a so-called Molly House ) in London. Little is known about their actual life. She is one of the most important figures in the gay subculture in the 18th century .

The origin of Claps is in the dark. In 18th century England, many homosexuals still lived out their sexual orientation underground. In her coffee shop, Margaret Clap opened a bar where many homosexuals found refuge. This quickly developed into a kind of "culture" called "Molly". Some special rituals arose in this culture. One of these was for the men to pretend they were giving birth. This baby was mostly an object like a piece of wood. After this birth , the item was swaddled in diapers and treated like a real baby.

Margaret Clap had advertised that there was a bed in every room. Mother Clap rarely left the bar. The bar was probably her home too.

In 1726 the police became aware of the bar. First she sent a young man anonymously to the bar. He was supposed to check whether the rumors were true. Since the sexuality in Claps Bar was dealt with openly, the other guests began to woo him. The handsome man reported the conditions at Molly House to the police, who stormed the club. All but three men escaped. The prisoners were hanged on the gallows .

Exactly how exactly Clap died is not exactly proven. Some sources say she was killed during the police operation. Other sources indicate that Margaret Clap has been tried. She was convicted and publicly pilloried. There she was beaten while the people pelted her with rotten fruit, droppings and dead animals.

Web link

• The Raid on Mother Clap's Molly House 1726 (English)