Peer who fought historic gay sex conviction Lord Montagu dies
A bisexual peer who fought a historic conviction for sex with a man, has died aged 88.
Lord Montagu, the founder of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, died “peacefully”, his family confirmed.
The peer is survived by his wife Fiona and his sons Ralph and Jonathan, and his daughter Mary.
In 1954, after being charged with homosexual acts, Lord Montagu pleaded not guilty.
Despite his not-guilty plea, the peer was sentenced to 12-months in prison.
An obituary on the Beaulieu website said the peer had tried to rebuild his life after the trial.
“While not wanting to hide his bisexuality, he was also determined to keep his private life private and refused to comment on the events of the trial, a silence broken only in 2002 with the publication of his autobiography Wheels within Wheels,” it said.
Prior to being sentenced for homosexual acts, Lord Montagu was cleared of a serious offence against a 14-year-old boy scout.
He made his maiden speech in the House of Lords in 1948.
A funeral will be held at the estate, then a funeral at St Margaret’s in Westminster.
