TV drama series 'Gentleman Jack' uses historic church

Last year film crews and actors came to Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate in York to film the new drama series Gentleman Jack which is based on the celebrated 19th-century diarist, entrepreneur and mountaineer Anne Lister. Lister famously sealed her union with Ann Walker at Holy Trinity Church on Easter Sunday in 1834.

Born on 3rd April 1791, Anne Lister was a writer, scholar and traveller who lived at Shibden Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire, which she inherited from her father, Jeremy Lister. Her nickname among the local people of Halifax was ‘Gentleman Jack’, which indicated that her masculine appearance and behaviours were sufficient to bring her comments.

On 30 March 1834, Lister contracted a ‘marriage’ with Ann Walker privately in the form of receiving Holy Communion at the Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate. They lived together until Lister’s tragic death at the age of 49 just six years later 4500 miles from her home.

In 2018 the church became the first place in the UK to receive a Rainbow Plaque in recognition of this historic event. 

Gentleman Jack launches on BBC One on Sunday 19 May at 9pm.