Buggery Act of 1533

King Henry VIII ushered in a significant shift by enacting the Buggery Act of 1533, marking the first instance of homosexual activity being criminalized under civil law. Previously, such conduct fell under the jurisdiction of ecclesiastical courts (churches). The Act condemned same-sex relations as 'the detestable and abominable vice of buggery', decreeing death sentences for the convicted. Even members of the clergy faced execution, a departure from their usual immunity regarding murder charges. This juxtaposition hints at both the severity attributed to buggery and Henry VIII's strategic use of civil law to curtail the Catholic Church's authority—a move underscored by the subsequent Act of Supremacy, which declared him the Supreme Head of the Church of England in 1534. Despite the monarch's intentions, the legacy of the Buggery Act endured, remaining in various forms until its repeal in England and Wales in 1967, underscoring the enduring impact of Henry VIII's reign on modern legal systems.

In July 1540, Walter Hungerford, the 1st Baron Hungerford and proprietor of the historic Farleigh Hungerford Castle, met a grim fate as the inaugural individual to face execution under the Buggery Act. Alongside allegations of buggery, Hungerford found himself accused of treason and witchcraft, charges undoubtedly orchestrated for political ends to discredit both him and Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s principal minister. Their shared destiny culminated in execution on Tower Hill, London, signaling the ruthless political climate of the time.

On November 27, 1835, a crowd gathered outside Newgate Prison in the City of London to witness a significant event: the final execution of men for buggery in two years. James Pratt (1805–1835), also known as John Pratt, and John Smith (1795–1835), both London residents, faced this grim fate in November 1835, marking the end of an era. Their arrest in August of that year followed their conviction for engaging in sexual activity within the premises of another man, William Bonill.

As the noose tightened, Smith reportedly conveyed a poignant sentiment to a friend: "The grave will soon close over me, and my name will be entirely forgotten." Their deaths marked the culmination of an era, being the last two men executed in England for buggery. Although the Buggery Act had been repealed by the Offences against the Person Act 1828, buggery remained punishable by death until the enactment of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, which substituted deportation or lengthy imprisonment for the death penalty. Finally, the decriminalization of homosexuality in Great Britain came with the Sexual Offences Act of 1967, marking a significant shift in societal attitudes and legal frameworks.