Lady Chatterley on trial: the 1960 case that changed British publishing
In short
In October 1960 Penguin Books was prosecuted at the Old Bailey under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 for publishing D. H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, a 1928 novel about an aristocrat's affair with her husband's gamekeeper. The defence invoked the Act's 'public good' clause, and on 2 November the jury acquitted Penguin. The Lords debated the case that December.
What the full article will cover
- What is Lady Chatterley's Lover about?
- Why was Penguin prosecuted in 1960?
- What did the Obscene Publications Act 1959 allow?
- Who testified, and what was argued?
- Why did the jury acquit?
- How did the verdict change British culture?
Frequently asked questions
- Why was Lady Chatterley's Lover banned in Britain?
- What did the prosecutor ask the jury?
- How many copies did Penguin sell after the trial?
- Is the Obscene Publications Act 1959 still in force?
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/66/contents
- britannica.com — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lady-Chatterleys-Lover
- api.parliament.uk — https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1960/dec/14/the-lady-chatterleys-lover-case
- en.wikipedia.org — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_v_Penguin_Books_Ltd
General information, not legal or religious advice.