Oscar Wilde’s library card reissued by the British Library 130 years after it was revoked

The late Irish writer Oscar Wilde is set to have his reader’s card reissued by the British Library, 130 years after the original was revoked over his conviction for “gross indecency”.

The British Library excluded the celebrated novelist from its reading room in 1895 after he was charged for having homosexual relationships, a criminal offence at the time.

The physical pass will be handed over to Wilde’s only grandson, Merlin Holland, on Thursday at a special event at the Library in a moment that will celebrate the launch of his book titled After Oscar, which examines the legacy of the writer after his death.

Mr Holland said: “Oscar had been in Pentonville prison for three weeks when his ticket to the British Museum Reading Room was cancelled, so he wouldn't have known about it, which was probably as well.

“I think it would have just added to his misery to feel that one of the world's great libraries had banned him from books just as the Law had banned him from daily life. But the restitution of his ticket is a lovely gesture of forgiveness and I'm sure his spirit will be touched and delighted.”

The Library made the decision to revoke Wilde’s Reader Pass after his trial and conviction as a result of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885, which criminalised acts of "gross indecency" between men.

Following the trial, Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard labour and was released from prison in 1897. The events of 1895 had such a profound impact on his life and career that he moved to France, where he remained until his death.

The British Library holds a collection of Wilde’s works, including a handwritten love letter written by Oscar Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas from Reading Gaol titled De Profundis.

Dame Carol Black, Chair of the British Library Board, said: “Oscar Wilde was one of the most significant literary figures of the nineteenth century and the British Library holds handwritten drafts of his most famous plays including The Importance of Being Ernest, An Ideal Husband, A Woman of No Importance and Lady Windermere’s Fan.

“Through this tribute we hope to not only honour Wilde’s memory but also acknowledge the injustices and immense suffering he faced as a result of his conviction. We are also delighted to have his grandson, Merlin, receiving the Reader Pass on Oscar’s behalf.”