Review -Oscar Wilde's Scandalous Summer by Antony Edmonds

                                       The 1894 Worthing Holiday And The Aftermath 

Most impressive work indeed and  certainly a book in two halves. Opens with an intriguing account of the Wilde family, along with Bosie at times, staying  at 5 The Esplanade, Worthing ( which has sadly been demolished) from 7th  August 1894- 4th October 1894. The town was desperately trying to attract tourists after the dismal Summer of 1893 when typhus had struck, and not surprisingly, visitors largely stayed away. 

There is a great deal shared here about late Victorian Worthing, its economic life, its architecture,  the Summer entertainments with at least four seaborne carnivals. A band of musicians performing regularly on the beach, the circus, concerts at the Assembly Hall -which is now at a different location. A great set of photographs are included in this book.  Oscar Wilde's fame was already known enough for him to be chosen to  present the prizes and to give a speech at  the Worthing Venetian Fete on 13th September 1884 (the text  is featured at the end of the book). Local newspaper coverage is drawn on . There is also a helpful selection of  photographs showing the buildings mentioned in the text, but sadly so many have not survived. 

Wilde was working on The Importance of Being Earnest during this holiday, and of course Jack Worthing  emerges as a character. The author suggests that other characters's names were taken from The Worthing Gazette, and he also concedes that this play was re-written by Wilde slightly later in Brighton and London. 

But the jolly holiday facade crumbled. Wilde found his children's behaviour at mealtimes 'tedious', whilst his wife Constance found herself ignored when Bosie appeared and as Wilde began to pursue local youths. Constance fell in love with a local married man but then regained her composure, and no impropriety took place. 

Wilde  and Bosie were seeing to their boats on Worthing  beach and were assisted by two lads they met there, and soon befriended. One was called Alphonse Conway 1. Wilde felt an immediate attraction. He bought Alphonse  books, dinners, a new suit, and  a silver cigarette case during the course of an intense six week affair. Wilde performed sexual acts on Alphonse, who did not refuse, and Wilde appeared to avoid penetration. Intimacy took place by the coast after dark , until Wilde was left on his own at The Esplanade On at least one occasion Wilde took Alphonse away for a night in a hotel in Brighton along with a trip to the theatre. The other youngster was called Stephen, and for a while another teenager called Percy was referred to. The other lads sailed with Wilde,Bosie and Alphonse but not very much is known about them. 

Since the Criminal Law Amendment Act  1885 (section 11) was passed, sexual contact between  men was unlawful regardless of age or any question of consent. But it is hard to overlook the fact that  Alphonse had just turned 16, 2 Wilde was 39.And initiating a naive provincial youth into taking part in illegal activity was probably not Wilde's finest hour, certainly leading to harmful consequences for both of them. 

Bosie remained, as ever, Wilde's main love interest. Alphonse's background takes up a  fascinating chapter  and two appendices of the book. He stayed with his mother who ran a lodging house, and had no siblings and his parents seemed  to have never married and probably never lived together. Alphonse's affair with Wilde  ended as the Autumn came.Wilde's family and also Bosie had already left Worthing. Wilde departed early in October,

And the aftermath mentioned in the title of the book soon begins. The steps that led to Wilde's downfall are well known. Just as The Importance of Being Earnest  hit the West End in 1894 and was a  roaring success, Bosie's father, the Marquess of Queensbury, resumed his harassment of Wilde and Bosie on account of their relationship, culminating in the Marquess leaving a visiting card for a Wilde, accusing him of being a 'posing Somdomite' (sic) . Over the time accusation was changed into ' posing as a Somdomite' 

Wilde began proceedings against Queensbury for criminal libel. The problem was that Queensbury's posse of private  detectives had rounded up London rent boys to testify against Wilde, and somehow got hold of Alphonse who appeared in London in the suit that Wilde had bought him that last Summer. (The book is not quite clear how they found Alphonse- and why he complied. Maybe the youth was threatened with  being exposed for having taken part in homosexual intimacy, perhaps also given a generous allowance). Wilde had to abandon his case when Queensbury's defence consul Edward Carson presented the weight of evidence against him via cross examination. Carson could state names, dates, and more intimate details, including Wilde's time in Worthing with Alphonse. The Court were told of the inscriptions in books and on the silver cigarette case that Wilde had left for Alphonse. It was soon apparent  to all present at Court that Queensbury could plead  'Justification' for  his original accusation  ( and therefore no libel had occurred). 

And Wilde faced two trials of his own. One trial was abandoned when the Jury could not agree on a verdict, but second time round Wilde was found guilty of gross indecency and sentenced to two years hard labour. Alphonse and his mother left Worthing, and the book tries to trace their future. The Author concedes that they probably changed their name.  

The author doesn't subscribe to the 'queer saint ' view of Wilde. He rightly points out that had Wilde won his libel case  then Queensbury would most likely have gone to jail for bringing a false accusation-but the trouble was he was telling the truth -albeit in a particularly unpleasant way. Neither is the author impressed by Wilde's court room banter, which often involved mocking the background and lack of culture of the youths he had sex with, including Alphonse, to get cheap laughs from the gallery. This was from an alleged radical who wrote The Soul of Man Under Socialism. 

Finally the author points out that Wilde might have still been jailed for his activity with young rent boys under legislation  in place when this book was written-so the accusations of 'Victorian hypocrisy' are questionable 3. ( All fair comment, but there is still an argument to suggest that had Wilde pursued teenage girls rather than boys he might have survived). 

Overall, a splendid book. Well written and argued, crammed full of information.Equally helpful to those who are researching a lesser known episode in Wilde's life  and  those studying Victorian Worthing. 

Notes

1  Alphonse is sometimes spelt ' Alfonse' . And Wilde called the lad 'Alphonso' , possibly an affectionate name during their affair. Mr Edmonds explains in the book how he found evidence in the form of a  baptism certificate to confirm 'Alphonse'.

2. Again, Mr Edmonds explains that he has traced Alphonse's date of birth via said baptism certificate  Beforehand, other historians had wondered if Alphonse was younger than 16, such as Neil McKenna in 'The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde' (2003) .  

3. The case would be that if Wilde had sexual intercourse with a prostitute  under 18, he would have been guilty of a criminal offence under legislation that applies today, including The Sexual Offences Act 2003. 

Oscar Wilde's Scandalous Summer -The 1894 Worthing Holiday And The Aftermath' by Antony Edmonds can be bought directly from Amberley Books

Extract from chapter 5  of 'Oscar Wilde's Scandalous Summer'  From the Oscar Wilde Society website

Author Interview From 'Sussex World' 18th September 2014 , includes discussion about previous research by  local historian Barry Kreech, free registration needed. 

Oscar Wilde speech in Worthing  13th September 1894 (from the Oscar Wilde Society )

'The Wildean' magazine from 1995 -2011 has regularly featured articles about Wilde in Worthing, including what is known about Alphonse Conway. 

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Michael Bully , 8th February 2026

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