FTM transgender person and activist

Administrative/biographical history

Nicky Lindsay Stones was a transgender man, living in England in the 20th century and early 21st century. Before being able to access legal and medical transitioning in the 1960s to 1980s, Nicky was raised and expected to be a woman. He was born and raised in Bristol as Veronica Jane Stones, living with his parents and sister Prunella. He was educated in all-girls schools, first Clifton High School then Stonar boarding school until his late teenage years.

After leaving school, Stones was unsure in which direction to proceed and spent time living and working in France, before enrolling in secretarial training likewise to his sister. Realising his passions lay in travel and being at sea, Stones went on to repeatedly attempt to enter naval and ship-based career opportunities. During this time, he received training in the Women’s Royal Naval Service, spent time abroad as a shipmate, and managed to gain employment in positions predominantly held by cisgender men.

Due to ongoing health issues, he had to leave his time abroad and return to England. He began to pursue transitioning, whilst attempting to improve his wellbeing and undertake nautical training courses, and still tried to pursue his passion for working at sea. He would go on to return to education, training and employment revolving around the sea and water regularly throughout the rest of his working life.

From 1973, he changed his name to Nicky Lindsay Stones and managed to access medical transitioning within the same decade, living full time as a man from the mid-1970s. Later in life he began to question his identity again, and saw himself as an asexual in sexual orientation, and neither a man or woman in gender identity. He researched the existence of “third gender” people and continued to question this subject until the final years of his life.

Stones was also involved in some activism and awareness work for transgender people during his life. Stones’ articles were published on a number of occasions, relating to experiences of being transgender and the challenges this created for his life. Stones was a supporter of the lobbying group Press for Change too, helping to petition the UK government for improvements in transgender rights.

Throughout his life, Stones faced challenges with his gender identity and mental health. In addition, he had held a long-term interest in poetry, as well as the enjoyment of journalism, autobiographical writing, and photography, which often were related back to his passion for being at sea.

Scope and content

Papers of Nicky Stones (1944-2017), including:

• Papers and correspondence regarding autobiographical, journalistic, creative and poetic writing, 1968-2011.
• Papers, correspondence and digital material regarding gender and sexuality, 1965-2011.
• Papers, press cuttings, publications and correspondence regarding the publication of articles and poetry, 1976-2003.
• Scrapbooks and photograph albums, 1953-2005.
  
• Correspondence regarding education and training, physical and mental health, travel and holidays, transitioning, religion, gender identity, employment, seasonal celebratory events, leisure and hobbies, living arrangements, and relationships, 1959-2005.
  
• Diaries and journals regarding physical and mental health, training and studying, social and medical transitioning, spending time with friends and family, social events, travel across the United Kingdom and abroad, work duties and changes in employment, 1958-2017.
  
• Papers, ephemera, publications, and photographs, regarding miscellaneous subjects, 1974-2012.

Quantity

8 boxes & 15 loose photograph albums