Gabriel D'Esty

Gabriel D'Esty aka Louis Augustus Tiber born 1897 died 1968 was a female impersonator, pantomine artist, dancer and costume maker who lived the last half of his life in rural Hampshire. Although he never achieved great fame he was acquainted with a number of well known artistes and celebrities and his significance to LGBT history is the collection of interesting papers and artefacts that have survived that are connected to him.

Gabriel with his dog Naajah in his garden

Two of his costumes from the 1920s survive in good condition. D'Esty served in the Northumberland Fusiliers during World War One and took part in concert parties, often involving impersonation of women. After the war he taught dance and ballet and also worked as a cook. In 1927 he appeared at the Sussex Assizes in Lewes (having been committed from Chichester County Magistrates Court at the end of November) and was sentenced to prison for 21 months hard labour following conviction for a homosexual crime committed at New Fishbourne, Sussex on 15 November 1927 with Leonard Ridley Lavell. Lavell was sentenced to 18 months hard labour. The offence was buggery . Following his prison sentence he dropped his name Louis Tiber and only used Gabriel D'Esty from then on . In about 1935 D'Esty went to live in the hamlet of Dean just outside Bishop's Waltham in Hampshire.