The true story behind Netflix’s House of Guinness sheds some light on a question many are asking: was Arthur Guinness gay?

The business of Guinness began in 1759, when the first Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on St James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin.

Netflix’s eight-part drama, House of Guinness, follows a chapter of the family history, starting from 1868. The synopsis states: “Dublin, 1868. The Guinness family patriarch is dead, and his four children — each with dark secrets to hide — hold the brewery’s fate in their hands.”

As reported by BBC History Magazine: “The Arthur Guinness of House of Guinness is not the one who founded the brewery back in 1759. This is his great-grandson, Arthur Edward Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun.”

The Arthur that the series is based was born on 1 November 1840 in Dublin. He ran the brewery business alongside his youngest brother Edward from 1868, following the death of his father, to 1876. He also sat in the House of Commons as an MP and championed a variety of humanitarian causes.

The arrival of the series has brought light to the history of Guinness and the people behind it. In House of Guinness, Arthur is portrayed by Anthony Boyle.

Speaking about his character, Boyle said: “Arthur is less interested in the brewery and is a bit more of a renaissance man,’ continuing ‘He likes f***ing, likes drinking and likes having the crack and unfortunately after his father dies, he receives his will and has to run this brewery and does not want to be doing that.”

Arthur, who expanded the success of Guinness, was the eldest son of Elizabeth and Benjamin Lee Guinness, who is responsible for turning the brewery into the global success it continues to be today.

Upon his death, Benjamin left a fortune that would be worth well over £100 million today. Alongside Arthur and Edward, his middle brother Benjamin and sister Anne received estates and money, but had no say in the business.

Was Arthur Guinness gay?

Arthur married Lady Olivia Charlotte Hedges-White, daughter of the Earl of Bantry in 1871, and best known as Lady Ardilaun.

However, as per BBC History Magazine, according to Joe Joyce, author of 2009 book The Guinnesses: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Most Successful Family, Arthur was “probably gay”. Joyce states that the couple were content in being married without sexual intercourse.

This may have been due to male homosexual acts being punishable by imprisonment at the time. If Arthur were in fact gay, his marriage to Lady Ardilaun could be considered what is now known as a “lavender marriage.”

These types of marriages, which date back to the early 20th century, often involved one or both partners from the LGBTQ+ community. Entering into what appeared externally to be a heterosexual marriage allowed queer individuals to conceal their sexuality within the expectations of society.