Homelessness Collection (page 3)

A congested street scene in Shoreditch, London
Swarming with people - and children whose only playground is the pavement - this was a typical street scene in Shoreditch where homelessness and the housing problem was at its worst in the capital

Sleeping Rough
A tramp (or just a homeless young man) sleeping rough on the Embankment, London, England. Date: early 1930s

Tramps under the Sphynx
Down-and-out men sleeping under the sphynx at the base of Cleopatras Needle on the Victoria Embankment, London, England. Date: early 1930s

The beggars of New York
Cynical view of New York beggars who apparently pretend to be blind and hire babies to attract more sympathy, then go home or to the nearest eatery for a slap-up dinner. Date: 1886

Waifs and strays of London
A group of London waifs and strays or street arabs

Training Ship, Mount Edgcumbe Band, Saltash, Cornwall
The Mount Edgcumbe Industrial Training Ship for Homeless and Destitute Boys was established at Saltash in Cornwall in 1877

Salvation Army, Thames Embankment, London
Salvation Army officers in conversation with a group of vagrants spending the night on a bench on the Thames Embankment in Central London

Church Army emergency accommodation, London
Men try to sleep on narrow benches at a Church Army emergency accommodation shelter in London. The Church Army was founded in 1882 by the Rev Wilson Carlile, an evangelist for the Church of England

Breakfast at Church Army Shelter, London
A 5 am breakfast for homeless men being distributed at a Church Army shelter in London. The Church Army was founded in 1882 by the Rev Wilson Carlile, an evangelist for the Church of England

Salvation Army Food Depot interior, East London
Inside the Salvation Army Food Depot on Whitechapel Road in the East End of London. The depot provided basic food and shelter for as little as a penny a night

Salvation Army Food Depot kitchen, East London
Staff prepare food in the kitchen of the Salvation Army Food Depot on Whitechapel Road in the East End of London. The depot provided basic food and shelter for as little as a penny a night

Salvation Army Food Depot, Whitechapel Road, East London
A religious meeting at the Salvation Army Food Depot on Whitechapel Road in the East End of London. The depot provided basic food and shelter for as little as a penny a night

Paper sorting, Salvation Army Elevator
Men sorting paper at one of the Salvation Army Elevators. The Elevators provided the destitute with both short-term work and hostel-style accommodation

Working mens lodgings, Commercial Street, East London
The No. 1 Victoria Home for Working Men at 39-41 Commercial Street in the East End of London. Beds were on offer at 4d per night, or 5d for single bedded cabins

Salvation Army dormitory, Westminster, London
A dormitory at a Salvation Army night shelter, perhaps The Harbour on Stanhope Street, Drury Lane, Central London, which opened in 1891. The men sleep in coffin beds

Salvation Army Womens Night Shelter, East London
The dormitory of the Salvation Army night shelter for women, opened in 1889 at 194 Hanbury Street, Whitechapel in the East End of London

Two-relay lodging house, East End of London
A group of men stand outside a lodging house in the East End of London. This establishment employed the two-relay system where each bed was shared between two people

Women vagrants sleeping, Spitalfields, East End of London
A group of women vagrants sleeping on benches at the churchyard of Christ Church, Spitalfields, East London

Tramp outside Empire Theatre, Leicester Square, London
A shuffling tramp outside the Empire Theatre in Leicester Square, Central London, contrasts strongly with the well dressed patrons on the left

First Floor Plan, Rowton House, Camden, London
The first floor plan of the Rowton House opened in 1905 on Arlington Road, Camden, north west London, to provide cheap accommodation for working men

Ark kitchen, Salvation Army, Southwark, London
The kitchen of The Ark, a Salvation Army night shelter for men, opened in 1891 on Southwark Street in south London. A large urn stands on the counter at the left

Church Army meal for applicants to a London workhouse
A number of elderly men and women awaiting admission to one of Londons workhouses are provided with a meal by the Church Army

Old woman vagrant asleep in park, London
An elderly female tramp or vagrant sleeps at the foot of a tree in one of Londons parks. Her head rests on one of her bags

Men sleeping on the Embankment, Central London
A group of men try to make themselves comfortable enough to sleep on a bench on the Embankment in Central London

Transformation from young tramp to soldier
Before-and-after pictures of a young vagrant transformed into an army cadet over a three-month period with the help of former Oxford Liberal MP Frank Gray

Kitchen of a Common Lodging House
Residents eating and socialising in the kitchen of a common lodging house, location unknown. Such establishments provided cheap accommodation by the night for those of limited means

Vagrants asleep on bench on Thames Embankment, London
Two tramps in shabby overcoats, flat caps and muddy shoes, spend the night on a bench on Londons Thames Embankment

London County Council Night Office, Charing Cross Bridge
Applicants waiting outside the London County Councils Night Office at Charing Cross Bridge, Central London. The Office had telephone links to the citys casual wards, as well as to the Salvation Army

Female tramp asleep on steps, London
A female tramp sleeps on steps somewhere in Central London, where many of the citys homeless made their beds under bridges and railway arches. Date: circa 1930

Living Room of a Rowton House, London
The living room of one of Londons Rowton Houses where the residents can be seen relaxing, reading, and playing draughts. Rowton Houses, of which six were erected around London, were large

London County Council welfare staff
Staff in an office at a London County Council welfare establishment interview a homeless man

Dormitory of a Common Lodging House
The dormitory of a common lodging house where a clean bed for the night and washing facilities could be had for (in 1930) between sixpence and a shilling

Printing Office at Barnardos Home, Stepney Causeway
Printing office at Barnardos Home, Stepney Causeway, East London. In 1870, Thomas Barnardo set up a home for destitute boys at 18-26 Stepney Causeway

Brushmakers Shop at Barnardos Home, Stepney Causeway
Brushmakers shop at Barnardos Home, Stepney Causeway, East London. In 1870, Thomas Barnardo set up a home for destitute boys at 18-26 Stepney Causeway

Dr Thomas John Barnardo
Portrait of Dr Thomas John Barnardo (1845-1905). In 1867, Barnardo set up a Ragged School for poor children in Londons East End, followed in 1870 by a home for boys at 18-26 Stepney Causeway

Blacksmiths Shop at Barnardos Home, Stepney Causeway
Blacksmiths shop at Barnardos Home, Stepney Causeway, East London. In 1870, Thomas Barnardo set up a home for destitute boys at 18-26 Stepney Causeway

Bootmakers Shop at Barnardos Home, Stepney Causeway
Bootmakers shop at Barnardos Home, Stepney Causeway, East London. In 1870, Thomas Barnardo set up a home for destitute boys at 18-26 Stepney Causeway

Ironing Room at Barnardos Girls Home, Barkingside
Ironing room at Barnardos Home, Barkingside, Essex. In 1873, Thomas Barnardo set up, a Village Home for Orphan, Neglected and Destitute Girls at Barkingside

Salvation Army night shelter at supper time
A midnight supper of soup and bread at a London Salvation Army shelter for men brought in from the streets

Salvation Army Seeking the Homeless, London
Two Salvation Army officers accost men sleeping rough on a metal bench. The Army toured London streets offering tickets to their overnight shelters

Salvation Army Industrial Home, London
Inmates of a Salvation Army Industrial Home. Residents of the home were expected to work in return for their board and lodging

Salvation Army Food Depot, London
Men queuing at one of the food depots set up in London by the Salvation Army in the 1890s. The depots provided low cost food and meals for down and outs

Whiston Hospital, Lancashire
An aerial view of Whiston Hospital, Warrington Road, Whiston, Lancashire. The site began life in 1843 as the Prescot Union workhouse

Fylde Union Cottage Homes, Kirkham, Lancashire
The Fylde Union cottage homes for children, Kirkham, Lancashire. The homes were built in 1913-14 on the site of the original Fylde Union workhouse after it was replaced by a new

Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire
A birds eye view of Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire, from a church tower. A single car stands in the square below. Towards the top left of the picture

Chorlton Union Cottage Homes, Styal, Cheshire
Main avenue at Chorlton Union Cottage Homes, Styal, Cheshire. The homes were opened by the Chorlton Union in 1898 to house pauper children away from the workhouse

Vagrants Food Ticket, Hinckley Union, Leicestershire
Ticket issued to a vagrant following his departure from the Hinckley Union workhouse, Leicestershire. When he presented it to the specified person (en route to his next destination)

Parish Workhouse, Tendring, Essex
A view of a row of thatched cottages at Tendring, Essex, described as the Old Workhouse

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