The Daily Herald published the effects of economic depression in the 1930s
While our politicians, papers and commentators fall on either side of the food bank debate, we look back at poverty and charitable welfare in the 1930s.
In this new age of austerity the news is increasingly full of increasingly vitriolic debate about welfare and food banks. Run by charities and local groups, these give short term emergency supplies to families with little or no money.
Staff photographers were dispatched to photograph charity in action—at mobile cafés, soup kitchens and food dispersal centres. They also photographed the effects of poverty—repossession of goods, substandard housing, and scavenging for coal.
Around the same time George Orwell described his journey into poverty in Down and Out in Paris and London. At the end of his book, knowing that he would soon rejoin the ranks of the relatively comfortable he concluded:
At present I do not feel that I have seen more than the fringe of poverty. Still, I can point to one or two things I have definitely learned by being hard up. I shall never again think that all tramps are drunken scoundrels, nor expect a beggar to be grateful when I give him a penny, nor be surprised if men out of work lack energy, nor subscribe to the Salvation Army, nor pawn my clothes, nor refuse a handbill, nor enjoy a meal at a smart restaurant. That is a beginning.
7 comments on “The Daily Herald published the effects of economic depression in the 1930s”
Very interesting post. Although I am a fan of George Orwell, I cannot understand why he objected to donating to the Salvation Army. I do so quite often.
Thank you for your comment. I am glad you found the blogpost interesting.
Orwell does seem to be prone to getting a bee in his bonnet about all sorts of ithings. I’m not entirely sure why the Salvation Army so irked him, but they join vegetarians, pacifists, and fruit juice drinkers in the firing line.
I may not always agree with him, but I always admire his turn of phrase and clear succinct style.
Perhaps Orwell was concerned about organisations which applied a sticking plaster to the symptoms of a very deep societal problem. His comments advocate a view of the problem from the point of view of one who had been in a similar position
Just been researching the school leaving age. Most places say it was raised to 15 after WWII but I have found local magazines saying it was first mentioned in 1929 and intended to come into effect in the 1930s. Cynically, I believe this was not to improve education but to stop the flow of 14 year olds into the job market and not have even more unemployed (and dole to pay). The schools could also take over some of the training previously given to apprentices (without the need to pay them, of course!) so secondary schools opened up woodwork, cookery and farming courses. At first the government promised the expenses would be covered by a grant, but this was swiftly withdrawn in 1930, leaving funding to be covered either through local councils or by institutions such as the church. Separate boys and girls schools were encouraged to be ‘mixed’ under a single headteacher, not two. Has anyone else found their local school was changed in the 1930s or read contemporary comments about the idea?
Very interesting post. Although I am a fan of George Orwell, I cannot understand why he objected to donating to the Salvation Army. I do so quite often.
Malcolm Baird
Thank you for your comment. I am glad you found the blogpost interesting.
Orwell does seem to be prone to getting a bee in his bonnet about all sorts of ithings. I’m not entirely sure why the Salvation Army so irked him, but they join vegetarians, pacifists, and fruit juice drinkers in the firing line.
I may not always agree with him, but I always admire his turn of phrase and clear succinct style.
Perhaps Orwell was concerned about organisations which applied a sticking plaster to the symptoms of a very deep societal problem. His comments advocate a view of the problem from the point of view of one who had been in a similar position
These photos are excellent for bringing to life what life was like pre-war in Britain which I’m currently sharing with my Year 6 class.
Just been researching the school leaving age. Most places say it was raised to 15 after WWII but I have found local magazines saying it was first mentioned in 1929 and intended to come into effect in the 1930s. Cynically, I believe this was not to improve education but to stop the flow of 14 year olds into the job market and not have even more unemployed (and dole to pay). The schools could also take over some of the training previously given to apprentices (without the need to pay them, of course!) so secondary schools opened up woodwork, cookery and farming courses. At first the government promised the expenses would be covered by a grant, but this was swiftly withdrawn in 1930, leaving funding to be covered either through local councils or by institutions such as the church. Separate boys and girls schools were encouraged to be ‘mixed’ under a single headteacher, not two. Has anyone else found their local school was changed in the 1930s or read contemporary comments about the idea?