Comments on: Working Lads Of Whitechapel

By: JLW

JLW — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 09:26:36 +0000

I wonder how many of those lads want to war and how many made it back. Great photos. Does make you think, as Frances said.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 22:17:45 +0000

I do hope the lads shown went on to have a fulfilling life. Great social history photos and story about the Mission.

By: Karen Rennie

Karen Rennie — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 15:06:05 +0000

at the risk of sounding facetious – these sad images sadly are now being re-invented as modern day fashion shoots?

By: Cherub

Cherub — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 14:44:33 +0000

I hope these lads were able to keep on the straight and narrow and make a decent life for themselves. It would be interesting to know what happened to them.

By: Frances Bevan

Frances Bevan — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:21:36 +0000

Every article you write makes me think!

Thank you GA

By: Christine Swan

Christine Swan — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 09:41:32 +0000

I was looking at these sad faces and thinking of my great grandfather who spent a considerable amount of time in the workhouse. This appears to have been a kinder regime that hopefully set them on a good path for the future. From what I have learned of the workhouses, this didn’t appear to be the case and my great grandfather was caught in an endless spiral, as a young man on his own, of never earning a decent living because he didn’t have a trade, so couldn’t afford rent and needed to return to the workhouse. I’m surprised that relatives didn’t help him more but then most of them were struggling too.
Putting two and two together, I think it was only when he married, things improved and he had some stability.
The Working Lads’ Institute and Whitechapel Mission clearly was a life raft for many tossed into the high seas of life.
Thanks GA for this fascinating piece.

By: Patrick Crowther

Patrick Crowther — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 07:36:45 +0000

Very interesting. They very much remind me of the series ‘Small Trades’ made by the great American photographer Irving Penn half a century later.

By: Helen Webberley

Helen Webberley — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 01:46:09 +0000

Physical labour creates a rugged life for many people, but the lads in your photos look very young and not very tough. I understand they had no choice .. they had to support their large families as best they could.

But the stained glass window with a figure embodying ‘Industry’ was never an inspiration to the lads or their parents. It seems a nod to the rich employers for helping the economy by using children.