Christmas At The Salvation Army
Photographer David Hoffman took these pictures at the Salvation Army Christmas Day lunch in Globe Rd in 1975
“On Christmas Day 1975, I was squatting in Fieldgate Mansions in Whitechapel and it was a bit boring because all my friends were away for the holiday. The shops were shut and I was looking for something interesting to do with the day. I had seen that the Salvation Army were holding an open Christmas lunch at Sigsworth Hall in Globe Rd so I rocked up there with my camera and, without any formality, I just started to take photographs.
It was terribly dark. I had no flash and I had to work hard in the darkroom to coax these images from the horribly under-exposed and heavily over-developed film. The prints I made at the time were flat and grey but, now that I have been able to convert them to digital files, they do look a bit better and remind me of a very different era, now lost without trace.” – David Hoffman
Photographs copyright © David Hoffman
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David Hoffman at Fieldgate Mansions
I love these.
Good old Sally army.
In the eighties every Friday night in the pubs selling issues of War Cry. Usually gave a cuppla bob and binned the mag. Why don’t they do this anymore?
…Not that I’m often in a boozer on a Friday night these days, more’s the pity!
Good old Sally Army and such characters the likes we will never see again! When they sold the War Cry in the pubs our friend would ask “Do you save young girls” and when they replied yes he would say “Save one for me please” Luckily the Army used to laugh x
Sadly not an era gone for ever
There are still plenty of poor people around today and the , good old Sally Army is still doing good work to help them, and not just at Christmas.
Grim festivities from the cold, sanctimonious hand of charity.
The Salvation Army have – let’s call it a complicated reputation.
Rose-tinted notions about charity & that vague catch-all dehumanising category of humans deemed or rendered ‘vulnerable’ ‘needy’ unsavoury or frightening etc… cling to the British with that peculiar mixture of sentimentality overlaying violence systemic, invisible, psychological, & with a physical brutality so characteristic of our nation.
Focus on Disability Justice & the Environment would boil down & fix most problems if only Brits weren’t so meekly aquiescent & prone to forelock tugging between bouts of rancid snobbishness.
May we make better, more caring & more peaceful times.
Happy Yule.
Spot on Rosa.
Didn’t Clement Attlee say something about the “cold dead grey hand of charity relieving the rich of their responsibilities, i.e paying proper taxes.”
Until they do, we’re in stuck.
The existence of food banks is awful but would you have people starve?
Trying to get tickets for the walk on my day!!!!
Thanks Mark.
Indeed, Clem Atlee was likely bobbing up amid the flotsam busy sea of my subconscious though I don’t think it’s the fist time in essence this has been said.
Course I’d not have people starve!
There are a few alternatives I think than waiting for the unlikely event of the er, pushier shall we say of humans to grow a conscience & a phrase springs to mind of what the poor might do should the rich not buck their ideas up.
Being a bit peckish & glad to have some lovely cheese & a cupboard to put it in so I’d better have a nibble on that.
Dagnabbit, the cat just settled on top of me having fixed me with a gaze unwavering intent. I’ll bide hungry a little longer. He’s the only overlord I’ll willingly concede to & we do have some reciprocal agreements.
Cheers!
The SA do marvellous work at this time of year, I always donate. Anything that brings a little joy to a lonely person’s life is worth it in my book. Where I live in Switzerland there is an elderly lady and her friend who spend the second half of the year knitting warm colourful socks for people who are in need at Christmas, they are distributed at Christmas meals by the SA and another organisation called Schwarzer Peter that helps the homeless.
Cheers Rosa and G.A. for allowing.
Happy Yuletide. And the pussies!
Great to see these faces again especially the three Irish friends,
Thanks for all your work.
And Merry Christmas Rosa!