A Convicts' Home 1881

"A Convict's Home" (1881) by John Thomson is a poignant photo documenting the lives of London's working class. This photo, part of his groundbreaking book "Street Life in London", captures a moment outside a "coffee room" likely frequented by those on the margins of society. The image, in its candid realism, highlights the social disparity and hardship faced by the poor in Victorian England. The composition emphasizes the bleakness of their surroundings, contrasting the somber figures with the starkness of the storefront. The image is a powerful testament to Thomson's commitment to social realism, exposing the hidden realities of 19th-century London.