Thomas John Barnardo arrived in London in 1866 with little but evangelical zeal. Aged just twenty, his ambitions to become a missionary in China were soon put aside when he encountered the appalling conditions of the working poor of London’s East End. His main concern became the welfare and education of children, and two years after his arrival he created his own organisation, the East End Juvenile Mission. In his constant search for funds to support his expanding philanthropic enterprise Barnardo was quick to understand the power of photography in publicising his cause. This talk explores how Barnardo utilised photography for fundraising purposes, including controversial ‘before and after’ images of children who had been in Barnardo’s care.

Erica Davies is Director of the Ragged School Museum and has worked in a variety of national, local authority and independent museums. As Director of the Freud Museum in Hampstead she organised many exhibitions in the UK and abroad.