Demonstration of the Unemployed

1936

This gripping black‑and‑white image captures a group of jobless protesters marching along a cobbled thoroughfare in the City of London, flanked by a squad of mounted police. In the centre, two policemen detain a young marcher—his suit dishevelled, face set in defiance—while onlookers lean from shop windows and tramlines trace the route of this interwar demonstration. The foreshortened façades of commercial buildings and the officers on grey horses lend a dramatic urgency to the scene.

Historical Context
By 1936, Britain was still grappling with the aftermath of the Great Depression. Unemployment in major industrial and metropolitan areas often exceeded 20 per cent, prompting large‑scale “hunger marches” organised by trade unions and the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement. These demonstrations aimed to force government relief measures and publicise the plight of the jobless. The heavy police presence—and occasional clashes—underscored the tense social climate as workers demanded work, wages and dignity.

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