The original version of this article first appeared in Confidential on Tuesday 9 February 2016.
A GRUBBY black-eyed boy stares sheepishly into the camera, an entire family huddles for warmth in a dark, dank, single-room house while a girl, no older than seven, pushes her infant sister across desolate wasteland.
I often wonder what happened to them, if they went on to lead happy and healthy lives
These are but a few scenes of the deprivation captured by photographer Nick Hedges in the Greater Manchester region throughout the late sixties and early seventies.
Commissioned by housing charity Shelter almost 50 years ago, Hedges travelled through some of the UK’s largest cities in order to portray the abject poverty suffered by some three million people and to spur the government into action.
Now, as the nation faces up to another escalating housing crisis, Hedges and Shelter will redisplay the bleak collection, juxtaposed with contemporary case studies, during a new exhibition opening at Manchester's Anthony Burgess Foundation this month.
Slum cleared area of Salford (1971)The charity has also launched an appeal to trace the faces featured in Hedges’ seminal collection (shown below) and has urged the people of Greater Manchester to view the photographs in case they recognise anyone.
“We would love to hear the stories of the people behind these iconic pictures to help us mark 50 years of fighting bad housing and homelessness," said Shelter’s Chief Executive Campbell Robb. "I’d encourage anyone who recognises themselves, or family members and friends to get in touch and let us know what happened after they were taken."
Hedges said: "It would be wonderful to meet the children I photographed all those years ago and for them to be able to tell their stories. I often wonder what happened to them, if they went on to lead happy and healthy lives."
The collection will be exhibited at the Anthony Burgess Foundation on Cambridge Street from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 September to mark the charity’s 50th anniversary.
If you recognise anyone in the images, please contact stories@shelter.org.uk or visit shelter.org.uk/shareyourstory.
