Jobless Collection

Vagabonds (print)
5616504 Vagabonds (print); (add.info.: Woodcut print depicting vagabonds, a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. Dated 16th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Vagabonds (print)
5616269 Vagabonds (print); (add.info.: Woodcut print depicting vagabonds, a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. Dated 16th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

The Unemployed in the mid 19th century. From Bibby's Annual published 1910
2638476 The Unemployed in the mid 19th century. From Bibby's Annual published 1910.; Private Collection; Photo © Hilary Morgan

Leicesters Unemployed march to London, 1905
3784628 Leicesters Unemployed march to London, 1905; (add.info.: Leicesters Unemployed march to London, 1905. More than 400 unemployed men marched to London from Leicester on 4 June)

Rioting in the West End of London 1886
Looting shops in Piccadilly, London. A meeting of the unemployed was held in Trafalgar Square, which divided itself into two groups, the Fair Trade League and the Revolutionary Social Democrats

The Worlds Army of Unemployed, from Crisis, published Hamburg 1931 (coloured chalk on paper)
CHT207461 The Worlds Army of Unemployed, from Crisis, published Hamburg 1931 (coloured chalk on paper) by Thony, Eduard (1866-1950); Private Collection; © Archives Charmet

The Times, pub. by H. R. Robertson, New York, 1837 (colour litho)
MNY90553 The Times, pub. by H.R. Robertson, New York, 1837 (colour litho) by Clay, Edward Williams (1799-1857) (after); 45.9x28.1 cm; Museum of the City of New York, USA; (add.info.: July 4th 1837)

The Paris Guards in Charge of Controlling the Rioters Sacked from their Posts
CHT180489 The Paris Guards in Charge of Controlling the Rioters Sacked from their Posts (w/c on paper) by Lacoste, Eugene (19th century); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

The Job Centre in Linwood shortly after Peugeot announce the closure of the Talbot car factory in Linwood. February 1981

Employment office, on Sixth Avenue near Forty-third Street, New York, early 1930s
Employment office, on Sixth Avenue near Forty-third Street, New York, USA, early 1930s. Looking for work during the Great Depression

Unemployed men sitting outside the Public Library, San Francisco, California, USA, February 1937. Victims of the Great Depression

Bonus Army in Anacostia Park, Washington DC, USA, Great Depression, 1932. Artist
Bonus Army in Anacostia Park, Washington DC, USA, Great Depression, 1932. The Bonus Army (Bonus Expeditionary Force) was a protest by First World War veterans

Bonus Army demonstrating outside the Capitol, Washington DC, USA, Great Depression, 1932. The Bonus Army (Bonus Expeditionary Force)

Shack made of barrels and tar paper, St Louis, Missouri, USA, Great Depression, 1931. One of a mile-long row of such makeshift huts on the shore of the Mississippi

A Hooverville on waterfront of Seattle, Washington, USA, Great Depression, March 1933. Grim collections of shacks on vacant lots were cruelly called Hoovervilles after Herbert Hoover

The breadline, a visible sign of poverty during the Great Depression, USA, 1930s Artist
The breadline, a visible sign of poverty during the Great Depression, USA, 1930s

Jobless New Yorkers selling apples on the pavement, Great Depression, New York, USA, 1930

Unemployed workers desperate for work during the Great Depression, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, 1931. When George H Bowman Co advertised that it would take on 150 people for Christmas holiday jobs

The Unemployed In The Mid 19th Century. From Bibbys Annual Published 1910

Queen Mary Ocean Liner crisis stops work
Tragedy comes to Clydeside. On 10th December 1931, almost exactly a year after signing of the contract for the construction of Hull Number 534, know as Queen Mary Ocean Liner

Women finding themselves suddenly unemployed in 1919
" Good-bye-e-e!" These girls marching off to pastures new seem a jolly bunch, although for the 750000 women who found themselves suddenly unemployed in 1919

Mr F J Archer rides his bicycle with a placard advertising his services. 1938

Jobless college graduates join the ranks of beachcombers in Atla
Atlantic City, New Jersey: c. 1935. Jobless college graduates have joined the ranks of beachcombers who daily sift the Atlantic City sands in search of valuables lost by the millions of summer

Evicted sharecropper farmers, 1939 C014 / 0519
Evicted sharecropper farmers. Tents and vehicles of sharecroppers that have been evicted from farms in Missouri, USA, in January 1939

Cartoon on Laziness
" Whats that! You ve got the sack at the Munition Works! - What for?" " I Dunno - I never done nothing!" Date: circa 1915

Uncertain future, conceptual image

Jobless Riot 1934
A jobless man being carried off during a demonstration outside Welfare offices in New York during the Depression

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"Unemployment: A Historical Battle for Survival and Dignity" In the late 19th century, rioting erupted in the West End of London in 1886 as joblessness plagued the city. The struggle continued through time, with vivid images capturing the plight of the unemployed. "The Worlds Army of Unemployed, " a powerful artwork published in Hamburg in 1931, depicted countless individuals facing an uncertain future. Meanwhile, "The Times" newspaper from New York showcased a color lithograph from 1837 that highlighted early signs of unemployment's impact. During these troubled times, even those tasked with maintaining order found themselves out of work. The Paris Guards were forced to control rioters while being sacked from their posts—a stark reminder of how widespread joblessness had become. Across oceans and continents, cities like New York and San Francisco faced similar challenges during the early 1930s. An employment office on Sixth Avenue became a symbol of desperation for many seeking work. Outside public libraries or on park benches, unemployed men gathered together—seeking solace amidst shared struggles. One notable event was the Bonus Army's demonstration outside Washington DC's Capitol building in 1932 during the Great Depression. These veterans demanded payment for their wartime service but instead found themselves confronting economic hardship alongside millions nationwide. As poverty deepened across America during this era, makeshift shelters emerged as symbols of destitution. Shacks made from barrels and tar paper dotted St Louis streets while Hoovervilles lined Seattle's waterfront—an undeniable testament to society's failure to provide for its citizens. Perhaps most hauntingly captured by artists at that time was "the breadline. " This visible sign of poverty etched itself into American consciousness throughout the entire decade—the long queues forming outside soup kitchens serving as a painful reminder that basic sustenance remained elusive for many families. Through riots and demonstrations, photographs and artworks alike documented an ongoing battle against joblessness—a fight not only for economic stability but also for the preservation of human dignity.