By Mark Amies

Children of the Unemployed in 1934. Photo courtesy of Barnet Archives

Many of us will have happy memories of childhood parties sitting at a table loaded with food, drinks and treats, especially at Christmas. The scene above is perhaps no different, but it has a story behind it that reminds us that this time of year is not always carefree.

The photograph was taken on December 30th, 1934, at the Methodist Church Hall on the Watling Estate, Burnt Oak. Three hundred children were sat down for a special tea party provided by the National Unemployed Workers Movement. This largely forgotten organisation was set up in 1921 by the Communist Party of Great Britain to draw attention to the plight of unemployed workers in the period after the First World War, during the General Strike of 1926 and onto the Depression of the 1930s. Although London hadn’t been as badly affected by the economic decline as other parts of the nation in the 1930s, there were still many who were without work.

The Watling Estate at Burnt Oak had been built as a brand-new London County Council estate. Construction started in February 1926 and by 1931 it was pretty much complete. Most of the residents moving into the 4000 homes were families who had been cleared out of overcrowded parts of west London. The Communist Party were keen to be seen supporting the working class and the less fortunate in society, and the Watling Estate was seen as a good place to focus on in the mid-1930s. At the time the photo was taken there were about 2000 families in the Borough of Hendon where the main breadwinners were unemployed.

Looking closely at the photograph the assembled children appear to be having a good time, with many of them wearing party hats that were provided by the Atora Beef Suet company, (a product that would have been a major component of everyday cooking, especially Christmas puddings!). Some of the youngsters are wearing cardboard spectacles with coloured celluloid lenses, quite possibly a novelty provided by another benevolent company. On the tables are cups of tea (on saucers, naturally!) Christmas crackers, and what looks like jelly in paper pots. Hanging from the ceiling are festive paper decorations that, compared to our times, look decidedly basic.

It is rather sobering to consider that only five years later these same children would experience the challenges of the Second World War, some may have spent the conflict away from London as evacuees, but many would have returned, and hopefully survived to enjoy many more Christmas parties. There’s a possibility that one or two of the assembled children are still alive and may be related to you, if so, drop Barnet Post a line!

For more photos like above: Visit boroughphotos.org/barnet

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.