The news of Margaret Thatcher’s death yesterday seems to have flooded the internet with polarised commentary as to whether England should be mourning or celebrating, some claiming that a grand state funeral should be held whilst others suggesting it might be more apt to hold a national street party. Whatever your opinion on the matter, it’s certain that Thatcher’s influence over British politics has endured in public opinion as well as social policy, and undoubtedly her death is going to prompt the media over the next few weeks to take a look back at her time in power.
It just so happens that one of my favourite photographers, Paul Graham, did a good job of documenting these times, and produced several series that depicted the grim realities for a large amount of people affected by unemployment in 1980s Britain. Beyond Caring was taken by Graham on the sly in overcrowded welfare centers across the country, capturing the bored faces of those endlessly waiting by placing his camera on a chair or holding it at hip level (the results seem particularly impressive considering they were made without even looking). Here’s to hoping that the images serve as a picture of the past and not as a taster of the future in England..
