Hackney photos to be auctioned in foodbank fundraiser

Neil Martinson's photographs will be displayed in the Rare Hackney exhibition from October 19 to November 15 in Hackney Wick.

The blind auction will take place on the opening night from 6pm.

Neil said: "The exhibition is primarily to raise money for the foodbank. What is quite appalling is that we even need foodbanks at all and that the situation is getting worse.

Children play in front of graffiti in Haggerston in 1971 (Image: Neil Martinson)

"As far as the exhibition is concerned, it's an insight into what life was like in Hackney in the 70s and 80s.

"At that time, it was a poor place; unemployment was quite high, there were lots of empty shops and lots of empty houses. It was a time when people wanted to leave Hackney and what's remarkable is that, even though it was poor, there were no foodbanks. So it's a terrible indictment that we have to have foodbanks now."

Ridley Road in 1971 (Image: Neil Martinson)

The exhibition will primarily display photographs from Neil's Hackney archive but it will also preview his latest work, documenting Hackney's contemporary people and places.

Simpson's factory in 1981 produced suits for fashion house Daks (Image: Neil Martinson)

The former Simpson's factory is now Beyond Retro, a vintage clothing store (Image: Neil Martinson)

Neil continued: "In the 80s what you saw was the decline of manufacturing. Up until then there were large factories - there was Lesney in Hackney Wick and Simpson's Tailors on Kingsland High Street. I probably got the last pictures of people doing that kind of work.

"But it was also a period of protest. There was, in particular, quite a lot of protest around police harassment of Black people."

Neil mentioned demonstrations about the shooting of Colin Roach, who died at Stoke Newington police station in 1983, as well as a 1981 riot which he captured.

Demonstrators at a Colin Roach protest in 1983 (Image: Neil Martinson)

"There was a lot of turmoil. It was a fairly regular occurrence for the town hall to be occupied by demonstrators.

"But I think the other thing that was particularly noticeable was that it was also a time when kids would play on the streets which is something that's just never seen nowadays."

Neil added: "It was a very different kind of place."

The River Lea near Old Ford Locks in 1971 (Image: Neil Martinson)

The exhibition is free to attend and will take place at Two More Years in Roach Road, Hackney Wick. Visitors can participate in the auction in person or online here: martinsonneil.myportfolio.com/work.