Homes of the Homeless: Seeking Shelter in Victorian London

Victorian London wasn't all top hats, horsedrawn carriages and comfortable, dolls-house style homes. A huge number of Londoners struggled to keep a roof over their heads, renting a single room – or just a bed – in a building shared with strangers. Others couldn’t afford to pay for accommodation at all and were forced to turn to shelters or the workhouse or to sleep rough on the streets. Using paintings, photographs, objects and stories collected from personal accounts and diaries, this exhibition at the Geffrye tells the story of less lucky Victorian London.