Cramped Collection

Firefighters at work in London Underground
Firefighters at work in the carriage of a London Underground train following an incident on 28 February 1975. The train had failed to stop at Moorgate station

Gentleman Gardener seated proudly in small home greenhouse
A smart Gentleman Gardener seated proudly in his small home greenhouse. Date: circa 1910s

Unusual Bed Cupboard
A sleeping cupboard with seven shelves for seven people, plus the essential ladder!

The Café-Concert, c1879. Creator: Edouard Manet
The Cafe-Concert, c1879. Here, Manet captures the kaleidoscopic pleasures of Parisian nightlife. The figures are crowded into the compact space of the canvas

De ce côté-là, vous voyez la tour St. Jacques... 1847. Creator: Honore Daumier
De ce cote-la, vous voyez la tour St. Jacques... 1847. De ce cote-la vous voyez la tour St. Jacques la Boucherie!...(And from here you can see the tower of St. Jacques the Butcher!)

'Interior of a third class railway carriage in Spain; Notes on Spain, 1875. Creator: Unknown
Interior of a third class railway carriage in Spain; Notes on Spain, 1875. From, Illustrated Travels by H.W. Bates. [Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, c1880, London]

Il faut me trouver la dedans trois pièces et une cuisine!, 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
Il faut me trouver la dedans trois pieces et une cuisine!, 19th century. Tenants and landlords. Landlord to builder: I need you to fit three rooms and a kitchen in here!

Emigrant Ship, between Decks, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Emigrant Ship, between Decks, 1850. Sailing ship bound for the colonies, showing:..female emigrants making their arrangements for the voyage...[The women were enabled to emigrate by] the movement

Scene between Decks, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Scene between Decks, 1850. Emigrants leaving Britain for the colonies: United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand

The Black Hole, Old Fort William, 18th June, 1756, illustration from
STC357954 The Black Hole, Old Fort William, 18th June, 1756, illustration from Hutchinsons History of the Nations, c.1910 (litho) by Wood, Stanley L

In Paddington three families share a terrace house. The two bedroom house means that one family has to sleep in the kitchen October 1953

The O Brien family standing on the front steps outside their flat in New Cross, London. September 1961

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Italy, Puglia, Bari, Panoramic view of trulli houses, Alberobello

Miner at work within the Great Harwood Colliery - digging our Cock Bridge House Coal " so much esteemed for us in Farm

Londoners sleeping in the Underground during the Blitz
German bombing campaign against Britain between September 1940 and May 1941 mainly targeting London and industrial places

Jack Whinery and his family, homesteaders, Pie Town, New Mexico, 1940. Creator: Russell Lee
Jack Whinery and his family, homesteaders, Pie Town, New Mexico

Adopted daughter and two grandchildren with Mrs. Ella Watson... charwoman, Washington, D.C, 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Washington, D.C. Adopted daughter and two grandchildren with Mrs. Ella Watson, a government charwoman

Mrs. Ella Watson, who has been a government charwoman... Washington, D.C. 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Washington, D.C. Mrs. Ella Watson, who has been a government charwoman for twenty-six years, with three of the five children she supports on her salary of one thousand eighty dollars per year

A family which lives in the Southwest area, Washington, D. C. 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Washington, D.C. A family which lives in the Southwest area

Grandchild of Mrs. Ella Watson, a government charwoman, taking her... nap, Washington, D.C, 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Washington, D.C. Grandchild of Mrs. Ella Watson, a government charwoman, taking her afternoon nap

Mrs. Ella Watson, a government charwoman going home... Washington, D.C. 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Washington, D.C. Mrs. Ella Watson, a government charwoman going home from work at 2 a.m

Three children waiting in the kitchen while their mother prepares the... Washington, D.C, 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Washington, D.C. Three children waiting in the kitchen while their mother prepares the evening meal

Gloucester fishermen resting in their bunks after unloading their catch at the... New York, 1943. Creator: Gordon Parks
New York, New York. Gloucester fishermen resting in their bunks after unloading their catch at the Fulton fish market

Nurse in FSA mobile camp unit conducts doctor... Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Nurse in FSA (Farm Security Administration) mobile camp unit conducts doctor to house trailer where there is a sick child. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon

Shows pickers tents, power unit and shower bath... FSA camp, Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon
Shows pickers tents, power unit and shower bath unit beyond. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon. FSA (Farm Security Administration) camp

The camp nurse introduces doctor to mother of sick baby, Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The camp nurse introduces doctor to mother of sick baby. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon. FSA (Farm Security Administration) camp unit

The doctor reassures the mother... the sick baby, Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The doctor reassures the mother after having seen the sick baby in the trailer. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, at FSA (Farm Security Administration) mobile camp

The doctor reassures the mother after having seen the sick... Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon
The doctor reassures the mother after having seen the sick baby in the trailer. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, at FSA (Farm Security Administration) mobile camp

He brought his family to the west in a homemade trailer... Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939
He brought his family to the west in a homemade trailer from Texas five months ago. Photograph made after supper. Boy sick. Father has work now in potato field. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon

Sick child of young couple who migrated to Oregon... Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Sick child of young couple who migrated to Oregon from Amarillo, Texas, five months ago. Their home is now this house trailer

Sick child, Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Father brought his family to the west in a homemade trailer from Texas five months ago. Photograph made after supper. Boy sick. Father has work now in potato field. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon

Young mother, aged twenty-two, has one little girl... FSA, Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939
Young mother, aged twenty-two, has one little girl three years old. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon. In mobile unit of FSA (Farm Security Administration) camp. New baby expected in December

Family of six in tent after supper, FSA mobile unit, Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939 Creator: Dorothea Lange
Family of six in tent after supper. Came to potato harvest after father was laid off of WPA (Work Projects Administration) in Boise, Idaho. Oldest child is twelve. Little boy has dysentery

One room per family in rough wooden barracks... near Grants pass, Josephine County, Oregon, 1939
Oregon, Josephine County, near Grants Pass. One room per family in rough wooden barracks on growers property. No running water in camp. Hop ranch

Cave of bandits (oil on canvas)
XIR387319 Cave of bandits (oil on canvas) by Lucas y Padilla, Eugenio (1824-70); Museo del Romanticismo, Madrid, Spain; (add.info.: Cave of the bandits; )

Crew quarters aboard a German submarine (b / w photo)
3626929 Crew quarters aboard a German submarine (b/w photo) by German Photographer (20th Century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Crew quarters aboard a German submarine)

A Days Shooting in China (engraving)
1062327 A Days Shooting in China (engraving) by Ralston, William (1848-1911) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Days Shooting in China)

Victorian theatregoers crowd into a box at a London theatre (engraving)
3245540 Victorian theatregoers crowd into a box at a London theatre (engraving) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; Peter Newark Pictures; English, out of copyright

Alice in White Rabbits House, illustration from Alice
2657656 Alice in White Rabbits House, illustration from Alices Adventures Under Ground, pub. 1886 (facsimile) by Dodgson, Charles Lutwidge (Lewis Carroll) (1832-98); Private Collection; (add.info)

Work inside the caissons, constucting Brooklyn Bridge, New York (litho)
STC172379 Work inside the caissons, constucting Brooklyn Bridge, New York (litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Family in room in tenement house, c. 1910 (gelatin silver print)
876484 Family in room in tenement house, c.1910 (gelatin silver print) by Beals, Jessie Tarbox (1871-1942); 23.5x18.4 cm; Museum of the City of New York

Girls taking exams at the Hotel de Ville (colour litho)
2818660 Girls taking exams at the Hotel de Ville (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Girls taking exams at the Hotel de Ville, Paris. A l Hotel de Ville)

3rd Class Carriage, seats for 5 persons 1860s
Cramped 3rd class train with people practically sitting on one anothers laps. Date: 1860s

Housing problems in the East End of London with typical large families living in one room. Date: 1919

Worn Out, 1868 (oil on canvas)
480753 Worn Out, 1868 (oil on canvas) by Faed, Thomas (1826-1900); 105.7x145.4 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; Scottish, out of copyright

The Ferryboat, c. 1657 (oil on canvas)
CLK339853 The Ferryboat, c.1657 (oil on canvas) by Pynacker, Adam (1622-73); 64.8x75.7 cm; Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA; Dutch, out of copyright

Interior scene (oil on canvas)
XIR384535 Interior scene (oil on canvas) by Saint-Aubert, Antoine Francois (1715-88); Musee des Beaux-Arts, Arras, France; (add.info.: Scene d interieur; ); French, out of copyright

David Belasco in his study, leafing through a dictionary, 1909 (silver gelatin print)
MNY381336 David Belasco in his study, leafing through a dictionary, 1909 (silver gelatin print) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); 27.9x35.6 cm; Museum of the City of New York

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In the depths of London's Underground, firefighters battle against the flames, their movements restricted in the cramped tunnels. The echoes of their footsteps bounce off the walls as they work tirelessly to save lives and protect this historic transport system. A peculiar sight awaits inside a small home greenhouse, where a gentleman gardener sits proudly amidst his flourishing plants. Despite the limited space, he has transformed this tiny sanctuary into a green oasis, showcasing his passion for nature within these cramped quarters. During the dark days of World War II, Londoners sought refuge from relentless bombings by seeking solace in the Underground stations. Cramped together like sardines in a can, they found comfort and safety amidst these subterranean chambers that became makeshift bedrooms during those terrifying nights. An advertisement catches one's eye - Hartland and Hyde promote their innovative storage solution: an unusual bed cupboard. In compact living spaces where every inch matters, this clever design allows homeowners to maximize their cramped rooms by seamlessly transforming beds into hidden storage units. Traveling back in time to 18th June 1756 at Old Fort William brings us face-to-face with "The Black Hole. " This infamous incident depicts British prisoners crammed into an impossibly tight space within the fort's dungeon. The illustration captures their despair and suffering as they endure unimaginable conditions. Deep beneath Great Harwood Colliery lies a miner hard at work. Squeezed between narrow passageways underground, he navigates through darkness and dust to extract precious resources from Mother Earth herself – all while enduring cramped surroundings that test both body and mind. Paddington reveals another tale of shared spaces; three families find themselves cohabiting within a single terrace house. With only two bedrooms available for everyone involved, compromise becomes essential as each family adapts to life in such close quarters – finding unity despite being confined within these cramped confines. On front steps outside their flat in New Cross stands the O'Brien family, their faces filled with resilience and determination.