Posted on: 7th October 2021

The Blank_ Space Gallery, Leeds will host the exhibition of black and white photographs taken during the summer of 1968 by Peter. The exhibition will run from the 9th to 22nd October, with a private view on the evening of the birthday, 14th October, 6.00pm to 8.30pm.

In 1968, whilst still a student at Leeds College of Art, Peter Lavery went out with his camera and recorded homeless people who relied upon St. George’s Crypt for food and shelter. These nightly excursions resulted in some socially relevant images which have never been printed or published. They lay forgotten, in storage for over fifty years, until unearthed by Lavery during lockdown.

Upon their discovery, Lavery spoke with Andrew Omond of St. George’s Crypt and discovered that 2021 was the 91st anniversary of the shelter. Lavery decided to help by organising an exhibition of these black and white photographs.

Andrew Omond, Head of Marketing / PR at St. George’s Crypt, said: ‘We went into COVID planning our 90th birthday celebrations. We had several different events, conferences and functions planned to highlight the changes in our care provision over 90 years, to share our expertise and look forward to our next developments. COVID stopped all this. It is amazing that this archive has been unearthed, and that it will be shown first in Leeds, the city where Peter studied, for our 91st birthday.’

St. George’s Crypt has been supporting homeless and vulnerable adults in Leeds since 1930. They have developed a service that supports people from the street back to independence, from chaos to citizenship. The Crypt works with people suffering from alcohol dependency, with addiction issues as well as mental and physical health needs. They also work with partners across Leeds to support their clients to establish strong, positive foundations, develop life skills and ultimately move into safe and thriving communities.

Please contact andrew.omond@stgeorgescrypt.org.uk for more information about the event.