Founded in January 1854, The Soup Kitchen for the Jewish Poor was set up to help the newly arrived, penniless and jobless immigrant Jews, fleeing pogroms; later, it also offered help to the sick and the elderly, providing soup, bread and meat twice a week during the winter. Originally situated in Fashion Street, Spitalfields, it moved to 17-19 Butler Street (renamed Brune Street in 1937) in December 1902 (when the name and date: 5662 in the Jewish calendar) were carved above the entrance; funded by donations and community support, it remained open until 1992, serving thousands at times of great need, including the 1930s’ depression and the Second World War (when rationing changed the allocation to bread and grocery parcels, given out three times a week). Allin depicts a less frenzied era, probably post-war, with a small, well-spaced and orderly queue including both children and the elderly, among them one exhausted man leaning heavily on the wall for support.