Between attraction and instruction: Lantern shows in British poor relief

Projection media was intensively used in British poor relief at the turn of the nineteenth century. While social organizations communicated their aims, they also attached importance to entertaining their clientele. Developing ingenious distribution strategies to find their audiences, their lantern shows proved very popular. The massive non‐commercial use of lantern slides and professional structures of their media work point to the success of the magic lantern in poor relief as well. Welfare organizations ensured the reception of their concerns by regulating lantern shows in advance and by creating both instructive and attractive programmes. Although their exhibitions differed from commercial ones in their intentions, they created multimedia shows with well‐directed performances, appealing to the senses of the spectators. This article investigates how instruction and attraction were combined in lantern shows, organized for propagating welfare concerns, fundraising, moral and religious instruction of poor ...