Love lived and love lost: tales of the heart from a pre-Tinder age

Photograher Holly Wren set out to photograph and spend time with a selection of people over the age of 70, and through it learned stories of great romance

Ernie and Rita, Streatham, December 2015

At 21 years-old and recently discharged from the army, Ernie understood little of love until it came in the form of a beautiful red-headed girl named Rita, at an ice rink in Streatham. In absence of any other plan, Ernie went off to buy a pair of ice-skates so that he could pursue her - literally - around the rink.

Nearly 60 years on, the couple are happily married and still live in Rita’s rented home in Streatham. Ernie says he simply cannot see the value in anything unless Rita is there to share it.

Ernie, 80 from Streatham, met his wife Rita at an ice-rink (Holly Wren)

When 18-year-old Chitra was told she would have to give up her career ambitions for an arranged marriage, she jumped on a plane from Trinidad to London and didn’t look back.

Now 74, the retired teacher tells stories of Ron, her “good-looking fella” whom she met on a train, courted for three months and married in a whirlwind romance for 15 years before he died.

Chitra, 74, lost her husband at a young age but is able to look back with happiness (Holly Wren)

Chitra, Rita and Ernie are among 15 wizened characters to tell their stories of love lived and love lost as part of photographer Holly Wren’s exhibition in conjunction with Contact the Elderly.

“I love Chitra’s bravery,” says Wren, 32, “to shun an arranged marriage, move to a foreign country and marry a white man was to defy the stereotypes of the time. And then there’s Joan who managed to find fulfilment on her own - these are such strong women and it’s inspiring.”

Born and raised in Jamaica, Florence wasn't interested in boys until she picked a male pen pal in a local newspaper (Holly Wren)

A simple design of strong, detailed portraits of older people disclosing what they have learned from relationships, the exhibition - on show at The Broadgate Tower in London - is a moving series that shares the incredible love stories of people in an age before speed dating or Tinder.

“I want people to feel connected to the people in the portraits, says Wren. “I think the theme of love achieves this, the stories are ordinary, but also extraordinary.”

Sidney, 90, had eyes for both Winifred and her sister but was married to Winifred throughout his career in the army (Holly Wren)

“I’ve always found myself inventing stories behind portrait photography – trying to imagine the life of the sitter. This project shows that the truth is far more rewarding than you can imagine and hearing the story really makes you look at the pictures in a new way. It’s intensely personal.”

Joan, 81 from Camden Town, set up the country's first computer dating service (Holly Wren)

Visiting and photographing each subject in their homes, Wren was able to present an added depth to her images.

Each person’s surroundings tell a tale beyond their words and reinstate the importance of the charity’s purpose - to fight isolation and loneliness by encouraging connections with older people within communities, ensuring their value is not lost on younger generations.

“I definitely felt a pressure to do these peoples’ stories justice,” says Wren, “by creating an image that they would like but that would also be emotive”.

Kathleen, 86, had to leave her suitors on the street corner so her mother wouldn't see them with her (Holly Wren)

“Everyone who sees the exhibition seems to have an affinity with a different person,” she says, “and I think that’s because they see themselves in them. That’s what I want to evoke; a connection, a sense of knowing someone who is essentially a stranger, but connected by this mutual experience of having loved.”

Love Lived is on show at London’s Broadgate Tower until June 10.

Holly Wren - www.hollywren.com

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