the group's origins go back to 1974 when photographers jo spence and neil martinson were searching for women photographers to produce an exhibition on women and work for hackney trades council. a woman designer and an illustrator, a writer and an editor also joined the group. members were engaged in a variety of occupations at a professional level: university teaching, community photography, freelance photojournalism and publishing; some were active trade unionists. in 1975 the collective was consolidated when it adopted the name hackney flashers.