Amish children by Roger Bamber

 January 1989.

Amish children living in the Conewango Valley, near Niagara Falls in New York State USA were being struck down by a whooping-cough epidemic. The Amish, who shun modern drugs and vaccines, were treating the children with lemon juice and honey and three babies died, becoming the first whooping-cough fatalities in America for three years.

It was big news as this tragedy was happening only 300 miles north of New York City, where life was so different it could have been on a different planet. The Amish try not to use machines of any kind including cameras so although they welcome tourists, children are always told to not to pose for photographers… but this little girl couldn’t resist peeping at what was going on.

The picture was a British Press Awards winner the following year.