The Foundling Hospital: London's answer to abandoned children
In short
The Foundling Hospital was a London charity founded by Thomas Coram under a royal charter of 1739. It admitted its first babies on 25 March 1741 and, by the early nineteenth century, mainly took in children born outside marriage. Mothers left tokens so a child could be identified later. Around 25,000 children passed through its care.
What the full article will cover
- Why did Thomas Coram found the Foundling Hospital?
- How were children admitted?
- What were the foundling tokens?
- How did Hogarth and Handel support it?
- What did the Hospital reveal about unmarried motherhood?
- What happened to it after 1926?
Frequently asked questions
- Could mothers reclaim their children?
- Why were foundlings given new names?
- Where can the foundling tokens be seen today?
- Does the Foundling Hospital still exist?
Sources
- foundlingmuseum.org.uk — https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/about/history/
- nationalarchives.gov.uk — https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/foundling-hospital/
General information, not legal or religious advice.