The Victorian Era's Foundling Hospitals: A Historical Perspective

The Foundling Hospital in London, established in 1739, was the first children's home in Britain. It was founded by philanthropist and sea captain Thomas Coram to provide education and maintenance for exposed and deserted young children. The hospital was not an orphanage in the traditional sense, as mothers willingly left their children there. The hospital's mission was to be open to all children, regardless of their background. This was especially important as, during the Victorian era, illegitimate children were deeply stigmatised. The hospital's governors were influential members of society, including artists, physicians, and even the Duke of Bedford. The hospital's capacity was limited, and it became a fashionable charity, supported by many noted figures of the day.

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The Foundling Hospital, London

Coram was horrified by the plight of illegitimate infants, who were often abandoned to die, and began campaigning in 1735 to create a home for these babies. He enlisted the support of leading members of the aristocracy, the City, the arts, and the sciences, including the composer George Frideric Handel and the artist William Hogarth, who was a founding governor. Hogarth designed the children's uniforms and the coat of arms, and he and his wife fostered foundling children. He also set up a permanent art exhibition in the new buildings, making the hospital one of London's most fashionable charities.

The hospital received its Royal Charter from King George II in 1739, and appointed 172 governors chosen for their wealth and influence, as well as a General Committee of 50. The hospital's first president was John Russell, the 4th Duke of Bedford. The governors tried hard to ensure that the children understood their rights and were well-treated.

The hospital's permanent home was built on land acquired from the Earl of Salisbury on Lamb's Conduit Field in Bloomsbury, an undeveloped area surrounded by fields. The building was designed by Theodore Jacobsen as a plain brick building with two wings and a chapel, built around an open courtyard. The western wing was finished in October 1745, and an eastern wing was added in 1752 to separate the girls from the boys. The hospital's earliest years were likely the happiest for the children, who were sent to be wet-nursed in the countryside. The hospital grew to become a very fashionable charity, supported by many noted figures of the day in high society and the arts.

The Foundling Hospital's work continued into the Victorian era. In the mid-19th century, the governors voted to fund a Juvenile Band of Musicians, which proved to be a "highly successful experiment". The hospital continued to accept babies under a year old, with the majority under two months old. The babies had to pass a medical examination to ensure they did not bring contagious diseases into the hospital. After 1801, only illegitimate children were admitted, except for orphans of sailors and soldiers.

The history of foundling hospitals

The Foundling Hospital, formally the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children, was a children's home in London, England. The hospital was set up by Thomas Coram, a philanthropic sea captain, in 1739. Appalled by the conditions children faced in London, Coram campaigned tirelessly for 17 years to establish the hospital, receiving the Royal Charter from King George II in 1739. The hospital was established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children".

The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, indicating the institution's "hospitality" to those less fortunate. Nevertheless, one of the top priorities of the committee at the Foundling Hospital was children's health, as they combated smallpox, fevers, consumption, dysentery, and infections from everyday activities like teething that drove up mortality rates and risked epidemics. The hospital also focused on maintaining a disinfected environment and providing simple clothing and food for the children.

The first children were admitted to the Foundling Hospital on 25 March 1741 into a temporary house in Hatton Garden. The hospital soon became overwhelmed with applications, and a system of balloting with red, white, and black balls was adopted to determine which children would be admitted. By 1742, over 100 people often applied for just 20 places. The hospital's permanent home was constructed on land acquired from the Earl of Salisbury on Lamb's Conduit Field in Bloomsbury, an undeveloped area lying north of Great Ormond Street and west of Gray's Inn Lane. The building was designed by Theodore Jacobsen as a plain brick building with two wings and a chapel, built around an open courtyard. The western wing was finished in October 1745, and an eastern wing was added in 1752 to separate the girls from the boys.

The Foundling Hospital grew to become a very fashionable charity, supported by many noted figures of the day in high society and the arts, including the artist William Hogarth and the composer George Frideric Handel. During its two centuries in operation, the hospital looked after a remarkable 25,000 children. Boys were apprenticed into a variety of occupations at age 14, while girls were generally apprenticed as servants at age 16. The hospital continued to operate well into the Victorian era, with records showing that in 1868, 63 infants of about four months old were admitted, with a total of 301 children in the institution. After the Second World War, attitudes towards children's emotional needs changed, and the last residential pupil of the Foundling Hospital was placed in foster care. Today, the Foundling Museum stands in the grounds of the old hospital, displaying its collection and exploring the history of the hospital and the children it cared for.

The founding of the Foundling Hospital

The Foundling Hospital, formally known as the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children, was a children's home in London, England, founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. The hospital was established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, indicating the institution's "hospitality" to those less fortunate.

Coram was horrified by the plight of illegitimate infants, who were often abandoned to die or accompanied their poor mothers to the workhouse, where their chances of survival were slim. He first petitioned King George II for the establishment of the hospital in 1735, and after 17 years of campaigning, the Foundling Hospital finally received its Royal Charter from George II in 1739. The hospital appointed 172 governors, chosen for their wealth and influence, and a General Committee of 50 was selected from these governors. The founding governors included the artist William Hogarth, and eminent physicians Richard Mead and Hans Sloane. The first president was John Russell, the 4th Duke of Bedford.

The first children were admitted to the Foundling Hospital on 25 March 1741 into a temporary house in Hatton Garden. At first, no questions were asked about the child or parent, but a note was made of any distinguishing marks or tokens that might later be used to identify the child if reclaimed. These tokens included marked coins, trinkets, pieces of fabric or ribbon, playing cards, and verses or notes written on scraps of paper. In 1758, the hospital governors decided to provide receipts to anyone leaving a child, making the tokens unnecessary.

In September 1742, the stone of the new hospital building was laid on land acquired from the Earl of Salisbury on Lamb's Conduit Field in Bloomsbury, an undeveloped area at the time. The hospital was designed by Theodore Jacobsen as a plain brick building with two wings and a chapel, built around an open courtyard. The western wing was finished in October 1745, and an eastern wing was added in 1752 to separate the girls from the boys. The hospital grew to become a very fashionable charity, supported by many noted figures of the day in high society and the arts.

Life in the Foundling Hospital

The Foundling Hospital in London, formally the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children, was founded in 1739 by philanthropist and sea captain Thomas Coram. The hospital was established to provide "education and maintenance" for illegitimate infants, who were often abandoned to die on the streets of London.

The earliest years for children in the Foundling Hospital were likely their happiest. They were sent to be wet-nursed in the countryside, with upper-class female patrons of the hospital playing a crucial role by monitoring their nurses carefully. From 1756, restrictions against admitting infected children were lifted, and these children were sent to be dry-nursed.

The hospital was located in Bloomsbury, an undeveloped area surrounded by fields. It was designed as a plain brick building with two wings and a chapel, built around an open courtyard. Boys were housed in the West Wing, supervised by a schoolmaster and drillmaster, while girls occupied the East Wing, supervised by a Matron whose duty was to "educate and train the minds of the girls, in such a manner as will make them intelligent, obedient, and teachable servants, when they leave the walls". Despite the segregation, the hospital was described as a happy place, with a "great jovial kitchen" and rocking horses in the infant school.

All children were taught to read, in order to read the Bible, and to darn and knit to ensure they had a tidy appearance. Boys were also taught to write from 1757, and later basic accounting. Girls were generally not taught to write until 1800. From the age of six, the children were expected to work. Boys worked in the garden, while girls did indoor domestic chores. Some boys learned shoemaking and tailoring skills, not so much to provide them with a trade but to make them generally industrious. Blind children were given music lessons from 1753, and by the 1770s music was contemplated for all children. Attending church and saying prayers were also part of their education.

The hospital governors tried to ensure that the children understood their rights and were well-treated. When they left the hospital, usually at around 14 years old, the children were apprenticed to masters outside the hospital. Girls were typically found places in service, while boys were apprenticed in a variety of occupations, often on trading ships.

Other Victorian orphanages

During the Victorian era, orphanages were established to address the rampant issue of child abandonment and reduce infant mortality. However, orphanages often lacked sufficient space, resulting in orphans being placed in prisons, poorhouses, or workhouses, or left to survive on their own on the streets.

The workhouse system, instituted in 1834, aimed to accommodate orphans and other vulnerable individuals in exchange for labour. However, the conditions, particularly for women and children, were brutal and abusive, as depicted in Charles Dickens' novels, including Oliver Twist. The harsh reality of orphanages and the plight of orphans inspired and influenced Victorian literature, with authors using orphan characters to evoke sympathy and explore moral shaping.

While some orphans were fortunate enough to be adopted by their wealthy relatives, most poor orphans faced a challenging existence. They were often sent to workhouses or ended up on the fringes of society, facing prejudice and social instability. The Ragged schools, founded by John Pounds and Lord Shaftesbury, emerged as a form of support for these destitute children, providing basic education, food, and clothing.

The contrast between rich and poor orphans is evident in literary works such as Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, where the character of Adèle Varens represents a rich orphan with luxurious tastes, while Cecilia Jupe in Dickens' Hard Times embodies the plight of the poor orphan, abandoned by her father and left to travelling clowns. Despite the efforts of orphanages and schools, the Victorian era's orphanages and the lives of orphans were often characterised by harsh conditions and social marginalisation.

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