Nestled in London‘s bustling Bloomsbury district, the Foundling Museum offers an intimate glimpse into the city‘s first children‘s charity and the poignant stories of the abandoned children who found refuge there. For over 200 years, the Foundling Hospital took in and raised over 25,000 babies and children, pioneering a more compassionate approach to child welfare. Its legacy endures today, both in the museum‘s moving exhibits and the ongoing work of the Coram charity.
A Sanctuary in Desperate Times
To fully appreciate the Foundling Hospital‘s impact, one must first understand the grim realities of 18th century London. The city was a place of stark contrasts, with glittering wealth alongside abject poverty. For London‘s working poor, life was a constant struggle. Overcrowding, disease, and food shortages were facts of daily life.
In this environment, the plight of unwanted infants was especially dire. Illegitimacy and extreme poverty left many mothers with few options. Infanticide and abandonment were shockingly widespread. A 1715 report estimated that over 1,000 dead infants were found in the streets each year, with many more unreported. Workhouses and parish charities could not meet this overwhelming need.
Enter Thomas Coram, a philanthropic sea captain who made it his life‘s mission to provide a safe haven for foundlings. Moved by the sight of infants "sometimes alive, sometimes dead, and sometimes dying" in the streets, Coram spent 17 years tirelessly petitioning for a royal charter to establish the hospital. His perseverance paid off in 1739, when King George II granted the charter for the "Foundling Hospital for the Reception, Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Children."
Art Meets Philanthropy
From its inception, the Foundling Hospital broke new ground not only in its charitable mission, but in its innovative fundraising model. Recognizing the power of art to inspire empathy and action, Coram enlisted leading cultural figures of the day to support the cause.
The artist William Hogarth was a devoted patron, donating paintings and encouraging fellow artists to do the same. He painted a famous portrait of Coram and designed the hospital‘s coat of arms. Hogarth‘s involvement lent the project social cachet and established the hospital as London‘s first public art gallery, decades before the National Gallery or British Museum.
Similarly, composer George Frideric Handel was a passionate supporter, conducting benefit concerts in the hospital‘s chapel. Most notably, he premiered his oratorio "Messiah" there in 1750, raising substantial sums. Handel also donated an organ and bequeathed a copy of "Messiah" to the hospital in his will.
This fusion of art and philanthropy was groundbreaking for its time. As David Allin, curator at the Foundling Museum, notes: "The Foundling Hospital was the place to be seen in Georgian London. Hogarth and Handel‘s involvement not only attracted funds and attention, but helped shift attitudes. Supporting vulnerable children became fashionable and virtuous."
Tokens of Love and Loss
Perhaps the most poignant reminders of the hospital‘s human impact are the foundling tokens. Until the late 19th century, mothers leaving babies at the hospital would often pin a small everyday object – a button, coin, thimble or scrap of fabric – to the child‘s clothing. This served as an identifier, a symbolic link between mother and child. Though few could read or write, these women found ways to leave a piece of themselves, hoping against hope to someday reclaim their little ones.
The museum‘s collection of foundling tokens is among the most extensive in the world. It is a tangible, deeply moving record of maternal love and loss. Over 5,000 tokens survive, each a fragment of a story. A button engraved with a heart. A scrap of a mother‘s dress. A playing card scrawled with a message of affection.
While fewer than 1% of foundlings were ever reclaimed, the tokens testify to the unbreakable bond between parent and child. As historian Jenny Uglow writes in "Hogarth: A Life and a World," "The foundling tokens are among the most touching mementoes of the poor in the 18th century…They speak of hope in the face of hopelessness."
A Legacy of Care
The Foundling Hospital was a trailblazer not only in its mission, but in its methods. Children received a level of care and education unusual for the time. Unlike grim workhouses, the hospital aimed to nurture children‘s health and moral character. Foundlings wore uniforms, but they were made of finer materials than standard charity garb. They received schooling, including in music and handicrafts to prepare them for apprenticeships and service.
This is not to say life was easy. Discipline was strict and mortality rates were high, especially in the hospital‘s early decades. Diseases like smallpox took a heavy toll before vaccination became available. Wet nurses in the countryside fostered infants until age 5, with many not surviving. Still, the Foundling Hospital provided a far better chance at life than a child would have had on the streets.
Over time, the hospital evolved and expanded its scope. In the early 1800s, it began admitting older children and providing them with education and vocational training. An 1811 report records a typical day‘s schedule, with hours devoted to reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography lessons, along with ample time for play and outdoor exercise. By the Victorian era, the hospital was renowned for its excellent school and high standards of care.
The hospital‘s influence extended far beyond its walls. It set new standards for children‘s institutions and helped shift public attitudes around child welfare. Thomas Coram‘s vision inspired a wave of philanthropic efforts focused on vulnerable children, from the establishment of orphanages and schools to the eventual development of adoption and foster care systems.
As social historian Gillian Pugh notes in "London‘s Forgotten Children: Thomas Coram and the Foundling Hospital," "The Foundling Hospital was a turning point in society‘s understanding of its responsibility to its most vulnerable members. It paved the way for a more compassionate, proactive approach to child welfare that continues to this day."
A Living Legacy
Today, the Foundling Museum keeps the hospital‘s story alive and relevant. Alongside exhibits on its history are provocative contemporary art installations that connect the past to the present. The museum also hosts lectures, workshops and community events that engage the public in ongoing conversations about childhood, family, and social welfare.
This is a fitting continuation of Thomas Coram‘s vision. The Foundling Hospital was never just about providing a bed and a meal; it was about affirming the value and potential of every child, regardless of circumstances. As Caro Howell, the museum‘s director, puts it: "The Foundling Hospital is a powerful reminder that every child matters and deserves a chance to thrive. That message is as vital now as it was 300 years ago."
Indeed, the issues the hospital confronted – poverty, inequality, the needs of vulnerable families – remain urgent concerns. The Coram charity, the Foundling Hospital‘s modern incarnation, works to address these challenges through a range of innovative programs. From helping adoptive families bond to providing legal support for migrant children, Coram carries forward the hospital‘s legacy of nurturing children on society‘s margins.
For the visitor willing to linger and absorb its stories, the Foundling Museum is a portal to a transformative chapter in London‘s history, one that speaks to the timeless power of compassion and the resilience of the human spirit. In the foundling tokens and fragile infant shoes, in the grand portraits and humble uniforms, we see reflected back to us our common humanity. We are reminded that societies are ultimately judged by how they treat their most vulnerable members – and that in the face of suffering, there are always those who will step up and demand better.
As you make your way through the museum‘s thoughtfully curated exhibits, take a moment to imagine the lives behind the artifacts. The desperate mothers. The dedicated staff. The children who against all odds found a path forward. In their struggles and triumphs, we can find inspiration for our own efforts to build a more just and nurturing world.
The Foundling Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, with guided tours available. Admission is £13.20 for adults, with discounts for children, seniors, and families. The museum is a short walk from the Russell Square and Kings Cross tube stations, and is fully accessible. For more information on exhibits, events, and ways to support the museum‘s ongoing work, visit foundlingmuseum.org.uk.
