Inside the Foundling: London's First Orphanage (Part 2)
After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
Deep Dive
What was the architectural style of the Foundling Hospital?
The Foundling Hospital was built in the Palladian architectural style, known for its symmetry, classical columns, and grand, church-like interiors.
Why were the children at the Foundling Hospital often put on display?
The children were put on display as part of the hospital's efforts to showcase its work to wealthy patrons and the public, emphasizing the institution's respectability and the cleanliness and manners of the children.
What was the daily routine like for the children at the Foundling Hospital?
The children followed a strict daily routine, including attending church twice on Sundays, eating meals in silence when visitors were present, and engaging in chores such as mending shoes or working in vegetable gardens.
How did the Foundling Hospital handle children with disabilities?
The hospital tailored its training for children with disabilities, such as teaching blind children to play musical instruments and placing others in roles like seamstresses or servants, enabling them to earn a living after leaving the institution.
What was the mortality rate for children at the Foundling Hospital?
Only about 50% of the children admitted to the Foundling Hospital survived to adulthood, though this was better than the 80% mortality rate for children abandoned on the streets.
What role did George Frideric Handel play at the Foundling Hospital?
Handel oversaw the choir at the Foundling Hospital and helped train children, particularly those with visual impairments, to play musical instruments, providing them with a skill they could use outside the institution.
How did the Foundling Hospital handle the naming of children?
When a child was admitted, they were re-baptized, given a new name and a number, and told not to expect their parents to return. The number and a token left by the mother were used to identify the child if the parent ever came back.
What was the significance of the tokens left by mothers at the Foundling Hospital?
The tokens were left by mothers as a means of identifying their children if they ever returned to reclaim them. These tokens, often small objects like coins or pieces of cloth, were split in half, with one part given to the mother and the other to the child.
What was the legacy of the Foundling Hospital in modern times?
The Foundling Hospital, which cared for 25,000 children over its two centuries of operation, is considered the birthplace of children's social care in Britain. Today, the Coram charity continues its work, including running one of the largest independent adoption agencies in the UK.
What was the process for children leaving the Foundling Hospital?
Children left the Foundling Hospital through apprenticeship, typically at the age of 11 or 12, where they were placed in jobs such as blacksmithing or domestic service. This system was essentially child labor, lasting until they reached adulthood.
- Original staircase in the boys' wing of the Foundling Hospital
- Metal rod added as a safety feature due to a past accident
- The staircase's historical significance and palpable connection to the past
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