KS2 – History
Understanding the Historical context of the Foundling Hospitals and the leaving of tokens will help inform the implementation of the project as a whole.
In the 1720’s, philanthropist, Thomas Coram had a vision for abandoned, ‘foundling’ children: that they should be cared for and educated so that, ultimately, they could support themselves.
Babies of unmarried mothers or very poor parents who could not care for them were frequently abandoned or left to die. Thomas Coram wanted to put an end to this, so after many years of campaigning for a ‘Founding hospital’ to be built, King George II signed the Foundling Hospital Charter in October 1739.
While the Governors set to work on their plans for the new hospital, the first children were admitted on 25 March 1741 to a temporary house in London’s Hatton Garden with a capacity for 30 children.
The Foundling Hospital was England’s first home for abandoned and illegitimate children.
Each baby left in the Foundling Hospital’s care was given a new name to provide anonymity for both mother and child. However, the Hospital made it possible for mothers to reclaim their babies if their circumstances changed. In the 18th century, one of the ways the Hospital could re-establish the link between mother and child was through tokens.
On the day a child was admitted to the Founding Hospital, staff filled out a billet. This recorded identifying information, such as gender, the clothes the child was wearing, and any distinguishing marks on the body. The billet did not record the child’s name.
In addition, the Hospital encouraged mothers to supply a ‘token’, a small identifying item such as a ribbon, a rosette, a button, or a coin. The billet sheet was folded around the token, sealing it within a little package, and stored safely away at the Hospital. If the child was ever claimed, the billet would be opened and the token used as a method of confirming the identity of the child. The mother could either describe the token or produce a matching part of it. The children who were not claimed never learned if a token had been left for them.
Links:
The Foundling Hospital - Coram Story : Coram Story
Claiming Children - Coram Story : Coram Story
The Foundling Hospital tokens collection - Coram Story : Coram Story