The Hampshire Family Historian | Vol.48 No.1 | June 2021

Local Group Programmes

description of the property and are slowly being put on the thegenealogist website. The Second World War resulted in the 1941 National Farm Survey which covered all farms greater than 5 acres. Other records may be more obvious – newspapers contain details of farm sales, agricultural shows and fairs, accidents on farms, harvest failures. School log books may contain records of absenteeism when children helped out with harvests. Janet provided a huge list of useful references and sources for more information. (April) Finding My Foundling – Paul Richardson Paul started with describing his mother’s side of the family who were REEN and originated from Ireland and married DAVIS from Kentish town, London. The problems started when he found a Henry DAVIS marrying a Martha EDMUNDS ( EDMONDS ). In the various census records Martha’s place of birth was different in every case. In 1841 when aged 7 months she was living in south London with a family but by 1851 she was in what Paul eventually realised was the Foundling Hospital. Paul’s talk fell into 3 parts – the history of the Hospital, the operation of the hospital and the hospital records. The principal person in the creation of the hospital was Thomas CORAM (1668-1751) and the children’s charity he started still exists today. Coram originated from Lyme Regis in Dorset and trained as a seaman and shipwright in Britain before moving to Boston, USA where he set up his own business. He had a long association with the Reverend Thomas BRAY (founder of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge - SPCK). Coram was described by his biographer as “a person with integrity in an age of corruption” but had a strong temper and was vehement in views. On returning to Britain, he observed the suffering of very young children in London and decided something needed to done. A series of petitions to King and parliament did not work until he involved noblewomen such as the Duchess of Somerset. In 1739 he succeeded and a temporary hospital was started in Hatton Gardens. In 1741 Lord Salisbury donated land on the outskirts of London at Bloomsbury for what eventually became the Foundling Hospital. In practice it was more of a school than a hospital as we know it. It was constantly in need of funds and they had to turn away the majority of the applications. The painter William HOGARTH (1697-1764) and the composer George Frederick HANDEL (1685-1759) were early benefactors of the Hospital. Later Charles Dickens was a supporter. Children who were free of disease were admitted. Mothers often left tokens or identifying papers so their child could be retrieved if their circumstances improved. Children were given new names on being admitted. Those less than a year old were fostered out to wet nurses in the countryside, notably in the Chertsey and Addlestone areas. On returning to the Hospital at about 4 years old, the children received an education and training. In their mid-teens they became apprentices in various occupations. The Hospital was strict on cleanliness which combined with a reasonable diet meant the children had a significantly lower mortality rates than in the general population. Paul noted that on leaving they were not left on their own and follow up reports were made. Unlike other children’s charities the Foundling Hospital did not send children abroad. The Hospital records are now kept by the London Metropolitan Archives. The records comprise a General Register, Petitions, Admittance Register, Baptism Register, Nursery Book, Inspection Books and Apprentice records. At present, these have not been digitised

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