Why are an old bent coin, a piece of ribbon and a hazelnut amongst the most treasured items in the Foundling Museum’s Collection? In this talk, you can learn why such items were so important in the mid-eighteenth-century Foundling Hospital when a child was admitted and why their use as identifiers declined as the century went on. You will discover how and why the tokens had to be hidden and who had access to their secrets, and how many tell us not just about individuals but about life in general at this time. The talk will also reveal the individual stories behind some foundling tokens and why some histories will always be unknown.
This talk will last 40 minutes, with an opportunity to ask questions afterwards. Tickets are available to watch either ONLINE or IN-PERSON at the Foundling Museum; in-person tickets include Museum entry. The online recording will be available to watch for 1 month.
Janette Bright’s research on the tokens – together with that of Gillian Clark – formed the basis of the exhibition ‘Fate, Hope and Charity‘ in 2013. Janette and Gillian also co-authored ‘An Introduction to the Tokens at the Foundling Hospital’. Janette has recently completed a PhD at the Institution of Historical Research, looking at the challenge of establishing and maintaining the Hospital (1740–1820).