Thanks to Foundling Voices, an innovative oral history project by the Museum, we can actually hear a small group of these people tell their life stories in their own voices. Several thousand children were admitted in the 20th century to the Foundling Hospital sites in London (until 1926), Redhill (1926-35) and Berkhamsted (1935-54).
Between 2009 and 2011 we were fortunate to meet and interview 76 of these children, now adults in their 80s and 90s, with some sadly no longer with us. Although born in the twentieth century, these children were subject to a pattern of care set up in the mid eighteenth century, therefore giving us insights into the common aspects of the lives of all Foundling Hospital children.
Scroll down and listen to Alice, Beatrice, Bob, Daniel, Doris, George, Helen, Sam and others talk about their time at the Hospital and after they left. You can also see portraits of some of the individuals when visiting the Museum or here.
The Foundling Voices material is © Foundling Museum, London. For permission to use, please contact exhibitions@foundlingmuseum.org.uk