28/04/2026
When a child was admitted to the Foundling Hospital, everything they came with was taken away, which included their clothes and even their name.
From the age of six, they were put to work. Boys in the gardens or weaving. Girls in domestic chores. All of them knitting and darning, learning to keep a neat appearance. Education was basic — mostly reading, and mainly so they could read the Bible.
They stayed until they were 14. Then they were apprenticed out into the world to learn a trade like shoemaking and tailoring. Some couldn’t leave at all, because they had nowhere to go, or couldn’t cope independently.
It wasn’t a fairy tale, but for 25,000 children who were left on the streets of London with nothing, it was a chance. And in 18th century London, a chance was everything.
If you’d like to join us as we piece together stories like this across London’s museums, why not follow along? We’ve got some really interesting places to visit this season:
📍 The Foundling Museum
📍 Old Operating Theatre Museum
📍 South London Gallery
📍 Strawberry Hill House
And many more…
You can find the full episode on YouTube — the link is in our bio!
