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Foundling Hospital

1739 establishments in EnglandBuildings and structures completed in 1741Charities based in LondonChildren's charities based in EnglandChildren's hospitals in the United Kingdom
Former buildings and structures in the London Borough of CamdenFoundling HospitalOrganizations established in 1739Orphanages in the United KingdomUse British English from July 2017
The Foundling Hospital, Holborn, London; a bird's eye view o Wellcome V0013461
The Foundling Hospital, Holborn, London; a bird's eye view o Wellcome V0013461

The Foundling Hospital in London, England, was founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is in the 21st century, simply indicating the institution's "hospitality" to those less fortunate. Nevertheless, one of the top priorities of the committee at the Foundling Hospital was children's health, as they combated smallpox, fevers, consumption, dysentery and even infections from everyday activities like teething that drove up mortality rates and risked epidemics. With their energies focused on maintaining a disinfected environment, providing simple clothing and fare, the committee paid less attention to and spent less on developing children's education. As a result, financial problems would hound the institution for years to come, despite the growing "fashionableness" of charities like the hospital.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Foundling Hospital (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Foundling Hospital
Mecklenburgh Square, London King's Cross (London Borough of Camden)

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 51.5247 ° E -0.1197 °
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The Wolfson Centre

Mecklenburgh Square
WC1N 2AP London, King's Cross (London Borough of Camden)
England, United Kingdom
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The Foundling Hospital, Holborn, London; a bird's eye view o Wellcome V0013461
The Foundling Hospital, Holborn, London; a bird's eye view o Wellcome V0013461
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Nearby Places

Coram's Fields
Coram's Fields

Coram's Fields is a large urban open space in the London borough of Camden in central London. It occupies seven acres in Bloomsbury and includes a children's playground, sand pits, a pets corner, café and nursery. Adults are only permitted to enter if accompanied by children.It is situated on the former site of the Foundling Hospital, established by Thomas Coram in what was then named Lamb's Conduit Field in 1739. In the 1920s The Foundling Hospital was relocated outside London to Ashlyns School in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, and the site was earmarked for redevelopment. However, a campaign organised by Janet Trevelyan and fundraising by local residents and a donation from Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere led to the creation of the current park that opened in 1936. Coram's Fields is owned and run by an independent registered charity, officially named Coram's Fields and the Harmsworth Memorial Playground.Coram's Fields also offers three eight-a-side football pitches, two tennis courts, a stickball field and a basketball court. The Thomas Coram Foundation for Children (the successor charity to the Foundling Hospital) and the Foundling Museum housing the art collections of the former Hospital, are based in buildings nearby. To the west is Brunswick Square, and to the east is Mecklenburgh Square (bordered by Goodenough College to the south), two historical London squares. To the north is the Thomas Coram Foundation and St George's Gardens. To the south are Guilford Street and Great Ormond Street Hospital. Coram's Fields, and Brunswick and Mecklenburgh Squares are jointly listed Grade II on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.Coram's Fields provides services for children and young people in the local community, including an after school and holiday programme, a sports programme, a youth centre and an early years programme which includes a nursery and drop-in.