A Historic Depository for Unwanted Babies

We like to think we’re advanced, what with our technology and intelligence. But at a certain level, things aren’t really any different today than they were hundreds of years ago. We suffer the same ancient problems because at heart we are the same as our forefathers.

Human.

And one ugly byproduct of that condition is what to do with unwanted babies—an age-old dilemma. Unplanned pregnancies are unfortunately always a reality, and that’s why an institution was created in 18th century London to deal with this predicament…the Foundling Hospital. Here’s how it worked.

Mothers of babies under two months old were allowed to drop off their child and leave behind a distinguishing token so that the babe could be identified and retrieved in the future if so desired. Many of these tokens can still be seen today at the Foundling Museum in London.

Once admitted, these infants were then sent to the country to be wet-nursed (away from the diseases of the city) before returning to London for schooling and apprenticeships. It may sound like a harsh and lonely existence, but at least it was an existence. A child left on the streets would die within a matter of hours. So to be taken in was a huge mercy—a mercy that was in operation until the 1950s, when the hospital was replaced by in-home foster care. 

Eventually the custom of leaving a token changed into simply receiving a receipt for the child. I played around with that a bit in my new release, The Thief of Blackfriar’s Lane, giving heroine Kit Turner a token of her own. Want to know what it is?

Well, you’ll have to read the story to find out (cue evil laughter). But don’t get too puffed up, because here’s your chance to win a signed copy of your own.