Thomas Coram Foundation for Children

The former headquarters of the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children in Brunswick Square. Above the door is a bust of the charity's founder.

The Thomas Coram Foundation for Children is a large children's charity in London which uses the working name Coram (formerly Coram Family).^[1]

It is one of England's oldest children's charities, established by royal charter in 1739 as the Foundling Hospital.

Activities

The headquarters of the charity are at Mecklenburgh Square in London. It works with children separated from their parents, supports vulnerable families, and lobbies on policy and practice issues in childcare through its various services, such as Adoption, Housing and Support (formerly Leaving Care Services), and the Parents' Centre (which was a pilot project for Sure Start).

History

Main article: Foundling Hospital

The Foundling Hospital, was begun by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram who was appalled to see abandoned babies and children starving and dying in the streets of London. In 1742–1745 a building was erected north of Lamb's Conduit Street in Bloomsbury. Boys were housed in the West Wing of the new home. The East Wing was built in 1752 to house girls.

Popular artists of the 18th century became patrons and governors of the Foundling Hospital and donated some of their work to the foundation. The art collection contains works by William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Joshua Reynolds, along with musical scores by Handel including a fair copy of Messiah bequeathed in his will.

The Foundling Hospital became fashionable as a cause, a gallery and a concert hall. Its original building was pulled down in 1926, but its work with vulnerable children was continued under the name "Thomas Coram Foundation for Children".

Foundling Museum

Main article: Foundling Museum

The historic collections of the Foundling Hospital were moved in the 1920s to Brunswick Square, London, where a museum was established. In 1998 the building and collections were formally constituted as a separate charity, the Foundling Museum.^[2]

See also

• List of organisations with a British royal charter

References

1. ^ Thomas Coram Foundation for Children (formerly Foundling Hospital), Registered Charity no. 312278 at the Charity Commission
2. ^ The Foundling Museum, Registered Charity no. 1071167 at the Charity Commission

External links

• Coram
• The Foundling Museum
• Old Coram Association