Definition of "foundling"?

[Somerset Sal]

Does anyone know whether "foundling child" refers to an orphan or to an abandoned baby - or both? Thanks.

[Christine in Herts]

I should have thought that - if you break it down - it means a little something that's been found. On that basis, I'd say "abandoned".

If you're abandoned, you may or may not be a real orphan, but the effect is to make you an orphan.

Christine

[Janet]

I always thought that foundling was a term used to descibe a child abandoned but though the effect of that was to be made as an orphan, the child was not necessarily an orphan, as a true orphan is one who has no parent who is living, but it would have been difficult to find any parents if a child was abandoned! Gets complicated doesn't it.

Janet

[Velma Dinkley]

I think it can be both... many unmarried mother's had to give up their babies, because of the social stigma attached.

[Janet]

Copied and pasted from the Foundling Museum website:

"The Foundling Museum tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, London's first home for abandoned children and of three major figures in British history: its campaigning founder the philanthropist Thomas Coram, the artist William Hogarth and the composer George Frideric Handel. This remarkable collection of art, period interiors and social history is now housed in a restored and refurbished building adjacent to the original site of the Hospital, demolished in 1928."

Children given up by single mothers in case of social stigma pre adoption era would not necessarily abandon their child, though many did, but they may also have given their child/children away to relatives/friends even strangers. In the later years of adoption, adopted children would not be orphans. Unless one knows the parents are dead the children could not be classed as orphans hence the term foundlings.

Janet

[Christine in Herts]

Incidentally, I rather think that "orphan" was used originally only for a child whose father was dead - even if the mother were still alive.

Christine

[Janet]

This is the best definition I could find on what is an orphan:

"What is an orphan?
The definition of an orphan differs depending to what reference is used. The word comes from the Greek 'orphanos' which means 'bereaved'. Originally it meant a child whose both parents are dead. In today's complex society it has a wider use: Orphan is used to refer to a child under the age of 16 who has: lost one or both of their parents; who are deprived of parental protection or advantage; who is found in a particularly vulnerable situation; and those who are alone, abandoned, lost, neglected, forsaken for any reason."

Janet

[herky]

Did anyone see the David Dimbleby programme tonight on BBC 1? Part of it came from the Foundling Hospital museum (just like Janet describes).
David explained how the mothers could get their children accepted into the hospital. Very sadly - they had to pick a ball - not sure if I remember correctly but it went something like - white ball and they took the child, black ball and the child was rejected, red ball and they went on a waiting list. Apparently there were just too many children for the hospital - so sad. He said that very occasionally the mothers would return for their children. I wish I had taken more notice of the programme at the time.

[Somerset Sal]

Thank you all for your responses. I feel a bit of a dimwit for not thinking to break the word foundling down to work out the meaning for myself. Duh...

I've been looking through Ancestry's new collection of scanned London parish records; in the parish records for the 1680s for St Dionis Backchurch the foundlings are given the surname Dionis, which makes them easy to pick out - and there's very nearly one on every page and sometimes two. And this is just one small parish: if this was typical of all of London the number of abandoned babies must have been horrifying.

[Janet]

Herky

Uncanny or what, but a few moments after writing about the Foundling Museum I was watching it on TV! I have actually been to the Museum a few years ago with a London Blue Guide and it is very well worth a visit.

Janet

[herky]

I do wish I had looked at the programme in more detail - I have to admit I was filling in time before "Dancing on Ice".
Yes, it looks intersting - I haven't been to London for about 30 years but the museum seems well worth a visit if I ever return. I will put it on my "to do" list.

Isn't it spooky Janet when the topic of conversation appears on the telly!!!!!!