Foundling

[waswigg]

I am trying to find details about the very early years of my great great grandad Henry Moseley born in 1932 at the st st Pancras,Greys Inn Lane,District St Pancras,Foundling Hospital.
I would be very greatful of any information passed on to me as I have being trying for about 10 years to find any details.
Many thanks waswigg

[crisane]

This is The National Archives research guide
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/08adcdf7-4568-4221-b844-dca8a480cd4e

[nanny jan]

Born 1932?  Should it be 1832?

[waswigg]

Sorry you are right it is 1832
waswigg

[groom]

This gives background information about the Foundling Hospital where he was in 1841.

http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/Foundling/

[waswigg]

nice bit of information thank you
waswigg

[Bookbox]

Records of the Foundling Hospital are very extensive and can be very informative. They are held at London Metropolitan Archives (LMA), not at the National Archives. The records are not online.

The National Archives catalogue does host a summary description of the LMA collection (as linked in reply #1 above), but the standard information leaflet is here ...
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/london-metropolitan-archives/visitor-information/Documents/33-finding-your-foundling.pdf

It's worth reading, because it shows the different categories of information that can be found for different time-periods.

If you can't get to LMA yourself, or have someone go on your behalf, you can use their paid research service (though it's quite costly).
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/london-metropolitan-archives/family-history/Pages/paid-document-research-service.aspx

[jennifer c]

1841 census he is still in the foundling hospital aged 9.

Sorry Groom thought you said where was he in 1841

Jennifer

[dawnsh]

I posted this on a nother topic recently

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=766599.0

The Foundling Hospital records at the LMA are an amazing collection of documents.

I've looked at foundling records for people on here

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=393923.0

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=600056.0

It is time consuming research but if you have their baptism date and their entry number, you can check the documents held.

These usually contain the application made by the mother for admission to the hospital, not all applications were successful. The applications were heartfelt, explained the mothers personal circumstances and were generally seconded by another person as to why the child should be accepted.

You will find out their original birth names and sometimes the names of the putative fathers.

You may be able to see where they were sent to be be looked after as babies.

You may also find out where they served apprenticeships or were sent as domestic servants.

You can ask the LMA to undertake this research for you but as it is extensive it will be expensive, £80 per hour.

I would volunteer but unfortunately I now work during the week and cannot commit, sorry.