18th Century Underworld - Orphans
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Synopsis
Early 18th century London was a cruel place for children, especially those born to poor or unmarried mothers. Thousands died either in the workhouse or out on the streets, abandoned by their desperate mothers.

Thomas Coram, a middle-aged retired ship-builder, appalled by the sight of so many tiny corpses in London, resolved to build a sanctuary for them, a 'Foundling Hospital'. This is the story of a 17-year struggle to raise support and money for the scheme, and the triumphs and tragedies that awaited the hospital after it finally opened its doors. Before its closure in the 1950s, Coram's legacy to children and to charity were widely acknowledged, and this film argues that he deserves to be as famous and celebrated as Nightingale or Barnardo.

Duration
1 x 50'
Definition
SD
Genre
History
Subgenre
Factual
Producer
RDF Productions