Thomas Coram
The sea captain
Thomas Coram (c. 1668 –
March 29,
1751) was born in
Lyme Regis,
Dorset, U.K. He spent much of his early life at sea and in the American colonies. From 1694 to 1705, he operated a ship building business at
Taunton,
Massachusetts. He afterwards became a successful merchant in
London and, in
1732, a trustee of
James Oglethorpe's
Georgia colony. In
1735 he sponsored a colony in
Nova Scotia for unemployed artisans. As a great philanthopist Coram was appalled by the many abandoned, homeless children living in the streets of London. On
October 17 1739 he obtained a Royal Charter granted by
George II establishing a "hospital for the maintenance and education of exposed and deserted young children."
In
1742-
1745, the
Foundling Hospital was erected in Lamb's Conduit Fields,
Bloomsbury. It is said to be the world's first incorporated charity.
William Hogarth was among the first governors of the hospital. He painted a famous portrait of Thomas Coram (1740; now
Foundling Museum, London; reproduced in stipple by
William Nutter [1754-1802] for R. Cribb in 1796), and, together with some of his fellow artists, decorated the Governors' Court Room. He contributed paintings for the benefit of the Foundation, and the Foundling Hospital became the first art gallery open to the public.
Georg Friedrich Händel allowed a concert performance of
Messiah to benefit the foundation.
In
2000,
Jamila Gavin published a children's book called
Coram Boy about the Foundling Hospital. The book was adapted into a play by
Helen Edmundson, which had its world premiere at the
Royal National Theatre in London in November 2005.
*Harriet Amos and Alice Meyers:
Thomas Coram: The Man Who Saved Children: London: Foundling Mueseum: 2006: ISBN 0955180805
*Gillian Wagner:
Thomas Coram, Gent: 1668-1751: Woodbridge, Suffolk/Rochester, New York: Boydell Press: 2004: ISBN 1843830574
*
Thomas Coram Foundation for Children *
Foundling Hospital *
Coram Family *
Foundling Museum*
Find-A-Grave profile for Thomas Coram
