Coram Foundation records

[James18]

Hi all,

I know from experience within my own family tree that it can be very difficult finding out about Coram children, but having read their website it states:

'The Foundling Hospital kept meticulous records of every child who passed through the institution.

Coram offers a birth records information and counselling service to former Foundling pupils and their descendants and to those placed for adoption by Coram. For details see our Birth Records page.

Historical records are available to the public through The Foundling Hospital Archives, held by the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA). With over 800 linear feet of shelving, records include the general registers, inspection books and petitions. For details, please visit the LMA’s website.'

http://www.coram.org.uk/about-us/our...dling-hospital

There's also a link to this site: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/thing...-the-sick.aspx

Does this mean that records for children adopted in the 19th century are available to researchers? I am curious about a particular individual for whom I can find no trace after a certain point, and who'd be long-dead now.

Does anyone have any experience of having attempted to access Coram records for a non-relative?

[Lindsay]

The only experience I have is researching an individual born in the 1750s, so I don't know where their cut-off is for allowing access to more recent info.

What I can say is that the records are excellent - every child was given a number, and it's straightforward to follow them through the records.

As far as I know the records aren't online, so you'd need to go to LMA to see them.

Edit: just found this - 'There are many items in the collection which contain personal information about named individuals. The Governors have requested that such registers which contain this information should remain closed for 110 years from the last date of the register or file concerned'.

[James18]

Thanks, Lindsay.