Victorian Women, Unwed Mothers and the London Foundling Hospital - Jessica A. Sheetz-Nguyen

Explore the hidden stories of Victorian London’s unwed mothers through the lens of the Foundling Hospital.

This book reveals how social rules shaped who could seek help, showing that many women, often domestic servants, fought to protect their respectability while caring for their infants. With detailed archival research, it uncovers the careful selection process of the hospital, which accepted fewer than 25% of petitions.

A compelling study that offers important insights into poverty, charity, and public welfare during a critical era.

Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012
190 pages, paperback