Signatories to the Ladies' Petition for the Establishment of the Foundling Hospital

In 1730 Thomas Coram approached aristocratic women with a petition to support the establishment of a Foundling Hospital, which he would present to King George II.

The women who signed were of aristocratic backgrounds, and Coram kept a list in his pocket memorandum book, captioned 'An Exact Account when each Lady of Charity Signed their Declaration'. In several cases, he had already approached the women's husbands several years earlier, and been turned away. Their involvement is widely regarded as the gateway to wider support of his philanthropic cause. In an essay in the catalogue of an exhibition celebrating women's roles in the Foundling Hospital, Elizabeth Einberg states that: "Coram could see that securing the approval of a group of right-thinking women, of wives and dowagers at the pinnacle of society would highlight the Christian, virtuous and humanitarian aspects of such an endeavour and make it socially acceptable. In the events, it became not only that, but one of the most fashionable charities of the day."Elizabeth Einberg, 'Elegant Revolutionaries', article in Ladies of Quality and Distinction Catalogue, Foundling Hospital, London 2018, pp. 14-15, p.15. https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/events/ladies-of-quality-distinction/ These female signatories are listed here in chronological order of date of their signature:

+Signatories to the Ladies' Petition for the Establishment of the Foundling HospitalNameTitle at the time of SignatureDate of SignatureImageCharlotte SeymourDuchess of Somerset9 March 1729Ann VaughanDuchess of Bolton22 April 1729Henrietta NeedhamDowager Duchess of Bolton25 April 1729Sarah LennoxDuchess of Richmond22 December 1729Isabella MontaguDuchess of Manchester6 January 1730Ann RussellDuchess of Bedford7 January 1730Elizabeth KnightBaroness Onslow6 April 1730Anne PierrepointDowager Baroness Torrington14 April 1730Frances ByronBaroness Byron14 April 1730Selina ShirleyCountess of Huntingdon21 April 1730Juliana HeleDuchess of Leeds24 April 1730Frances FinchCountess of Winchilsea and Nottingham25 April 1730Frances HalesCountess of Lichfield27 April 1730Dorothy BoyleCountess of Burlington19 May 1730Elizabeth BrudenellCountess of Cardigan19 May 1730Frances ThynneCountess of Hertford26 May 1730Mary TuftonCountess of Harold6 November 1733Anne LennoxCountess of Albemarle6 November 1734Anne Weldon BarnardBaroness Trevor 2 December 1734Anne KingDowager Baroness Ockham 21 January 1735Margaret Cavendish Harley Duchess of Portland7 May 1735

In 2018 the Foundling Museum held an exhibition to raise awareness of the role of women in founding and running the Foundling Hospital, called "Ladies of Quality and Distinction". By their actions, these women succeeded.

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