This is the extraordinary and moving story of the young children who came to the Chester branch of London’s Foundling Hospital in the eighteenth century. 

Hundreds of ‘foundlings’ – young children who had either been abandoned as babies or were at risk of being so – were brought to Chester to be cared for in the city or in surrounding villages. Their parents were typically poverty-stricken couples or unmarried mothers, many hoping for a better future for their children than they could offer. 

Until now, this remarkable story has somehow been overlooked. Now, based on careful research by prize-winning author Dr Anthony Annakin-Smith, this extensively illustrated book allows us to explore the lives of the 306 children before, during and after their time in Chester. 

This book is a poignant tribute to these children and ensures that their lives are no longer forgotten.

Recommendation 

Siân Hughes, Indigo Press author of PEARL (longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize) and No Such Thing As Monday.

My own great-grandfather grew up in a 'home for deserted children', a name I hope was not written above the door, telling him every day the lie that he was unwanted, rather than simply that his mother had no choice but to give him up.  In every corner of this country there are hidden stories of children who were brought up in children's homes, farmed out, their names taken from them, and their histories lost even from themselves.  It's sad to think that now we are uncovering their stories, we might know more of their lives than their own mothers learned in their lifetimes. This book tells the stories of those children who were brought to the Chester Foundling Hospital when the London branch was overwhelmed by demand. For every one of them, there are hundreds more who never received any care at all, and whose stories are lost forever. This book tries to redress the balance slightly in their favour, and so, however factual it is, it is a moving story. Giving names and stories to those few who we can know opens our mind to the possibility of all of those who remain hidden from view. It is a very important undertaking, meticulously done, and respectful of each and every one of them. I am pleased to see my own small corner of the country has opened the book on some of its hidden children, and very much enjoyed seeing their lives celebrated in Anthony Annakin-Smith’s work.  

Ordering information

Anthony Annakin-Smith, Left But Not Forgotten: The Children of the Foundling Hospital at Chester, 2026, ISBN 978-1-910481-33-2, £19.99.

Copies can be purchased directly from the publisher using this ordering system and through booksellers and distributors. This ordering system is for print books only and these are despatched through the postal system. Other means of payment for the print version are institutional purchase orders and cheques made payable to the University of Chester. Please email any ordering queries or call +44(0)1244 513305. There is no charge for postage and packing in the UK for paperback books, but postal charges are applicable for overseas orders. Please note that for books sent overseas, there may be taxes applied in the country of destination and customs delays. For EU orders, General Product Safety Regulation information can be found here.

For more information on all University of Chester Press books, please visit: www.chester.ac.uk/university-press