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.

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 local taxes applied in the country of destination and customs delays. For EU orders, General Product Safety Regulation information can be found here.

This book will be published on 15 May 2026 and any pre-orders will be despatched then.

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