Foundlings at War: the Napoleonic Wars

Foundlings at War is a major research project examining the Foundling Hospital’s historic links with the military.

The Foundling Hospital was designed to prevent waste of life and create ‘useful’ citizens, and between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries many foundling boys went directly from the institution into the military.

The effect of the Napoleonic Wars on the Foundling Hospital is explored through the stories of two young foundlings who served at sea: one at the Battle of Trafalgar, the other alongside Nelson aboard the HMS Victory. Their personal experiences are considered alongside the stories of children who were brought to the Hospital after their fathers were killed at the Battle of Waterloo.