Thomas Coram Foundation for Children

As for schooling, girls began to attend school, however, they still were the inferior sex as they learnt subjects such as embroidery and music whereas males learnt more academic subjects. Discipline remained strict and corporal punishment was the norm in the 18th century. During the 18th century, there was an influential man, named Thomas Coram, who established the Foundling Hospital in 1739. The reasoning for establishing the hospital was due to the horrific sights of dead and dying infants abandoned on the streets. Abandoned infants were a common feature of life in the 18th century. This was a major social issue in the 18th century as many children were abandoned and illegitimate children were handed to the parish officers for a lump sum. The death rate was alarmingly high for children as vaccinations were not available for diseases such as dysentery, influenza and measles. Medicine also proved inefficient against the diseases and thus, therefore, resulted in the death of many children. Mortality rates were at an all-time high 74% of children born in London died before they were five years old and in workhouses the death rate increased to over…