An Introduction to the Tokens at the Foundling Museum, by Janette Bright & Gillian Clark

A much-anticipated, newly-published book which explores the tokens in the Foundling Hospital Collection.

Tokens were left as 'identifiers' - they were not gifts for the children, keepsakes or love tokens, as has often been stated. They were official 'documents,' easily recognisable items that could be used to prove the identity of an infant if the parent or parents found themselves in circumstances to take it back. 

Since the tokens were first put on display in the 1860s, these small but speaking methods of identification have been giving life to individual moments of separation and loss. Yet having been removed from their admission records, these compelling scraps of personal history were themselves orphans. Now, thanks to eight years of painstaking work by Janette Bright and Gillian Clark, many of these tokens have been reunited with the children to whom they belonged, revealing the circumstances surrounding their arrival at the Foundling Hospital.

To purchase this item please contact the Foundling Museum Shop via +44 (0)207 841 3600 or email shop@foundlingmuseum.org.uk.