Memorial: M1693

Statue in Coram Fields, Brunswick Square, London, commemorating Captain Thomas Coram d. 1751, founder of The Foundling Hospital

Location

Coram Fields, Brunswick Square, London, England

Transcript

'THOMAS CORAM / 1668-1751 / PIONEER IN THE CAUSE / OF CHILD WELFARE' [on base]; 'THOMAS CORAM was born at Lyme Regis, Dorset in 1668. / He became a Captain in the Merchant Navy trading between / England and America / as a Shipwright gaining a great reputation as a expert on / all matters concerning the Colonies. As a staunch Churchman / he realised the importance of the spiritual needs of the settlers / and left land in trust for the building of a church in Taunton, / Massachusetts. He became a Younger Brother of Trinity Houise / and a trustee of the Colony of Georgia and settled in London in / 1720. Here in 1739, he established the Foundling Hospital for which a Royal Charter was obtained. He died in 1751 and his / body now rests in the Church of Saint Andrew, Holborn. / The great pioneer work begun by Captain Coram is continued under / the name of Thomas Coram Foundation for Children. This statue was erected by the Governors in 1963.' [bronze plate on reverse of base]

Details

Description: Seated bronze figure of Coram holding the Hospital charter; based on the portrait by Hogarth.
Type: Statue
Materials: Bronze, granite plinth
Date Erected: 1963
Artists: William Macmillan, Morris Singer

People

Coram, Thomas
Age: 85
Date of Death: 21/3/1751
Cause of Death: Unknown/None
Rank / Occupation: Master mariner. Colonial adventurer. Philanthropist
Organisation: Foundling Hospital

Extra

Bibliography: Arthur Byron 'London Statues: a guide to London's outdoor statues and sculpture' (London, 1981) pp. 98-9.
Recorder: B. Tomlinson
Photographer: B. Tomlinson

JSON

{
  "post_id": "5915",
  "id": "M1693",
  "location": "Coram Fields, Brunswick Square, London, England",
  "transcript": "'THOMAS CORAM / 1668-1751 / PIONEER IN THE CAUSE / OF CHILD WELFARE' [on base]; 'THOMAS CORAM was born at Lyme Regis, Dorset in 1668. / He became a Captain in the Merchant Navy trading between / England and America / as a Shipwright gaining a great reputation as a expert on / all matters concerning the Colonies. As a staunch Churchman / he realised the importance of the spiritual needs of the settlers / and left land in trust for the building of a church in Taunton, / Massachusetts. He became a Younger Brother of Trinity Houise / and a trustee of the Colony of Georgia and settled in London in / 1720. Here in 1739, he established the Foundling Hospital for which a Royal Charter was obtained. He died in 1751 and his / body now rests in the Church of Saint Andrew, Holborn. / The great pioneer work begun by Captain Coram is continued under / the name of Thomas Coram Foundation for Children. This statue was erected by the Governors in 1963.' [bronze plate on reverse of base]",
  "content": "<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://memorials.rmg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/M1693Large.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6527\" width=\"323\" height=\"590\" srcset=\"https://memorials.rmg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/M1693Large.jpg 500w, https://memorials.rmg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/M1693Large-164x300.jpg 164w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 323px) 100vw, 323px\" /></figure>\n\n\n<p>Statue in Coram Fields, Brunswick Square, London, commemorating Captain Thomas Coram d. 1751, founder of The Foundling Hospital</p>",
  "images": ["/uploads/2014/05/M1693Large.jpg","/uploads/2014/05/M1693Large-164x300.jpg"],
  "categories": ["Uncategorised"],
  "details": {
    "description": "Seated bronze figure of Coram holding the Hospital charter; based on the portrait by Hogarth.",
    "type": "Statue",
    "position": "",
    "materials": "Bronze, granite plinth",
    "dateErected": "1963",
    "artists": "William Macmillan, Morris Singer",
    "vessel": ""  },
  "event": {
    "event":"",
    "date": "",
    "category": ""  },
  "people": [{"name":"Coram, Thomas","age":"85","dateofdeath":"21/3/1751","causeofdeath":"Unknown/None","rankOccupation":"Master mariner. Colonial adventurer. Philanthropist","organisation":"Foundling Hospital"}],
  "extra": {
    "notes": "",
    "bibliography": "Arthur Byron 'London Statues: a guide to London's outdoor statues and sculpture' (London, 1981) pp. 98-9.",
    "recorder": "B. Tomlinson",
    "photographer": "B. Tomlinson"  }
}

Commemorating seafarers and victims of maritime disasters