In 1745, one wing of the hospital being finished, the committee ordered the children to be removed thither, and quitted the house in Hatton Garden. A chapel being now much wanted, and several Ladies of quality being desirous of contributing to it, a subscription was opened for that purpose, the first stone was laid on the first of May 1747, and a neat and elegant edifice was soon erected.
South East View of the Foundling Hospital.
Front of the Same.
S. Wale delin. J. Green sc. Oxon.
On the 29th of March 1749, the Governors at a general court being informed of the increase of benefactions to this charity, of the number of the children, and the expediency of keeping the boys separate from the girls, gave directions for building the other wing of the hospital, and the whole design has been since compleated. These wings are directly opposite to each other, and are built in a plain but regular, substantial, and convenient manner, of brick, with handsome piazzas. It is well suited to the purpose, and as fine as hospitals should be. On the farthest end is placed the chapel, which is joined to the wings by an arch on each side, and is very elegant within. Before the hospital is a large piece of ground, on each side whereof is a colonade of great length, which also extends towards the gates, that are double, with a massy pier between, so that coaches may pass and repass at the same time; and on each side is a door to admit those on foot. The large area between this outer gate and the hospital is adorned with grass plats, gravel walks, and lamps erected upon handsome posts: besides which there are two handsome gardens. The print shews the hospital in two different views.
In erecting these buildings particular care was taken to render them neat and substantial, without any costly decorations; but the first wing of the hospital was scarcely inhabited, when several eminent masters in painting, carving, and other of the polite arts, were pleased to contribute many elegant ornaments, which are placed in the hospital as monuments of the charity and abilities of these great masters.
In the court room are placed four capital pictures, taken from sacred history, the subjects of which are suitable to the place for which they were designed.
The first, which is painted by Mr. Hayman, is taken from Exodus ii. 8, 9. “The maid went and called the child’s mother, and Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give you wages.”
The following verse is the subject of the next picture, done by Mr. Hogarth, viz. “And the child grew up, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son, and she called his name Moses.”