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The Last Foundling: A little boy left behind, The mother who wanted him back by Tom H. Mackenzie (13-Mar-2014) Paperback
When she fell pregnant in London in 1938, Jean knew that she couldn’t keep her baby. The unmarried daughter of an elder in the Church of Scotland, she would shame her family if she returned to the north in such a condition. Scared and alone in a city on the brink of war, she begged the Foundling Hospital to give her baby the start in life that she could not. The institution, which had been providing care for deserted infants since the eighteenth century, allowed Jean to nurse her son for nine weeks, leaving her heartbroken when the time came to let him go. But little Tom knew nothing of her love as he grew up in the Foundling Hospital – which, during years of the Second World War, was more like a prison than a children’s home. Locked in and subject to public canings and the sadistic whims of the older boys, there was no one to give him a hug, no one to wipe away his tears. A true story of desertion and neglect, this is also a moving account of survival from one of the very last foundlings. It stands as a testament to the love that ultimately led a family back together.
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First published April 1, 2011
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December 18, 2017
This is the moving story of a little boy named Derek Craig born to an unwed mother in 1939 in London. Derek’s mother Jean Craig and his father Raymond had escaped to London, separating themselves from both sets of parents who disapproved of their relationship. But it was wartime and jobs were scarce so after two months in the city they embarked on their plan to establish a new and better life in South Africa, pulled to that far continent by the prospect of full time work. Raymond was to go ahead and get established and Jean was to join him later. She would find work in London and try to save whatever she could for their new future.
Shortly after Raymond left for South Africa, Jean discovered she was pregnant and their dreams were interrupted, sending both their lives on different paths. Jean never told Raymond about the pregnancy, knowing he was struggling to establish himself and so Raymond did not learn of the baby’s existence until many years later.
When Jean delivered her son, she knew she could not keep him. Raymond was on the other side of the world, she was not married and did not have the means to support a child on her own. When she learned about the Foundling Hospital it seemed a good alternative, keeping her baby until she could retrieve him at some later time when she and Raymond were established. Little did she know it would be another twenty years before she saw her son again.
The couple continued writing to one another but Raymond unable to find work in South Africa, moved to Rhodesia, his letters became less frequent and gradually dropped off completely. Jean realized she might not see him again and needed to rethink her life. So when Britain declared war on Germany and Londoners prepared for the inevitable bombing, she returned to Glasgow, weathered the stares, shame and humiliation of friends and family, took up her former position as a legal secretary and tried to begin again.
Jean and Raymond’s son was one of the last children admitted to London’s Foundling Hospital. Like the others, he was stripped of his identity and given a new name, from that point on known as Tom Humphreys. He spent most of his young life at the facility and was the last to leave, having lived a life that was tough with little comfort. But Tom managed and looking back now knows the staff meant well. At the time, there was no clear understanding of the damage that institutional life could have on small children or what could happen when older children were put in charge of the younger ones, allowing them to bully and torture them.
Through the years Tom’s mother never stopped loving him, hoping to reunite with the son and eventually she did, even reconnecting with Raymond after both had married others and had families of their own. This is a true story, heart breaking in parts but also wonderful in how it eventually ended up.
Tom, the writer and narrator, explores the issues of unwed mothers during this time period and the huge stigma attached to illegitimate children and their parents. There were no social services and little help available to those in these dire circumstances. The Foundling Hospital was a charity set up to take in children without parents, a huge facility which housed six hundred boys and girls who called it their home. The large buildings were set on beautiful sprawling grounds and the children were well cared for but governed by strict routines enforced by harsh disciplinary measures. The younger ones were always at the mercy of the older boys who tormented them.
The goal of the charity was to provide the children with a roof over the heads, food to eat, a religious foundation and enough education that the girls could enter jobs in service and the boys could join the military. Their lives were an unending routine of daily chores, lessons and church. When they reached the age of fifteen they were sent out into the world to make a life for themselves. They had new names and knew nothing about their past, which their keepers hoped would erase the difficult circumstances of their birth.
When Tom was an infant he was fostered and had a wonderful early life with Elsie and Cecil, a kind couple who treated him as one of their own. Tom credits the love and security he found in their home with his ability to cope with the challenges he faced in later life. Those were happy years and lasted until Cecil died suddenly and Elsie remarried. Her second husband Jack was a man who disliked children and all the joy Tom had previously experienced in the home ended abruptly.
When he was five, he returned to the hospital as a boarder and fear became the single emotion that ruled his life. Fear of bullying or the humiliating punishments dispensed for the slightest misdemeanors; fear of being the weakest in a fight or the next cruel game the dormitory monitor would dream up for his amusement. Tom also had to accustom himself to a life ruled by habit, order and ritual and he found the lack of freedom difficult. Every day seemed the same. He was accustomed to playing with his sisters in the back fields virtually unsupervised, but now he was watched day and night and needed permission to do everything. The children were forced to march everywhere in pairs and the matron’s handclapping began and ended each activity. At meals they were required to eat everything put in front of them. Toileting was a highly ritualized activity, the children forced to stay on the toilet until they moved their bowels. The results were then scrutinized by a nurse, the only one authorized to flush the toilet. Nights in the dormitory were filled with the cries of anxious children and nail biting and bed wetting were common problems. The children attended church twice a week and three times on Sundays. Punishment was a swift slap on the wrists or ears and these were administered frequently and quickly.
When Tom left the infants’ section and joined the older boys, life became much tougher. Up to this point the younger children had been sheltered from the realities of the upper school. Now they had to move through the building without an escort and had to begin thinking for themselves.
Tom had to learn to evade the malice of the older boys and the wrath of the masters. Nights were a time of particular terror when the monitor, who had absolute power over their charges, found ways to hurt or humiliate them. They had the knack of finding ways to cause the maximum amount of pain without leaving any signs of violence.
Through the kindness of one Head Master and his wife who took a special interest in him, Tom learned about his mother and the efforts of George and Bessie, an elderly couple who fostered him, and wanted to adopt him. His mother Jean turned down that request, remaining determined to reclaim Tom when she could manage it. The idea that his mother was out there somewhere in the world, that she still loved him and wanted him back, was something Tom hung unto, a thought that helped him through tough times.
When Tom was discharged from the school at the age of fifteen, he took on several different jobs including that of photography assistant, trying to earn a living and support himself. In 1959, after he had completed a stint in the army he decided to try and track Jean down and they met for the first time in twenty years. The two quickly established a close relationship and in an even more unbelievable twist, Jean later reconnected with Tom’s Dad Raymond, and all three were finally able to live together as a family.
This is a “feel good” story, written by a man who survived a difficult childhood but ended up a well-adjusted human being. He professes nothing but love for his parents, gratitude for the Foundling Hospital that supported him and for the life he has had connected with his parents. He does not harbor resentment for the difficult times he endured at the Foundling Hospital, realizing that most of the staff were well intentioned and did what they thought was best. He applauds the efforts of the foster families who took him in and gave him a home filled with affection, despite the trying antics of his younger days.
The narrative carries both Jean and Tom’s stories, Jean as she struggled over the years to reconnect with her son and Tom who during those same years experienced life in foster homes and the Foundling Hospital. The author writes in simple prose but quickly draws you into his life story. He writes about his life in an unemotional matter-of-fact way, with the understanding that he was a victim of circumstances not ill will. He appreciates the fact he was always loved and that his mother never ceased to think about him, is thankful the Foundling Hospital was there when he needed it and grateful to the charity of donors that provided the means for it to do its work.
This book serves as a reminder of the many children who had much to bear in their younger years. Children are resilient yet often pay a high price for the adversity they endure when they are young. For those who negotiate the difficult journey to a successful life, they remain scarred in some way for what they have gone through to get there.
An interesting story which I believe would make a good film.
Shortly after Raymond left for South Africa, Jean discovered she was pregnant and their dreams were interrupted, sending both their lives on different paths. Jean never told Raymond about the pregnancy, knowing he was struggling to establish himself and so Raymond did not learn of the baby’s existence until many years later.
When Jean delivered her son, she knew she could not keep him. Raymond was on the other side of the world, she was not married and did not have the means to support a child on her own. When she learned about the Foundling Hospital it seemed a good alternative, keeping her baby until she could retrieve him at some later time when she and Raymond were established. Little did she know it would be another twenty years before she saw her son again.
The couple continued writing to one another but Raymond unable to find work in South Africa, moved to Rhodesia, his letters became less frequent and gradually dropped off completely. Jean realized she might not see him again and needed to rethink her life. So when Britain declared war on Germany and Londoners prepared for the inevitable bombing, she returned to Glasgow, weathered the stares, shame and humiliation of friends and family, took up her former position as a legal secretary and tried to begin again.
Jean and Raymond’s son was one of the last children admitted to London’s Foundling Hospital. Like the others, he was stripped of his identity and given a new name, from that point on known as Tom Humphreys. He spent most of his young life at the facility and was the last to leave, having lived a life that was tough with little comfort. But Tom managed and looking back now knows the staff meant well. At the time, there was no clear understanding of the damage that institutional life could have on small children or what could happen when older children were put in charge of the younger ones, allowing them to bully and torture them.
Through the years Tom’s mother never stopped loving him, hoping to reunite with the son and eventually she did, even reconnecting with Raymond after both had married others and had families of their own. This is a true story, heart breaking in parts but also wonderful in how it eventually ended up.
Tom, the writer and narrator, explores the issues of unwed mothers during this time period and the huge stigma attached to illegitimate children and their parents. There were no social services and little help available to those in these dire circumstances. The Foundling Hospital was a charity set up to take in children without parents, a huge facility which housed six hundred boys and girls who called it their home. The large buildings were set on beautiful sprawling grounds and the children were well cared for but governed by strict routines enforced by harsh disciplinary measures. The younger ones were always at the mercy of the older boys who tormented them.
The goal of the charity was to provide the children with a roof over the heads, food to eat, a religious foundation and enough education that the girls could enter jobs in service and the boys could join the military. Their lives were an unending routine of daily chores, lessons and church. When they reached the age of fifteen they were sent out into the world to make a life for themselves. They had new names and knew nothing about their past, which their keepers hoped would erase the difficult circumstances of their birth.
When Tom was an infant he was fostered and had a wonderful early life with Elsie and Cecil, a kind couple who treated him as one of their own. Tom credits the love and security he found in their home with his ability to cope with the challenges he faced in later life. Those were happy years and lasted until Cecil died suddenly and Elsie remarried. Her second husband Jack was a man who disliked children and all the joy Tom had previously experienced in the home ended abruptly.
When he was five, he returned to the hospital as a boarder and fear became the single emotion that ruled his life. Fear of bullying or the humiliating punishments dispensed for the slightest misdemeanors; fear of being the weakest in a fight or the next cruel game the dormitory monitor would dream up for his amusement. Tom also had to accustom himself to a life ruled by habit, order and ritual and he found the lack of freedom difficult. Every day seemed the same. He was accustomed to playing with his sisters in the back fields virtually unsupervised, but now he was watched day and night and needed permission to do everything. The children were forced to march everywhere in pairs and the matron’s handclapping began and ended each activity. At meals they were required to eat everything put in front of them. Toileting was a highly ritualized activity, the children forced to stay on the toilet until they moved their bowels. The results were then scrutinized by a nurse, the only one authorized to flush the toilet. Nights in the dormitory were filled with the cries of anxious children and nail biting and bed wetting were common problems. The children attended church twice a week and three times on Sundays. Punishment was a swift slap on the wrists or ears and these were administered frequently and quickly.
When Tom left the infants’ section and joined the older boys, life became much tougher. Up to this point the younger children had been sheltered from the realities of the upper school. Now they had to move through the building without an escort and had to begin thinking for themselves.
Tom had to learn to evade the malice of the older boys and the wrath of the masters. Nights were a time of particular terror when the monitor, who had absolute power over their charges, found ways to hurt or humiliate them. They had the knack of finding ways to cause the maximum amount of pain without leaving any signs of violence.
Through the kindness of one Head Master and his wife who took a special interest in him, Tom learned about his mother and the efforts of George and Bessie, an elderly couple who fostered him, and wanted to adopt him. His mother Jean turned down that request, remaining determined to reclaim Tom when she could manage it. The idea that his mother was out there somewhere in the world, that she still loved him and wanted him back, was something Tom hung unto, a thought that helped him through tough times.
When Tom was discharged from the school at the age of fifteen, he took on several different jobs including that of photography assistant, trying to earn a living and support himself. In 1959, after he had completed a stint in the army he decided to try and track Jean down and they met for the first time in twenty years. The two quickly established a close relationship and in an even more unbelievable twist, Jean later reconnected with Tom’s Dad Raymond, and all three were finally able to live together as a family.
This is a “feel good” story, written by a man who survived a difficult childhood but ended up a well-adjusted human being. He professes nothing but love for his parents, gratitude for the Foundling Hospital that supported him and for the life he has had connected with his parents. He does not harbor resentment for the difficult times he endured at the Foundling Hospital, realizing that most of the staff were well intentioned and did what they thought was best. He applauds the efforts of the foster families who took him in and gave him a home filled with affection, despite the trying antics of his younger days.
The narrative carries both Jean and Tom’s stories, Jean as she struggled over the years to reconnect with her son and Tom who during those same years experienced life in foster homes and the Foundling Hospital. The author writes in simple prose but quickly draws you into his life story. He writes about his life in an unemotional matter-of-fact way, with the understanding that he was a victim of circumstances not ill will. He appreciates the fact he was always loved and that his mother never ceased to think about him, is thankful the Foundling Hospital was there when he needed it and grateful to the charity of donors that provided the means for it to do its work.
This book serves as a reminder of the many children who had much to bear in their younger years. Children are resilient yet often pay a high price for the adversity they endure when they are young. For those who negotiate the difficult journey to a successful life, they remain scarred in some way for what they have gone through to get there.
An interesting story which I believe would make a good film.
August 23, 2017
Very good read. Would be a good book for people who have been adopted or looking for their family
September 27, 2020
بدتر از همه اينكه مادري در كنارت نيست تا دستانش را دور بدن تو حلقه كند و كاري كند كه همه جهان براي پنج دقيقه كنار برود.
April 18, 2019
Well Mr. Mackenzie I have to tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed your book, even with the heart-wrenching parts. What a great story teller you are. The thing that made your book even better for me was that it was a true story and it really happened to you and you don’t seem to harbor much, if any bitterness or negativity over how your young life started out. That’s a remarkable feat if you ask me.
I might even say that I got the feeling from reading your words and looking at your family photo midway through the book, that you may have actually turned out to be quite a happy and well adjusted man who may actually be grateful for the Foundling Hospital in some respects. It amazes when someone who was a victim of circumstances can manage to find the silver lining within
them self so to speak. You never made me feel like you were looking for sympathy while I read your story. In fact I felt an understanding from you. Neither did you seem to allow your spirit for life to be broken. I liked that very much.
Considering that you are not an ‘author’ per say(HA, but I guess you would say you are now),
I thought your book was beautifully written. Perhaps some would say it was a ‘simple’ read and maybe that’s true enough, but it still had a remarkable insight into an older less fast-paced world. A world where things were supposed to be ‘a certain way’ or else … I’m fairly sure for today’s young and modern reader, the idea that a mother would give up her child because of social convention would more than likely seem ridiculous. However over in Britain in the 30s and 40s it was probably a very different place and having an illegitimate child must have assuredly been considered shameful to the family and the mother had to have been in a terrible position of not being able to earn enough to survive and provide for a child on her own. To me, it was the sort of story that caused me to reflect on my own circumstances. From my own personal experience dating back to the late 60’s, early 70’s, I was able to easily understand the stigma attached with being born an illegitimate child to an unwed Catholic mother and a divorced Protestant father. Some young children understand far more than they are given credit for at an early age.
I enjoyed your book’s chapters and how you used them as the memories from your mother Jean and then memories from your own perspective as well. I liked the different impressions of your separate lives lived apart yet connected by the bond of mother and child.
This book should be viewed as a reminder of just how resilient we can be when we are faced with adversity. We can endure and overcome just about anything when forgiveness and love are present.
I am grateful that a friend recommended this book to me. I am a huge fan of non-fiction and even more of a fan of true-to-life stories. I don’t think I’m giving away anything more than the synopsis of the book says when I say I just needed to read a book that ultimately winds up having a Happy Ending.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/art...
Thank you for telling your story Mr. Mackenzie. I will be the friend recommending it to others now.
You definitely earned your 4 STARS from me.
I might even say that I got the feeling from reading your words and looking at your family photo midway through the book, that you may have actually turned out to be quite a happy and well adjusted man who may actually be grateful for the Foundling Hospital in some respects. It amazes when someone who was a victim of circumstances can manage to find the silver lining within
them self so to speak. You never made me feel like you were looking for sympathy while I read your story. In fact I felt an understanding from you. Neither did you seem to allow your spirit for life to be broken. I liked that very much.
Considering that you are not an ‘author’ per say(HA, but I guess you would say you are now),
I thought your book was beautifully written. Perhaps some would say it was a ‘simple’ read and maybe that’s true enough, but it still had a remarkable insight into an older less fast-paced world. A world where things were supposed to be ‘a certain way’ or else … I’m fairly sure for today’s young and modern reader, the idea that a mother would give up her child because of social convention would more than likely seem ridiculous. However over in Britain in the 30s and 40s it was probably a very different place and having an illegitimate child must have assuredly been considered shameful to the family and the mother had to have been in a terrible position of not being able to earn enough to survive and provide for a child on her own. To me, it was the sort of story that caused me to reflect on my own circumstances. From my own personal experience dating back to the late 60’s, early 70’s, I was able to easily understand the stigma attached with being born an illegitimate child to an unwed Catholic mother and a divorced Protestant father. Some young children understand far more than they are given credit for at an early age.
I enjoyed your book’s chapters and how you used them as the memories from your mother Jean and then memories from your own perspective as well. I liked the different impressions of your separate lives lived apart yet connected by the bond of mother and child.
This book should be viewed as a reminder of just how resilient we can be when we are faced with adversity. We can endure and overcome just about anything when forgiveness and love are present.
I am grateful that a friend recommended this book to me. I am a huge fan of non-fiction and even more of a fan of true-to-life stories. I don’t think I’m giving away anything more than the synopsis of the book says when I say I just needed to read a book that ultimately winds up having a Happy Ending.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/art...
Thank you for telling your story Mr. Mackenzie. I will be the friend recommending it to others now.
You definitely earned your 4 STARS from me.
November 5, 2015
Tom Mackenzie was born in 1939 to a single mother in England. Back in those days an unwed mother was not allowed or shamed into giving up their baby. At nine weeks The baby named Derek name was changed to Tom. he spent the first five years of his life in a foster home with a couple their birth daughter and another foster girl named Janet. His first five years even though a foster kid his time there was happy. Then at five he was taken from his foster home and put in Foundling Hospital. as the title of this book states; he was the "last foundling" this meant that the year he went in at five was the last year the foundling hospital took in orphans. For the next ten years Tom lived here. he endured abuse from some of the nuns and abuse from the older boys. During the "holidays' such as Christmas, Easter and summer, Tom was sent to foster homes. many of these temporary homes did not work out, Tom got into mischief. the final foster home worked fairly well with him being invited back on holidays. Tom still longed to meet his birth mother and hoped someday they would reunite. This is his story of his time growing up in a foundling home. and his other experiences. There are also chapters by his birth mother Jean who also never gave up hope being reunited with the son she was forced to give up.
I found this to be a pretty good read. I found myself hoping for Tom and his birth mom to finally meet.
I found this to be a pretty good read. I found myself hoping for Tom and his birth mom to finally meet.
April 13, 2017
When she became pregnant in London in 1938, Jean knew that she couldn't keep her baby. The unmarried daughter of an elder in the Church of Scotland, she would shame her family if she returned to the north in her condition. Scared and alone in a city on the brink of war, she begged the Foundling Hospital to give her baby the start in life that she could not. The institution allowed Jean to nurse her son for nine weeks, leaving her heartbroken when the time came to let him go. But little Tom knew nothing of her love as he grew up during years of World War II, more like a prison than a children's home. Locked in and subject to public canings and the sadistic whims of the older boys, there was no one to give him a hug, no one to wipe away his tears. A true story of desertion and neglect, this is also a moving account of survival from one of the very last foundlings. It stands as a testament to the love that ultimately led a family back together.
November 14, 2020
Pleasantly surprising story about a way of housing children that most of us never knew existed. Rough, sad, hungry existence that nevertheless found a way to raise the author into a decent adult. His writing is clear, except for the indecipherable English slang, and he evens writes in his birth mother’s voice in some chapters. Plenty of atmospheric scenes from institutional life that makes us sorry because the ignorance of the authorities was mind-boggling. Ten years without a birthday or Christmas gift? Not because they weren’t sent, but because the school confiscated them and gave them away. No letters, ever? Same story. Brutal. Still, not a depressing story because the author is so clear-eyed. Well recommended.
November 23, 2019
I thought this was well-written, though I see others have not. Having read a lot of memoirs lately, this is perfectly fine, and interesting.
I do, however, feel like there must have been more his mother could have done to get him back. He has a good heart and doesn't blame her, but she went so many years with little in terms of attempts when he could have potentially had a life with a family. It is as if she had her own family and he was pished aside year after year.
One thing I found odd, was that it's mentioned that Raymond married his own second cousin Audrey. It is especially odd because it isn't explained nor a relevant/necessary piece of information.
I do, however, feel like there must have been more his mother could have done to get him back. He has a good heart and doesn't blame her, but she went so many years with little in terms of attempts when he could have potentially had a life with a family. It is as if she had her own family and he was pished aside year after year.
One thing I found odd, was that it's mentioned that Raymond married his own second cousin Audrey. It is especially odd because it isn't explained nor a relevant/necessary piece of information.
April 24, 2014
Amazing story. Hard to believe for those of us lucky enough to have had the love and security of a stable and loving family home. Having lived in Berkhamsted and brought my own children up there (and they attended what is now Ashlyns School) added a particular poignancy to Tom's story for me because I know all the places he refers to.
It is so hard to imagine the trauma caused to Tom and his mother, Jean, yet despite it all they came through it and had a family life.
It is so hard to imagine the trauma caused to Tom and his mother, Jean, yet despite it all they came through it and had a family life.
December 23, 2023
While this was a sweet tale of how life can overcome the adversity and misfortunes of life. It did feel simplistic and very surface face value explanations of experiences without much emotion drawn from the reader. It was a good book and I learned about this charity for "illegitimate" children and their care in removing that stigma from their futures, but I just tend to prefer meatier, deeper books. I'd recommend it, but just wasn't blown away at any point by the book, or the story.
March 3, 2021
This is a story I picked up on a whim, it wasn't quite what I had expected but a good story nonetheless. Little Tommy was given to the foundling church to be taken care of until she could reclaim him. This follows two perspectives. Tom and his mother Jean.
March 12, 2017
the writing was mediocre, but the story was interesting. makes me think I should read more non-fiction / memoirs / autobiography type books.
September 14, 2018
It was a pretty interesting read but some parts were a bit long and boring.
October 5, 2018
Really interesting history of yet another situation that people felt it was "better" to take children away from loving families.
January 26, 2020
Touching story of resilience. Just wished we had more of the reunion.
December 28, 2016
The Last Foundling is a non-fiction memoir told in the first person about a young unwed mother who in 1938 found herself pregnant and had to give up her child into the care of the Foundling Hospital. An institution for infants whose mothers’ could not due to societies standards, financial means and the war care for their child.
Over the 200 years the hospital has changed drastically and Tom recounts the time he was there, as being the last of the foundling, last child given up to the hospital before it became a school, he witness the changes brought about through different governments, the war and changing times.
This book had piqued my interest when I saw it on display in the book store. I was happy to finally picked it up and read through it in only two days. Yet I am struggling with the review. There are two opposite emotions I feel after reading about Tom’s story. The first half of the retell, were bitter sweet retelling of his mother’s struggles, her constant want and hope to one day be reunited. To Tom, at birth named Derek, being fostered out to a family who loved him and which became the only ‘real’ family he knew for a long time. The heartbreaking time when at age 5 he had to go to live at the hospital till he was 15 years of age, at which point he was deemed an adult and sent off on his own.
The hospital was rigid, structured, disciplined, and focussed more on religion than on education. There was no warmth or compassion given to the young children which I am sure greatly affected their lives.
Later a new policy was adapted where the children would be fostered out for the holidays to families in the communities, giving the children some sense of belonging and care.
Tom, his name was changed to Tom when he entered the hospital is an interesting person. I admire his strength to tell his story and to not shy away from how his behaviour often landed him in trouble and kept him from forming close ties.
Tom would not be asked back during the holidays by most of his foster parents, as he often was mischeievious and would get into trouble. Even as he was older, he would wander from job to job, land up in front of the courts, be disciplined in the military and than as an adult never really settle in one place or in one marriage.
Is this due to the way he was raised? Tom at the end of the book insist not on one page and yet one another suggests that the hospital recognizes that it has things to atone for.
It seemed to me that Tom never took ownership of any of the trouble he got into, he always backed up every argument, fight, trouble with the law and the military as being justified for a variety of reasons. Though he never came out and specifically wrote that it was because of the hospital that he had the life he had, there was a feeling of bitterness and blame placed on his childhood which he associated with any trouble that came his way. Perhaps a combination of the hospital, the lack of affection and nurturing and Tom just being himself all resulted in the life he led.
A bitter sweet recount of a man’s life in a broken public system and a ridig society.
4/5 stars. Would recommend, although it does leave me with conflicting emotions, which is actually a welcomed feeling as the author’s honesty showed how human he and everyone around him really are.
Over the 200 years the hospital has changed drastically and Tom recounts the time he was there, as being the last of the foundling, last child given up to the hospital before it became a school, he witness the changes brought about through different governments, the war and changing times.
This book had piqued my interest when I saw it on display in the book store. I was happy to finally picked it up and read through it in only two days. Yet I am struggling with the review. There are two opposite emotions I feel after reading about Tom’s story. The first half of the retell, were bitter sweet retelling of his mother’s struggles, her constant want and hope to one day be reunited. To Tom, at birth named Derek, being fostered out to a family who loved him and which became the only ‘real’ family he knew for a long time. The heartbreaking time when at age 5 he had to go to live at the hospital till he was 15 years of age, at which point he was deemed an adult and sent off on his own.
The hospital was rigid, structured, disciplined, and focussed more on religion than on education. There was no warmth or compassion given to the young children which I am sure greatly affected their lives.
Later a new policy was adapted where the children would be fostered out for the holidays to families in the communities, giving the children some sense of belonging and care.
Tom, his name was changed to Tom when he entered the hospital is an interesting person. I admire his strength to tell his story and to not shy away from how his behaviour often landed him in trouble and kept him from forming close ties.
Tom would not be asked back during the holidays by most of his foster parents, as he often was mischeievious and would get into trouble. Even as he was older, he would wander from job to job, land up in front of the courts, be disciplined in the military and than as an adult never really settle in one place or in one marriage.
Is this due to the way he was raised? Tom at the end of the book insist not on one page and yet one another suggests that the hospital recognizes that it has things to atone for.
It seemed to me that Tom never took ownership of any of the trouble he got into, he always backed up every argument, fight, trouble with the law and the military as being justified for a variety of reasons. Though he never came out and specifically wrote that it was because of the hospital that he had the life he had, there was a feeling of bitterness and blame placed on his childhood which he associated with any trouble that came his way. Perhaps a combination of the hospital, the lack of affection and nurturing and Tom just being himself all resulted in the life he led.
A bitter sweet recount of a man’s life in a broken public system and a ridig society.
4/5 stars. Would recommend, although it does leave me with conflicting emotions, which is actually a welcomed feeling as the author’s honesty showed how human he and everyone around him really are.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2020
WOW what an amazing true story of Tom who was the last foundling who was placed in the Foundling hospital which was Britain's oldest children's charities and it is now known as the Coram Foundation whose founder was known as Captain Thomas Coram who established the hospital in 1741.
Poor Tom who was only nine weeks old was placed at the Foundling hospital in Berkhamstead, London then at the tender age of only four years old into the school/hospital until he reached the age of fifteen. I felt for Jean his Mother who had no choice but to place him there as it was stigma for an unmarried Mother to have a baby out of wedlock.
Tom's life was far from rosy in this establishment that was more like a borstal than a home. There was lots of abuse by both older boys and teachers and an incident of sexual abuse and kidnapping of one of the children which was so sad. My heart went out for all these poor children who were placed into this hospital as they had to endure such strict regimes throughout their time of living there. There was no warmth or affection from any of their peers only a lot of rules and punishment.
Jean his birth Mother married twice but unfortunately both husbands died and both were prepared to adopt Tom so sad. Tom does come out on top at the end he gets married four times and divorced after three marriages sadly one of his separations was through bereavement of one of his wives. He is a Father to five children of whom one died and is a Grandfather to four grandchildren and became a Manager of a health club.
Poor Tom who was only nine weeks old was placed at the Foundling hospital in Berkhamstead, London then at the tender age of only four years old into the school/hospital until he reached the age of fifteen. I felt for Jean his Mother who had no choice but to place him there as it was stigma for an unmarried Mother to have a baby out of wedlock.
Tom's life was far from rosy in this establishment that was more like a borstal than a home. There was lots of abuse by both older boys and teachers and an incident of sexual abuse and kidnapping of one of the children which was so sad. My heart went out for all these poor children who were placed into this hospital as they had to endure such strict regimes throughout their time of living there. There was no warmth or affection from any of their peers only a lot of rules and punishment.
Jean his birth Mother married twice but unfortunately both husbands died and both were prepared to adopt Tom so sad. Tom does come out on top at the end he gets married four times and divorced after three marriages sadly one of his separations was through bereavement of one of his wives. He is a Father to five children of whom one died and is a Grandfather to four grandchildren and became a Manager of a health club.
June 17, 2024
It may not be romantic fiction, but maybe this autobiography could nevertheless be stuck into the Chick Lit category because it deals with young children for the most part. It is an easy read in the sense of quite well-written, i.e., MacKenzie is a skilled wordsmith, and his book is easy to understand and highly informative on orphans' lives in mid-century England. By the way, my copy was autographed by the author on 29-3-14 (nice touch). He was 74 years old when he wrote this book.
The Last Foundling is chock-a-block with details on MacKenzie's life, starting from birth through to the first 4 or 5 years, when he lived with kindly foster parents. Then, onto the "infant" section of the large, new and imposing Foundling Hospital. Then to the school proper in the same building until the age of 15, when he and the other children were allowed to leave and seek their fortune in the larger world.
There is both humor and horror in MacKenzie's story and I never lost interest.
We have to work a bit to figure out just how old he was when various events occurred, as the author is not always explicit in this area. Here, I'll make it easy for you:
He was born in 1939. Fostered out for a few years.
Entered the Foundling Hospital at about age 4 or 5. That would be 1944.
He left the Hospital at age 15, so that's 1954.
Tons of interesting facts and information on his employment, holidays, experiences and so on from the age of 15 to 20.
And then, the major event: at 20 years of age, he reunited with his mother, who had given him up 9 weeks after he was born because she was not married.
However, I consider it a major flaw that while he informs us, page after page, of the finer points of his relatives' and foster parents' lives and backgrounds, he says very little about his own adult life once he reunited with his mother, Jean, (who, by the way, had 4 children by 3 different men. What a gal.) At the bottom of the second last page of The Last Foundling we are hurriedly informed that MacKenzie has had 4 marriages and fathered 4 children (one of whom died when a baby). He skims over his employment life from age 20 onwards. There is a tacked-on feeling to those few sentences. "Oh, maybe the readers of my life story might want to know what I've been up to over the past 54 years..." but then there is almost nothing. I became really interested in this man from birth to age 20, but then am left hanging.
Anyway, for those interested in the lives of orphaned, abandoned or "illegitimate" children back in the 1940s and 50s in England, you won't go wrong with The Last Foundling.
The Last Foundling is chock-a-block with details on MacKenzie's life, starting from birth through to the first 4 or 5 years, when he lived with kindly foster parents. Then, onto the "infant" section of the large, new and imposing Foundling Hospital. Then to the school proper in the same building until the age of 15, when he and the other children were allowed to leave and seek their fortune in the larger world.
There is both humor and horror in MacKenzie's story and I never lost interest.
We have to work a bit to figure out just how old he was when various events occurred, as the author is not always explicit in this area. Here, I'll make it easy for you:
He was born in 1939. Fostered out for a few years.
Entered the Foundling Hospital at about age 4 or 5. That would be 1944.
He left the Hospital at age 15, so that's 1954.
Tons of interesting facts and information on his employment, holidays, experiences and so on from the age of 15 to 20.
And then, the major event: at 20 years of age, he reunited with his mother, who had given him up 9 weeks after he was born because she was not married.
However, I consider it a major flaw that while he informs us, page after page, of the finer points of his relatives' and foster parents' lives and backgrounds, he says very little about his own adult life once he reunited with his mother, Jean, (who, by the way, had 4 children by 3 different men. What a gal.) At the bottom of the second last page of The Last Foundling we are hurriedly informed that MacKenzie has had 4 marriages and fathered 4 children (one of whom died when a baby). He skims over his employment life from age 20 onwards. There is a tacked-on feeling to those few sentences. "Oh, maybe the readers of my life story might want to know what I've been up to over the past 54 years..." but then there is almost nothing. I became really interested in this man from birth to age 20, but then am left hanging.
Anyway, for those interested in the lives of orphaned, abandoned or "illegitimate" children back in the 1940s and 50s in England, you won't go wrong with The Last Foundling.
October 11, 2021
An unwed mother in wartime England had few options, ostensibly the best of which was to put her child Derek into a foster home and come back to collect him when she was on her feet and in a stable relationship. The child's name was changed to Tom, and when he got to school age, he was sent from foster care to a large institution with 600 other children. The school/hospital philosophy was "spare the rod and spoil the child," so he began a life of strict rules, poor education, terror at the hands of the older children, and lots of church. None of the cards and gifts from their parents were passed along to the children, and what happened to all that stuff remains a mystery. At 15, these kids were sent out into the world to make their way, having been totally isolated from it, and with no education or skills. This is a story of resiliency: the resiliency of children, and the resiliency of the human heart.
April 12, 2020
Prior to reading this book, I had very little idea of what an institutional upbringing was like and the subsequent problems that ensued for those who were raised in such an environment. This autobiography sheds a lot of light on the many ramifications inherent in such situations, particularly in the realm of emotions, not only for the children, but for their families, as well. Definitely worth reading.
January 1, 2018
Mawkish picture on cover kind tells you everything you need to know. I was interested to learn about this autobiographical sketch but found it solipsistic and poorly written. Despite a rather cruel story there is little insight into the issues one might expect. Ultimately depressing and shallow. I may as well write my life story and then he can slag it as "not worthwhile".
May 27, 2020
It took me a while to finish this book primarily because it didn’t pull me in enough in the beginning to make me want to pick it up! However, I stuck with it as it is on a topic I have great interest in and I have to say it gets better as you read on.
I won’t spoil anything but it is definitely a slow evolving story but has a great ending.
I enjoyed it.
I won’t spoil anything but it is definitely a slow evolving story but has a great ending.
I enjoyed it.
June 4, 2020
A book full of emotion
I loved reading about Tom's life, and Jean his mum. The ups and downs. I'm so glad they got to be a family again I started crying when I read this, and seeing the photos really added to the feel of the book. When I read I visualise what people look like even in fiction books. True stories always release emotions. Thank you Tom for sharing your life.
I loved reading about Tom's life, and Jean his mum. The ups and downs. I'm so glad they got to be a family again I started crying when I read this, and seeing the photos really added to the feel of the book. When I read I visualise what people look like even in fiction books. True stories always release emotions. Thank you Tom for sharing your life.
September 16, 2021
The true story of a baby given up to live temporarily (so his mother hoped) at a foundling hospital in London. It was a hard but stable life which included periods of being fostered during school holidays. The book takes us into his early adult life too and to meeting his mother, Jean who never gave up hope that she would be reunited with him one day.
June 13, 2017
This was a well written, very interesting true story. With what this man lived through as a child and a young man it was remarkable that he remained as well grounded as he did....although the multiple marriages may be from his fear of abandonment and having to manage on his own.
October 27, 2018
An easy & quick but enjoyable read. I would have appreciated a bit less detail in some areas (e.g. his military involvement) and more in others (meeting his biological family and his life afterwards).
January 30, 2020
An interesting read. Sad that illegitimate children were taken from people willing to give them a loving home, but I was impressed that Tom was never bitter about his past experiences. It was lovely to read of his happy ending!
February 8, 2020
Tom is raised in London's Foundling Hospital after being given up by his unwed mother. After 20 years of being apart, they found each other and he was formally adopted by his mom and step-dad.
Although his beginnings were tough, Tom credits the hospital for his firm upbringing.
Although his beginnings were tough, Tom credits the hospital for his firm upbringing.
February 16, 2018
Seriously such a good book, really sad yet interesting plot line, I am so in love with this book, it is so well written and I totally recommend it!!
July 25, 2018
Very good read. This is a very touching story .I would read it again and recommend it to those who like stories about foster care
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