Thomas Coram was a campaigner whose greatest achievement, that he called his ‘darling project’, was the Foundling Hospital. But this was just one of many charitable projects he pursued throughout his life. He had an interrupted childhood when his mother died, he was just 3 years old and the only one of his siblings to survive. He was sent to sea at 11 years old so further childhood disruption. Thomas Coram was a determined campaigner and that he could not and would not ignore destitute children on London’s streets. Thomas Coram was also a passionate advocate for girls’ education until late in life. During his time in America, he produced a scheme that promoted the education of native American girls in the American colonies.