<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Thanks! <div><br></div><div>Here's something I found:</div><div><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=SSsPAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=george+macclesfield&source=bl&ots=kPnXUt1wjd&sig=ju_tHE6LJx3C4uquGBFyclJvSPs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=K14YVdvCF8fmoAT4zoD4Cg&ved=0CDsQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=george%20macclesfield&f=false">https://books.google.com/books?id=SSsPAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=george+macclesfield&source=bl&ots=kPnXUt1wjd&sig=ju_tHE6LJx3C4uquGBFyclJvSPs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=K14YVdvCF8fmoAT4zoD4Cg&ved=0CDsQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=george%20macclesfield&f=false</a></div><div><br></div><div>The first paragraph is interesting in light of Macclesfield's lament on page 194 (regarding the stars),"They betray us not, nor ever do they lie, --"</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><div>On Mar 29, 2015, at 11:36 AM have a nice day, violet wrote this message:), Elisabeth Romberg wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">WELCOME TO THE GROUP READ CHAPTERS 19-21 - ON MACCLESFIELD</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Place: The pub :)</div><div class=""><div class="">Those present: Mason, the Rev’d, the landlord, Mr. Swivett, Mr. Hailstone (so far)<br class=""><div class="">Topick of conversation: Bradley</div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Mason was Bradleys assistant. Bradley in turn was ‘in' with Macclesfield «and that gang» (who «stole eleven days right off the calendar»).</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The way Macclesfields character is portrayed later on in the chapter (not very good), fueled a quick background search.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">George Macclesfield, or «Viscount Parker» as he was styled, started off as a member of parliament. He was a RC member from 1722 (age approx. 25) and the president from 1752 (age approx. 55).</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">From 1750, however, Macclesfield also held an «honorary position» namely vice president at the Foundling Hospital. A «charitable institution (…) dedicated to saving London’s abandoned children». *Small alarm bells goes off*</div><div class=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Parker,_2nd_Earl_of_Macclesfield" class="">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Parker,_2nd_Earl_of_Macclesfield</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I am reminded of the resent case in England, Jimmy Savile - politically and royally connected - who also had «honorary positions» at hospitals, including children’s hospitals. This included his own keys to the facilities, and even his own quarters at the hospital.</div><div class=""><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28021488" class="">http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28021488</a> (One of countless links to this case. I chose this because of the photographs of Leeds General infirmary - built 1771 - and Broadmoor Psychiatric Hospital - built early 1800s)</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Not that there is a connection between Macclesfield and Savile obviously, but more intuitively following up on the theme master/slave - abuser/abused sort of theme. Please be critical of this.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Foundling («Foundling» = an abandoned child) hospital was founded in 1741. The term «hospital» is not really a correct one. "<span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">The word "</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital" title="Hospital" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22px;" class="">hospital</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><font color="#252525" face="sans-serif" class=""><span style="line-height: 22px;" class="">" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply indicating the institution's "hospitality" to those less fortunate» (which when older basically became hired out help - cheap labour, slaves - chimney climbers).</span></font></span></div><div class=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundling_Hospital" class="">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundling_Hospital</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">So, was there any evidence of suspect stuff going on at the Foundling?</div><div class="">Not according to wikipedia which only lists the abuse of one woman who received servants from Foundling: Elizabeth Brownrigg. </div><div class=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Brownrigg" class="">http://georgianlondon.com/post/49464106001/suffer-the-little-children</a> I’m sure this was not an isolated case, just a very public one, that ended in a public hanging (and dissection) of Brownrigg.</div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">A wider search didn’t really find anything conclusive, but there seems to have been some cases of abuse at the «hospital» «To put it bluntly, these were simple cases of abuse of power, in terms of class, sheer physical overpowering strength, or deceitfulness on the part of the perpetrator.» </div><div class=""><a href="https://books.google.no/books?id=Rxheh32O7r8C&pg=PT240&lpg=PT240&dq=london+foundling+hospital+sexual+abuse&source=bl&ots=l2PmeN8bsE&sig=EZivxQ-An4StA7UbdX6CZHom8ps&hl=no&sa=X&ei=ZEAYVe_FOImAUY7pAQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=sexual abuse&f=false" class="">https://books.google.no/books?id=Rxheh32O7r8C&pg=PT240&lpg=PT240&dq=london+foundling+hospital+sexual+abuse&source=bl&ots=l2PmeN8bsE&sig=EZivxQ-An4StA7UbdX6CZHom8ps&hl=no&sa=X&ei=ZEAYVe_FOImAUY7pAQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=abuse&f=false</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">There are several books written on the subject, but it seems Foundling has maintained a pretty solid reputation. This could of course also be due to the fact that «Gregorian courts refrain from discussing sexual abuse.»</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>