Example of note paper used to record the admission of an infant or young child into the hospital (CHAR 2/384)
The lamb holding a sprig of thyme in its mouth is an element from the original coat of arms designed by William Hogarth for the hospital in 1747. It showed a child flanked by Britannia on the right and the figure of Nature on the left. The lamb represented the Hospital.
Transcript
HOSPITAL for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children
The Day of
Received a Child
Secretary
Note.—Let this be carefully kept, that it may be produced whenever an enquiry is made after the Health of the Child, (which may be done on Mondays, between the Hours of Ten and Four), and also in case the Child should be claimed.