296 LONDON PARKS & GARDENS 



connue was charmed with the peace and repose of this 

 little East End Paradise. After seeing the Hospital and 

 all its wonderful appliances, " You will now see our 

 Eden," said the guide. " Ici ! I'Eden ! m'ecriai-je, apres 

 le peche alors ! " Then, when she had for a moment looked 

 within those mysterious high walls, " N'avais-je pas raison 

 d'appeler ce jardin I'Eden.?" said the friend. "Qui, 

 repondis-je, c'est I'Eden apres la Redemption." Cer- 

 tainly any one who sees this little garden, and realises 

 the devoted lives of those who made it and those who 

 enjoy it, must agree with this writer. 



It is not often that, when the old almshouses vanish, 

 the neighbourhood benefits to such an extent. What 

 will be the fate of the Ironmongers' Almshouses in 

 Kingsland Road, between Shoreditch and Dalston ? A 

 large board in the garden that fronts the street announces 

 the site is for sale ! 



The Foundling Hospital has large green courts, on 

 which the merry but sombrely-clad little children are 

 seen running about, through the fine iron gates which 

 face Guildford Street. This was founded in 1739 by 

 Captain Thomas Coram, who gave so much of his wealth 

 to objects of charity and philanthropy that a subscription 

 had to be raised to support him in his old age. Theo- 

 dore Jacobson (died 1772) was the architect of the 

 building. A colonnade runs round the whole length of 

 the forecourt up to the gates, part of which is used as 

 laundries, or other things necessary to the institution. 

 A writer in 1773 describes the 'Marge area between the 

 gates and the hospital " as " adorned with grass plats, 

 gravel walks, and lamps erected upon handsome posts : 

 beside which there are two convenient gardens," and 

 exactly the same description holds good to-day. Bruns- 



