Charlotte's was an unfortunate tale; she was aged 26 and had been a servant in more than one middle class household in the parish of Wallington, Surrey in recent years after leaving her birthplace of Christchurch, Hampshire. She became engaged to George Robertson, a bricklayer she met when they both lived at East Dulwich. George eventually had to take employment as a gardener in a different location, due to lack of work in his usual occupation. Their engagement continued for three and a half years, during which Charlotte was a regular visitor to the home of George and his mother, a widowed charwoman who lived at 3 Church Lane, Beddington. All was well, it appeared, apart from the fact of no wedding date being set, possibly due to George's lack of money and employment prospects.
Charlotte left her situation as a servant at Dr Hardy's, The Grove, East Dulwich to obtain one closer to where George now lived, on his suggestion. She was well-liked by George's mother who said in an interview with a Foundling Hospital official that she was most happy to have Charlotte as a future daughter-in-law.
One night when Charlotte and George were out walking, as they did to have time alone together, he "violently seduced" her. She found herself pregnant soon afterwards. She told no-one of the incident and it was not repeated. She and George, who initially acknowledged paternity, remained in contact. Towards the end of Charlotte's pregnancy however, he started to deny the fact the child was his, and disappeared from his mother's home shortly after the birth. Neighbours reported him as "going to Yorkshire to find work." George's mother stated she was not in a position to help Charlotte as due to George's actions, their relationship was now "at variance".
And so Charlotte entered the Croydon Workhouse for her confinement. She was delivered of a baby daughter on 27 September 1881 and named her "Lily Maud Boyt". No father's name was indicated on the baby's birth certificate. It is not known if Charlotte informed her family of the birth. What is certain is that she did not go back to live with them, as she was offered a position as a wet nurse on the recommendation of the midwife who delivered her baby, which she went to on 12 October 1881.
After 12 months as wet nurse for Mrs Rickett of Benleigh House, Park Hill Road, Croydon, Charlotte had to find another dwelling place for both herself and her daughter. Her options were limited; she could not take her baby with her to a live-in situation as a servant for a household and it appears she was able to resist the options of either prostitution, where she could possibly have kept Lily, or the workhouse, where they would have been separated in any event. She managed to find a situation as servant for Mrs Webber in her household at Mitcham, but her baby had to be relinquished, if she was to stay there.
She thus found herself journeying in December 1882 from the lavender fields of Mitcham to Bloomsbury for the purpose of petitioning the St. Pancras Foundling Hospital. If her petition was successful, she could be sure Lily would live in a safe place where she would be educated and looked after until she reached the age of 21. She would be released into domestic service at the age of sixteen, but the position would be one where the employer was found and approved by the Hospital.
Charlotte was eligible to petition for Lily to be accepted as a foundling as she was not married, not widowed and Lily was her first child. Lily was older at the time of the petition than the requisite twelve months stipulated by the Hospital, but this appears not to have been an issue. Charlotte wrote on her petition that George Robertson "is gone right away" and this fact was verified by interviews with George's mother and neighbours. Her petition was accepted on 5 January 1883.
Lily Maud was then received by The Foundling Hospital on 16 January 1883. On that same day she was baptised in the Hospital's chapel with the new name chosen for her by the Hospital. And so Lily became "Edith Irwin," the name by which she was to be known for the rest of her life.
Sophie Anderson, Foundling Girls in the Chapel Copyright Coram in the care of the Foundling Museum
Thanks to the staff of the London Metropolitan Archives who assisted in locating the actual Petition lodged by Charlotte Boyt for the admission of Lily to the Foundling Hospital.
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