Foundling Tokens
The «tokens» of the children left in the foundling wheel of Lisbon, are a significant historical asset kept in the Historical Archive of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Lisbon.
Foundling no. 1103 of 1790
Token of Maria da Conceição
Extent and medium: 2 folios; paper.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 11 October 1790.
Includes a note with the letters ‘a, e, i, o, u’.
Foundling no. 708 of 1791
Token of Joaquim Ferreira
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 06 July 1791.
Includes a pink ribbon and a white silk pouch, with yellow and brown geometric motifs, holding within a half a prayer card to Our Lady of Sorrows.
Foundling no. 720 of 1791
Token of Guilherme
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Male child.
Includes a drawing of a cross, as well as a devotional scapular (bentinho) of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, of brown linen embroidered with pink, blue and red thread.
Foundling no. 495 of 1792
Token of Gertrudes Rosa
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Female child.
Foundling no. 1216 of 1792
Token of José
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, thread and coral.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 28 October 1792.
Includes a white string and a pink coral bead.
Foundling no. 406 of 1793
Token of Egídio
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric, metal and bone.
Scope and content: Male child.
Includes a silver and glass reliquary and a silver-mounted wolf tooth on a chain.
Foundling no. 845 of 1793
Token of Agostinho
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and glass.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 21 July 1793.
The paper note features a cut for validation purposes.
Includes the drawing of an arabesque and a rosary of black beads with a crucifix.
Foundling no. 948 of 1793
Token of Francisco
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and sealing wax.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 11 February 1793.
Includes a wax seal with the Coat of Arms of Portugal.
Foundling no. 99 of 1795
Token of Francisco Inácio da Conceição
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and sealing wax
Scope and content: Male child.
Includes a seal applied on red sealing wax with the initials ‘BG’ within an octagon.
Foundling no. 559 of 1795
Token of Francisco
Extent and medium: 2 folios; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Male child.
Includes a pink silk ribbon and a silver medal cut for validation purposes.
Foundling no. 131 of 1796
Token of Simplícia Flitéria da Anunciada
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and sealing wax.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 31 January 1796.
Includes the drawing of a flower affixed with sealing wax to the paper note.
Foundling no. 308 of 1798
Token of José
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 19 September 1797, baptised in the parish of São Lourenço in the city of Lisbon.
Includes a tinplate anchor, with a pink ribbon bow.
Foundling no. 347 of 1799
Token of Filipe António
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, metal, glass and jet.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 06 February 1799.
Includes two bracelets made of metal, beads, opaline glass and jet.
Foundling no. 174 of 1801
Token of Ricardo Marcelo
Extent and medium: 2 folios; paper.
Scope and content: Male child.
Includes a prayer card to Saint Marcellus.
Foundling no. 597 of 1802
Token of Ana dos Mártires
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Female child.
Includes a silver half-moon, as well as a brown fabric ribbon.
Foundling no. 866 of 1802
Token of Silvestre Martins dos Santos
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric, metal and glass.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 23 July 1802.
Includes a crucifix, as well as two medals, one of Our Lady of the Forsaken and the other with a cross.
Also includes a devotional scapular (bentinho) with red ribbon, metallic embroidered edge and a printed paper inside.
Foundling no. 1043 of 1802
Token of João da Cruz
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric, metal and mica.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 14 September 1802.
Includes a gospel book of Saint John and a wicker basket painted red and green, tied with yellow and pink ribbons, with a cut at the end made for validation purposes.
Foundling no. 841 of 1803
Token of Matilde
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and glass.
Scope and content: Female child, baptised on 01 June 1803 by Father António Manuel Venceslau de Sousa Leitão, vicar of the parish of São Miguel de Palhacana in Alenquer.
Includes the baptism certificate issued by said priest, as well as a bracelet of blue plaited yarn, with beads, one transparent and the rest black.
Foundling no. 318 of 1805
Token of Maria Inês
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Female child, born in January 1805, daughter of Francisco Xavier de Matos and Joaquina Ricarda.
Includes a brown cord and a brass cross with a spherical pendant.
Foundling no. 387 of 1805
Token of Maria da Anunciação
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Female child.
Includes a pink ribbon, a metal heart with the images of the Virgin and of Jesus crucified and a pendant crucifix.
Foundling no. 1260 of 1805
Token of Rodrigo José
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 05 October 1805, at the Santa Bárbara Ward of the São José Hospital, in Lisbon, son of António Joaquim and Ana Felícia married in the church of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Lisbon.
Foundling no. 642 of 1807
Token of Gregória Nazianzena
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 09 May 1807.
Includes a devotional scapular (bentinho) of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with a print, with pink, yellow, green and purple sequins.
Foundling no. 105 of 1808
Token of Gertrudes Tomásia
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and hair.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 17 November 1807.
The paper note features a cut for validation purposes.
Includes a braid of hair, as well as a black and pink striped ribbon.
Foundling no. 516 of 1808
Token of José António Correia
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Male child, son of an incognito father and Joana Perpétua.
Includes a signature in the form of initials.
Foundling no. 458 of 1809
Token of Doroteia Magna
Extent and medium: 2 folios; paper.
Scope and content: Female child.
Includes the drawing of a cross and a piece of card with the drawing of a French boat, with a cut made for validation purposes.
Foundling no. 1126 of 1810
Token of Manuel António da Costa
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 18 August 1810.
The note consists of part of a letter written in French.
Foundling no. 1732 of 1810
Token of Ana Maria da Conceição
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Female child.
Includes a green, orange and red striped ribbon (alluding to the Military Orders of Saint Benedict of Avis, Saint James and Christ), as well as a card medal of Our Lady with the Child Jesus and a pink ribbon bow.
Foundling no. 1400 of 1812
Token of Mariana Gertrudes
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 23 October 1812.
Includes a white ribbon and a red devotional scapular (bentinho) with an embroidered dove.
Foundling no. 292 of 1814
Token of Maria Isabel
Extent and medium: 4 folios; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 26 February 1814, daughter of an English officer.
Includes a blue silk ribbon and a note in English, signed with the initials ‘D. C.’.
Foundling no. 1277 of 1815
Token of Maria do Carmo
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric, ivory and glass.
Scope and content: Female child.
Includes a green silk ribbon, a bead necklace and an ivory fig sign amulet.
Foundling no. 255 of 1816
Token of Francisca
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and nacre.
Scope and content: Female child, daughter of incognito parents, baptised on 12 February 1816 by Father António Soares do Amaral, parish priest of Santo Estêvão in Alenquer.
Includes the baptism certificate issued by said priest, a pink ribbon and a mother-of-pearl heart with the expression ‘DAMO O SIM’, engraved in gold.
Foundling no. 758 of 1820
Token of Manuel Gaudêncio do Espírito Santo
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 21 May 1820.
Includes a blue ribbon with the year of birth of the child, embroidered in yellow, circled by golden sequins.
Foundling no. 905 of 1820
Token of Maria
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 16 June 1820, at the Santa Bárbara Ward of the São José Hospital in Lisbon, daughter of Rosa Cândida and an incognito father.
Includes the drawing of a sun.
Foundling no. 119 of 1823
Token of Maria da Conceição de Pinto Machado
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric, metal and nacre.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 18 January 1823.
Includes a rosary with a mother-of-pearl cross; a print of Our Lady of the Conception of the Rock, in the shape of a heart; a necklace of white beads with a devotional scapular (bentinho), as well as a yellow ribbon sewn to another pink, green, yellow, purple and blue ribbon, both with plant motifs.
Foundling no. 1419 of 1823
Token of Veríssimo
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Male child.
The paper note is composed of a love letter, with a cut made for validation purposes.
Includes a signature in the form of initials.
Foundling no. 1609 of 1829
Token of Miguel
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 20 November 1829.
Includes two pieces of fabric, one red, brown and white, with plant motifs, the other of brown wool, as well as a blue and orange striped ribbon.
It also includes the counter sign (a document identical to the sign, which was handed in by the parents when they came to collect their child).
Foundling no. 550 of 1831
Token of Maria Angélica
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 17 April 1831.
The paper note features a cut for validation purposes.
Includes a blue silk ribbon and another in pink, in the shape of a flower bud, as well as a bas-relief and incised yellow metal belt plate sewn to the paper note with white thread.
Foundling no. 842 of 1835
Token of Nicolau
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and ivory.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 09 May 1835.
Includes one playing dice.
Foundling no 1652 and 1653 of 1836
Token of Felizarda Maria Gomes e de Maria José
Extent and medium: 3 folios; paper.
Scope and content: Female children, twins, born on 19 June 1836.
Includes two notes with reference to the date of birth of the children and their respective layettes.
Foundling no. 1769 of 1836
Token of António
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Male child.
Includes a print of Our Lady of the Conception of the Rocks.
Foundling no. 1915 of 1836
Token of Angelina de Castro
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 14 December 1836.
Includes a red ribbon, as well as drawings featuring geometric and plant forms, and the initials of the child’s name.
Foundling no. 255 of 1838
Token of Maria dos Anjos
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Female child.
Includes a cipher.
Foundling no. 187 of 1839
Token of José
Extent and medium: 3 folios; paper.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 5 February 1839.
Includes a drawing of an arabesque and a note with a female figure drawn in pencil and with a cut made for validation purposes.
Foundling no. 918 of 1839
Token of Felicidade
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Female child.
The paper note consists of half a lottery ticket from the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Lisbon and features a cut made for validation purposes.
Foundling no. 1135 of 1840
Token of Carlos Correia de Lacerda
Extent and medium: 2 folios; paper, fabric and metal.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 20 July 1840.
Includes a print of the Child Jesus of the Afflicted, as well as a yellow and brown striped silk belt with a serpent-shaped yellow metal buckle.
Foundling no. 556 of 1841
Token of Maria
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Female child.
Includes the inscription in Latin: ‘Pulsate et aperietur vobis’
(Knock and it shall be opened unto you).
Foundling no. 112 of 1842
Token of João Evangelista da Silveira Machado Pina
Extent and medium: 2 folios; paper.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 02 October 1841, son of António José da Silva Machado Pina and Carolina Rosa, baptised in the parish of São Veríssimo, Santa Máxima and Santa Júlia [or Santos-o-Velho] in the city of Lisbon.
Signed by the child’s father.
Includes the drawing of two crosses and a devotional scapular (bentinho) of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with an embroidered heart.
Foundling no. 1976 of 1844
Token of Maria da Conceição
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper, fabric and glass.
Scope and content: Female child, born in May 1842, daughter of incognito parents.
The paper note features a cut for validation purposes. Includes a necklace of red beads.
Foundling no. 264 of 1845
Token of Alfredo
Extent and medium: 2 folios; paper.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 06 February 1845.
Includes half of a playing card (8 of hearts) with a cut made for validation purposes, as well as the date of birth of the child.
Foundling no. 1258 of 1845
Token of António
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 17 July 1845.
Includes a signature in the form of initials and a stamp bearing the effigy of Queen Maria II.
Foundling no. 1459 of 1845
Token of Tomé
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Male child, born on 22 August 1845.
Includes a pouch of various colours, decorated with plant motifs.
Foundling no. 2162 of 1847
Token of Ângela
Extent and medium: 2 folios; paper and sealing wax.
Scope and content: Female child.
The paper note has an angel-shaped cut made for validation purposes.
Includes two pieces of red sealing wax.
Foundling no. 637 of 1848
Token of José da Cruz
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper.
Scope and content: Male child.
The paper note features a cut for validation purposes and is composed of a letterhead with the coat of arms of Portugal.
Foundling no. 1853 of 1849
Token of Adelaide da Assunção Torres
Extent and medium: 1 folio; paper and fabric.
Scope and content: Female child, born on 30 September 1849, daughter of F. L. T. and D. M. de A.
The paper note features a cut for validation purposes.
Signed with the initials of the child’s father’s name.
Includes a blue ribbon, with a cut at the end made for validation purposes.
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