Lot Essay
The Merchant Seamen's Orphan Asylum was founded in 1827 and provided charitable education for the orphaned children of navy seamen. At the time this sampler was executed, the charity was housed in Bow Road, London. It subsequently moved to Snaresbrook in 1862 and from there, relocated to Bear Wood, Berkshire in 1921. The charity is still in existence today, although the orphan asylum is now Bearwood College, a day and boarding school.