26 Orphans is an exhibition inspired by the Foundling Museum and the poet Lemn Sissay, himself an orphan.

Lemn thought of fictional characters who were orphaned or fostered in childhood, and their names appear on the walls of the museum.

In this special exhibition, part of the 2022 Bloomsbury Festival, writers from 26 drew on and added to that list. 26 is a not-for-profit organisation for writers and anyone who believes in the power of words. Its members work with words for a living and for pleasure – as business writers, authors, journalists, communication specialists, poets and designers. The name 26 refers to the 26 letters in the English alphabet – the DNA of language.

In 26 Orphans the writers have chosen their own favourite fictional characters – from books, film, drama and folk tale. They have each written from the viewpoint of that character in a form called the sestude – exactly 62 words. You can listen to and read their words as you tour the museum – look out for the QR codes.

Click on the tiles below to explore the project.

Jeannie MacLean writes about Moominpapa
Jeannie MacLean writes about Moominpapa
Lacy Rohre writes about The Baudelaire Orphans: Violet, Klaus and Sunny
Lacy Rohre writes about The Baudelaire Orphans: Violet, Klaus and Sunny
Leah Royden writes about Din Djarin
Leah Royden writes about Din Djarin
Anna Dewis writes about Jane from The Thirteenth Orphan
Anna Dewis writes about Jane from The Thirteenth Orphan
Nick Carson writes about Boba Fett
Nick Carson writes about Boba Fett
Vanwy MacDonald-Arif writes about Becky Sharp
Vanwy MacDonald-Arif writes about Becky Sharp
Jane Berney writes about Estina Mavet
Jane Berney writes about Estina Mavet
Jax P writes about Eleven from Stranger Things
Jax P writes about Eleven from Stranger Things
Sarah Farley writes about Ursula Sontheil aka Mother Shipton
Sarah Farley writes about Ursula Sontheil aka Mother Shipton
Aidan Baker writes about Tom Jones
Aidan Baker writes about Tom Jones
Suchandrika Chakrabarti writes about Fevvers
Suchandrika Chakrabarti writes about Fevvers
Rowena Roberts writes about Dorothey Gale
Rowena Roberts writes about Dorothey Gale
John Sills writes about Lyra Belacqua
John Sills writes about Lyra Belacqua
Galen O’Hanlon writes about Jim from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Galen O’Hanlon writes about Jim from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Kaye Brennan writes about Jessica Jones
Kaye Brennan writes about Jessica Jones
Vikki Heywood writes about Paddington Bear
Vikki Heywood writes about Paddington Bear
Alex Mawson-Harris writes about Mary Lennox
Alex Mawson-Harris writes about Mary Lennox
Margaret Cheng writes about Hetty Feather
Margaret Cheng writes about Hetty Feather
Francesca Baker writes about The Artful Dodger
Francesca Baker writes about The Artful Dodger
Miranda Dickinson writes about The Fossil Sisters
Miranda Dickinson writes about The Fossil Sisters
Carmen McCormack writes about Sophie
Carmen McCormack writes about Sophie
John Simmons writes about The New One
John Simmons writes about The New One
Carmen Lavin writes about Werner Pfennig
Carmen Lavin writes about Werner Pfennig
Wendy Sacks Jones writes about Heathcliff
Wendy Sacks Jones writes about Heathcliff
Irene Lofthouse writes about Foundling Mick
Irene Lofthouse writes about Foundling Mick
Rebecca Dowman writes about Anna Shirley
Rebecca Dowman writes about Anna Shirley

 

Find out more about the 26 Orphans exhibition at the Foundling Museum.