Stora Barnhuset

Stora Barnhuset (literally: "Great Children's Home"), from 1785 known as Allmänna Barnhuset ("Public Children's Home"), [citation needed] was Sweden's largest orphanage, founded 1633 in Stockholm and active until 1922.

The orphanage was re-founded in 1633 and the office of director was given to Johannes Matthiæ, teacher of Queen Christina of Sweden.

On 12 March 1677, a formal reglement was issued by mayor Jean de la Vallée and councillor Heinrich Sparjin, giving the orphanage a set organization.

The responsibility was shared by a woman and a man, Husmodern ('House Mother') and Sysslomannen, who managed the affairs of the orphanage; under them followed the Praeceptorn and the Lärmodern ('Teacher Mother') with responsibility of the admittance and care of the boys and girls respectively, their education and their teachers; under them in rank came the remaining staff of male servants, nurses and maids; a side group consisted of the Sjukmodern ('Nurse Mother'), responsible for the orphanage hospital and its staff, which was under the direction of the city barber and physician.

The mortality rate was high and abuse was not unheard off: in 1770, a scandal was revealed when the staff was found to have kept the children in a halfstarved state by selling their food rations.