William Foster (New South Wales politician, born 1794)
April 10, 2024
For other people named William Foster, see William Foster.
William Foster (1794–1866) was an Australian lawyer and politician who was Solicitor General for New South Wales and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.[1]
Foster was the son of John Foster (1758–1816), a farmer and landowner of Armitstead Hall, Settle, Yorkshire, England, and his wife Jane, née Dowbiggin. He was the younger brother of John Foster (1792-1875). Both John and William studied as boarders at Heath School in Halifax; William then moved on to study at Cambridge University before qualifying as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn Fields in London.
William Foster would have probably pursued a career in England but his father's death, at the age of 57, occurred just after the end of the Napoleonic Wars and coincided with a severe decline in England's rural economy that depressed product and land values for over a decade. Debts had previously been incurred in efforts to expand and develop the family estate but interest payments, together with falling returns from produce and difficulty in collecting rent from tenants, placed major pressures on the family's finances. For William, pressures were increased by the needs of establishing himself in his career as a lawyer.[2][3]
New South Walesedit
In 1827, one of Foster's colleagues, Alexander Baxter, was offered the position of Attorney General of New South Wales. Foster decided to travel with him and migrated to Sydney, intending to continue his career as a barrister but, within a month, he was appointed to the newly created post of Solicitor General.[4] Baxter was a dashing figure but totally incompetent as a lawyer and relied heavily on Foster to perform his duties.[5]
In 1829 Foster was appointed chairman of the Courts of Quarter Sessions.[6][7]
William's brother, John, had already migrated to Tasmania in 1822, together with their mother and youngest brother, Henry. John was also a politician and was elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council as the member for Huon from 1868 to 1874.[11]
Private lifeedit
Foster married Mary Anne Green in 1817. They had four children. After Mary Anne died in 1856, he married Angelina Job, with whom he had a son, born in England in 1859.
Return to Englandedit
Foster returned to England in 1854 and settled in Brighton but his first wife, Mary Anne died only two years later and he remarried in 1858. After what appears to have been a happy retirement, Foster died at his home in Brighton on 2 February 1866, aged 72.[12]
Referencesedit
^"Foster, William (1794–1866)". People Australia. National Centre of Biography at Australian National University. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
^"Our portrait gallery: William Foster". Illustrated Sydney News (NSW : 1853 - 1872). 29 August 1853. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
^Reece, RHW (1974). Aborigines and Colonists: Aborigines and Colonial Society in New South Wales in the 1830s and 1840s. Sydney University Press. p. 147. ISBN9780424063508.
^Geoff, Lindsay (2007). "Aborigines, colonists and the law, 1838" (PDF). ForbesSociety.org.au. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
william, foster, south, wales, politician, born, 1794, other, people, named, william, foster, william, foster, william, foster, 1794, 1866, australian, lawyer, politician, solicitor, general, south, wales, member, south, wales, legislative, assembly, william, . For other people named William Foster see William Foster William Foster 1794 1866 was an Australian lawyer and politician who was Solicitor General for New South Wales and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly 1 William FosterBorn 1794 02 28 28 February 1794Settle Yorkshire EnglandDied2 February 1866 1866 02 02 aged 71 Brighton Sussex EnglandNationalityEnglishOccupationsLawyerJudgeSolicitor General for New South WalesOfficeMember of the New South Wales Legislative CouncilTermin office 1843 1845SpousesMary Anne GreenAngelina JobChildren5ParentsJohn Foster father Jane Foster nee Dowbiggin mother Contents 1 Early years 2 New South Wales 3 Private life 4 Return to England 5 ReferencesEarly years editFoster was the son of John Foster 1758 1816 a farmer and landowner of Armitstead Hall Settle Yorkshire England and his wife Jane nee Dowbiggin He was the younger brother of John Foster 1792 1875 Both John and William studied as boarders at Heath School in Halifax William then moved on to study at Cambridge University before qualifying as a barrister at Lincoln s Inn Fields in London William Foster would have probably pursued a career in England but his father s death at the age of 57 occurred just after the end of the Napoleonic Wars and coincided with a severe decline in England s rural economy that depressed product and land values for over a decade Debts had previously been incurred in efforts to expand and develop the family estate but interest payments together with falling returns from produce and difficulty in collecting rent from tenants placed major pressures on the family s finances For William pressures were increased by the needs of establishing himself in his career as a lawyer 2 3 New South Wales editIn 1827 one of Foster s colleagues Alexander Baxter was offered the position of Attorney General of New South Wales Foster decided to travel with him and migrated to Sydney intending to continue his career as a barrister but within a month he was appointed to the newly created post of Solicitor General 4 Baxter was a dashing figure but totally incompetent as a lawyer and relied heavily on Foster to perform his duties 5 In 1829 Foster was appointed chairman of the Courts of Quarter Sessions 6 7 In 1838 Foster along with William a Beckett and Richard Windeyer defended the 11 colonists charged with murder in relation to the Myall Creek massacre 8 9 From 1843 to 1845 he was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council 10 William s brother John had already migrated to Tasmania in 1822 together with their mother and youngest brother Henry John was also a politician and was elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council as the member for Huon from 1868 to 1874 11 Private life editFoster married Mary Anne Green in 1817 They had four children After Mary Anne died in 1856 he married Angelina Job with whom he had a son born in England in 1859 Return to England editFoster returned to England in 1854 and settled in Brighton but his first wife Mary Anne died only two years later and he remarried in 1858 After what appears to have been a happy retirement Foster died at his home in Brighton on 2 February 1866 aged 72 12 References edit Foster William 1794 1866 People Australia National Centre of Biography at Australian National University Retrieved 14 July 2020 Foster Patricia Foster John 1792 1875 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University ISSN 1833 7538 Retrieved 13 July 2020 Glover Margaret 3 February 1999 Where the Two Rivers Meet Paper Read at the Colonial Eye Conference University of Tasmania William Foster Esq sworn in as Solicitor General The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 3 September 1827 p 2 Retrieved 19 January 2019 via Trove Baxter Alexander Macduff 1798 1836 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University ISSN 1833 7538 Retrieved 15 July 2020 William Foster Esq declared elected as Chairman of the Courts of Quarter Sessions The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 3 November 1829 p 1 Retrieved 19 January 2019 via Trove Our portrait gallery William Foster Illustrated Sydney News NSW 1853 1872 29 August 1853 Retrieved 15 July 2020 Reece RHW 1974 Aborigines and Colonists Aborigines and Colonial Society in New South Wales in the 1830s and 1840s Sydney University Press p 147 ISBN 9780424063508 Geoff Lindsay 2007 Aborigines colonists and the law 1838 PDF ForbesSociety org au Retrieved 19 January 2019 Sir William Foster Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales Retrieved 9 April 2019 Foster P Foster John 1792 1875 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University ISSN 1833 7538 Family Notices The Sydney Morning Herald 27 April 1866 p 1 Retrieved 19 January 2019 via Trove New South Wales Legislative CouncilNew creation Member for NorthumberlandJune 1843 October 1845 Succeeded byHenry Dangar Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Foster New South Wales politician born 1794 amp oldid 1190485330, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
