John Foster

John Foster (30 May 1830 - 4 June 1880), was an English architect and partner in the architectural practice of Foster & Wood of Park Street, Bristol who designed a number of well known buildings erected in Bristol in the 19th century. "It must sometimes seem that the whole of 19th-century Bristol, or at least all of its significant buildings, owed their design to the firm of Foster and Wood".

Early life Foster was born in the parish of Westbury-on-Trym, now a suburb of Bristol, but then in Gloucestershire, on 30 May 1830. He was baptised at the parish church of St Augustine the Less, which stood next to Bristol Cathedral on College Green, on 25 June 1830. He was the son of Thomas Foster and his wife, Sarah Fowler. The Fosters were a well-known family of local architects and surveyors and John joined his father's firm in the 1840s Their work ranged from church building and restoration to the design of schools, workhouses, private dwellings and commercial property.

Bristol buildings

The following buildings were designed by the practice during John Foster's lifetime. 1853: The Athenaeum, Corn Street 1855: Victoria Square, Clifton, South West Range 1857: Muller's Orphanage, Ashley Down (second stage work begun 1855) 1859: Royal Promenade, Queen's Road 1861: Foster's Almshouse, Colston Street 1861: Archway to Boyce's Avenue, Victoria Square 1862: Temple Colston School, Victoria Street 1864: Grand Hotel, Broad Street 1864: Colston Hall, Colston Street 1867: Bristol Museum and Library, Queen's Road 1875: Bristol Grammar School, University Road 1878: Bengough's Almshouse, Horfield Road

Ecclesiastical architecture

Foster & Wood were responsible for ecclesiastical restorations throughout the West Country, as well as further afield. 1854: Arley Chapel, Arley Hill (total cost about £3900) 1855/6: Congregational Church, Hill Street, Clevedon, Somerset 1856: Moravian Church, Kingswood, Gloucestershire 1856/7: Holy Trinity, Burrington, Somerset restoration 1862: St John the Evangelist's Church, Kenn, Somerset restoration 1864/5: St Lawrence's church, Wick St Lawrence, Somerset restoration 1869: St David's Church Prendergast, Pembrokeshire rebuilding 1871: St George's Brandon Hill, fittings 1871/2: St Michael and All Angels, Dinder, Somerset restoration

Methodist connection

Joseph Wood was the son of a Wesleyan minister, also called Joseph Wood, and it has been said that the firm had a near monopoly of Methodist building in the city. 1857: Wesleyan Day School, Backfields 1858: Wesleyan Chapel, Midsomer Norton, Somereset 1860: Victoria Wesleyan Church, Queen's Road 1860: Hanham Wesleyan Schools 1864: Wesleyan Church, Portland Street, Kingsdown 1879: Methodist chapel, Front Street, Churchill, Somerset

Buildings outside Bristol

1850: Frankfort Hall, Clevedon, Somerset 1857: Wrington School, Somerset 1859/60 Market Hall, Midsomer Norton, Somerset 1859: Ilfracombe Schools, Devon

Later life Foster continued to live with his family, first in Park Street and then at South Parade, Clifton, until his marriage on 9 April 1874 at St John's Church, Taunton to Catherine Walkey Gillett, daughter of George Gillett. Foster & Wood appeared regularly in the local newspapers as architects and surveyors to the Bristol Charities Trust, but there is a pause in their activity between 1873 and 1876, which is probably related to Foster's health; his obituary says he died after a long illness. Directories gave his residence as Weston Villa, Carlton Place between 1875 and 1878. He died on 4 June 1880 at Chelsea.