Born in Norwich on the 24th of March 1825, the son of Sir William Foster, Bart., of Thorpe, Norwich, and his wife, Mary Anne, the daughter of Starling Day, Esq., a banker, of Norwich.
Educated at Eton School.
Cornet in the 11th Hussars: 5th of December 1843.
Lieutenant: 26th of December 1845.
Captain: 1st of August 1848.
1851 Census
Pockthorpe Cavalry Barracks, Norwich.
William Foster, officer, unmarried, 26, Captain, born Norwich.
Retired, by the sale of his commission, on the 10th of April 1857.
Captain Foster served the Eastern campaign from the 17th of May 1855, including the Siege and fall of Sebastopol. Returned to England "on account of ill-health" and joining the Depot on the 1st of January 1856.
"Horse Guards,
18th of February 1856.
Sir, — I have to the honour by direction of the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th inst., and to acquaint you in reply that the batman and horses of Captain Foster of the 11th Hussars may be sent home from the Crimea has been referred to the General Commandant at Scutari.
I have, etc. etc.,
John W. Regent, AAG.
[To:] Colonel Gibsone, Cavalry Depot, Newbridge."
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
He married twice. His first wife was Georgina, daughter of Richard Armit, Esq., whom he married at Monkstown Church, Dublin, on the 20th of March 1854, and who died in November of 1861.
Births registered
Emily Foster, born c. 1859.
William Yorke Foster, June Quarter 1860, Norwich.
Diana Foster, December Quarter 1861, Islington.
Mary Foster, December Quarter 1861, Islington.
[The last two presumably twins]
1861 Census
No. 2 Mare Street, Hackney.
William Foster, 36, Capt. Army Retired, born Norwich.
Georgina Foster, 31, born France, British Subject.
Emily J Foster, 2, born Glamorganshire.
William Y Foster, 1, born Norfolk.
Five servants were also shown.
Death registered
Georgina Foster [1st wife], December Quarter 1861, Islington.
His second wife was Harriet, the daughter of Captain T.G. Wills, R.N. whom he had married on the 25th of June 1864.
Marriage registered
William Foster [2nd wife] married Harriet Wills, June Quarter 1864, Norwich.
Births registered
Harriet Foster, June Quarter 1865, Mitford.
Harlie Foster, June Quarter 1866, Mitford.
Thomas Hudson Foster, March Quarter 1868, Mitford.
Lucy Foster, March Quarter 1869, Mitford.
Amy Foster, September Quarter 1873, Mitford.
1871 Census
20 Low Street, Hardingham.
William Foster, 46, Magistrate, Farmer of 154 acres (employed 5 men/2boys), born Norwich.
Harriet Foster, 35, born Brookhurst Hants.
Emily G Foster, 12 born Swansea.
Mary Foster 9, born Highbury.
Diana Foster, 9, born Highbury.
Harriet Foster,6, born Hardingham.
Harbie Foster, 5, born Hardingham.
Thomas H Foster, 3, born Hardingham.
Lucy Foster, 2, born Hardingham.
Eight servants are also shown.
Lived at "The Grove," Hardingham, Norfolk, from 1864.
J.P. for Norfolk from the 19th of March 1867, Chairman of the Board of Guardians and the Workhouse Committee, Deputy-Lieutenant of Norfolk and on the Board of the Norwich Fire Union Office.
Succeeded his father as the 2nd Baronet in 1874.
1881 Census
Hardingham Hall, Norfolk
The 1881 Census shows him as aged 56, a Baronet, J.P., Farmer of 154 acres employing 6 men and 1 boy, born at Norwich, living with his wife, Harriet, aged 45, born at Brockhurst, Hampshire, and five daughters, their ages ranging from 19 to 5 years
1891 Census
The Grove, Low Street, Hardingham.
William Foster, 66.
Harriet Foster, 55.
Emily G, 32.
Mary, 29.
Diana, 29.
Harriet, 26.
Harlie, 25.
Lucy, 22.
Amy, 17.
Also a grandson, William A.P, 3.
Six servants also shown.
Death registered
Harriet Foster [2nd wife], aged 55, June Quarter 1891, Mitford.
1901 Census
The Grove, Low Street, Hardingham.
Sir William Foster, Bart, 76, wid[ower], living on own means, J.P., born Norwich.
Harlie Foster 35, Lucy Foster 32,
also Thomas Beever, 3, g-son and Bridget Beever, 5, g-dau.
6 servants also shown.
Marriage registered
Lucy Foster [daughter] married Charles Thomas Whitmel, June Quarter 1903, Mitford.
William Foster died at The Grove, Hardingham, on the 17th of February 1911, in his 86th year, and was buried in Hardingham Churchyard, near Attleborough, on the 21st of February 1911.
Death registered
William Foster, aged 85, March Quarter 1911, Mitford.
Extract from the Eastern Daily Press, 22nd of February 1911:
"The funeral of the late Sir William Foster, of The Grove, Hardingham, took place yesterday at Hardingham. Rain fell heavily during the obsequies, but this did not prevent the attendance of many old friends from a distance and a large gathering of tenantry and residents of the neighbourhood.
The coffin — covered with a Union Jack, — was met on its arrival at the church by the officiating clergy. As the procession entered the church the opening sentences of the Burial Service were recited by the Vicar.
This was followed by the singing by the congregation of two hymns, and as the coffin was removed from the church the choir chanted the Nunc Dimittis.
The interment took place in the churchyard, the grave being beautifully lined with foliage and snowdrops from the Rectory garden.
Upon the coffin plate was the inscription: 'Sir William Foster, 2nd. Bart. Born March 24th 1825 — Died February 17th 1911.'"
His only son (by his first wife), William Yorke Foster, 3rd. Bart. C.B.E. (1918) R.F.A., a Colonel in the Army. A.A.G. 1914-17, served in South Africa, 1899-1900, and also in World War One.
His grandson, William Augustus Portman Foster, of the 1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment, died of wounds (as a prisoner-of-war) received near Ypres on the 11th of November 1914.
There are marble monuments to both William Foster and his grandson in the nave of St. George's Church at Hardingham.
In his will he left £56,774.
The grave of William Foster and his second wife are in a secluded spot in the churchyard of St. George's at Hardingham and is now (1985) completely surrounded by trees and shrubbery. Of grey granite, the stone is still in remarkably good condition. The inscriptions read:
"In loving memory of Sir William Foster, Bart., son of Sir William Foster, 1st Baronet of Norwich, and Mary Anne, his wife, daughter of Starling Day, Esq. Born 24th March 1825 — Died 17th February 1911." "In loving memory of Harriet, the second wife of Sir William Foster, Bart., younger daughter of Captain T.C. Wills, R.N. Born 7th of February 1836 — Died 24th of April 1891."
It has an iron railing around it which is only now beginning to rust away.
In the church itself there is a memorial to him and his wives which reads:
"In loving memory of Sir William Foster, Bart., son of Sir William Foster, 1st Baronet of Norwich, and Mary Anne, his wife, daughter of Starling Day, Esq.
Born 24th of March 1825 — Died 17th February 1911.
Formerly Captain in the 11th Hussars and served in the Crimea. Resident in this parish from 1864 to 1911.
Also of Georgina, his first wife (daughter of Richard Armit, Esq. of Dublin). Born 19th of April 1830 — Died 1st of November 1861, and of his second wife, Harriet, (daughter of Captain T.C. Wills, R.N.). Born 7th of February 1836 — Died 24th of April 1891.
This monument was erected by their children."
Another, that for his grandson, reads:
"In proud and loving memory of William Augustus Portman Foster, Captain in the First Battalion of the Staffordshire Regiment, eldest son of Colonel Sir William Yorke Foster, 3rd Baronet, and Aileen his wife.
He was born at The Grove in this parish, June 2nd. 1887 and died a prisoner-of-war at Frankfurt-on-Main, November 11 1914, of wounds received in action at Messines, Belgium, on October 13th, during the first great battle of Ypres. His battalion then formed part of the vaunted 7th Division.
'Let us who live, be worthy of our dead.'"
/blockquote>1911 Census
Invermay, Hyde Park, Leeds.
Charles Thomas Whitmell, 61, Retired H.M Inspector of Schools, born Leeds.
Lucy Whitmell [daughter], 42, born Hardingham.
2 servants also shown.
9, 10, 11 Colosseum Terrace, Albany Street, Regents Park.
Harlie Foster [daughter], 45, single, visitor, Suffragist, born Hardingham.
Deaths registered
Lucy Whitmell [daughter], aged 48, June Quarter 1917, Leeds.
Harlie Foster [daughter], aged 86, December Quarter 1952, Lothingland.
Additional Census information for 1841-1871 and 1891-1911, and details of a number of registrations of births, deaths and marriages, kindly provided by Chris Poole.