Frederic Boase
Modern English Biography (volume 1 of 4) A-H
FORBES, Francis Reginald (2 son of 6 Earl of Granard 1760–1837). b. Moira castle, Ireland 17 Sep. 1791; attached to embassy at St. Petersburg, July 1812; minister plenipotentiary at Dresden 26 Nov. 1832; raised to rank of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary 2 May 1857, transferred to Rio de Janeiro 13 Dec. 1858; retired 2 Sep. 1859, pension granted him 1 Nov. 1859. d. Geneva 5 Nov. 1873.
FORBES, Rev. George Hay (brother of Right Rev. A. P. Forbes). b. 4 Aug. 1821; episcopal minister at Burntisland 1849 to death; founded and endowed the Pitsligo press at Burntisland, issued theological pamphlets, ancient liturgies and missals, and a periodical called The Panoply 1853–69, all of which he printed himself, the press was moved to Edinburgh, January 1884; author of The goodness of God, Prize essay 1849; Doctrinal errors of the English prayer book 1863. d. The Parsonage, Burntisland 7 Nov. 1875.
FORBES, Henry. b. 1804; pupil of Smart, Hummel, Moscheles and Herz; organist of St. Luke’s, Chelsea; his opera The Fairy Oak produced at Drury Lane 18 Oct. 1845; his cantata Ruth performed London 1847; conductor of Società Armonica 1827–50; composer of National Psalmody 1843. d. London 24 Nov. 1859.
FORBES, James. b. Bridgend, Perthshire, May 1793; head gardener to Duke of Bedford at Woburn abbey, Beds. 37 years; A.L.S. 17 Jany. 1832; published Hortus ericaceus Woburnensis 1825; Salicetum Woburnense 1829; Hortus Woburnensis 1833; Pinetum Woburnense 1839. d. The Abbey Gardens, Woburn 6 July 1861. Proc. of Linnæan Soc. (1861) 104.
FORBES, James David (youngest son of Sir Wm. Forbes, 7 Bart. 1773–1828). b. Edinburgh 20 April 1809; ed. at Univ. of Edin., LLD. 1860; F.R.S. Edin. 1828, sec. 1840–51; F.R.S. 7 June 1832, Rumford medallist 1838 for discovery of polarisation of heat; a founder of British Association 1832; professor of natural philosophy in Univ. of Edin. 30 Jany. 1833, resigned April 1860; dean of Faculty of Arts 1837; granted civil list pension of £200, 14 Oct. 1845; surveyed Mer de Glace 1850; principal of St. Andrews 2 Dec. 1859 to Oct. 1868; author of Travels through the Alps of Savoy with observations on glaciers 1843 and of upwards of 149 articles in scientific transactions. d. Clifton hill house, Bristol 31 Dec. 1868. Life and letters of J. D. Forbes 1873; Proc. of Royal Soc. xix, 1–9 (1871); Sir A. Grant’s Univ. of Edin. ii, 354–7 (1884); Contemporary Review xxii, 484–508 (1873).
FORBES, Sir John (4 son of Alexander Forbes of the Enzie, Banffshire). b. Cuttelbrae, Ruthven, Banffshire 18 Oct. 1787; ed. at Marischal coll. Aberdeen 1803–6 and Univ. of Edin., M.D. 1817; assistant surgeon R.N. 1807–16 when placed on h.p.; phys. at Penzance 1817–22, at Chichester 1822–40, in London 1840–59; F.R.S. 5 Feb. 1829; founded British and Foreign medical review, Jany. 1836, edited it 1836 to Oct. 1847, 48 numbers; phys. extraord. to Prince Consort, Aug. 1840 to 1859; phys. in ord. to H.M.’s Household, Feb. 1841 to 1859; F.R.C.S. Lond. 1845; knighted at Buckingham palace 8 Aug. 1853; author of Original cases illustrating the use of the stethescope 1824; editor with A. Tweedie and J. Conolly of Cyclopædia of practical medicine 1833–35, 4 vols.; author of A physician’s holiday in Switzerland 1848; Sight seeing in Germany 1856. d. Whitchurch near Reading 13 Nov. 1861. E. A. Parke’s Memoir of Sir John Forbes; Proc. of Royal Soc. xii, 6–10 (1862).
FORBES, Rev. John. b. Dunkeld, Perthshire; educ. Perth academy and St. Andrew’s univ., D.D. 1837; LLD. of Glasgow univ. 1840; minister at Hope park chapel, Edinburgh 1826, at Outer-High church, Glasgow 18 Dec. 1828; left the Presbyterian ch. 24 May 1843; contributed to The evidences of Revealed Religion 1838; Free church minister of Free St. Paul’s Glasgow 1843; author of Differential and integral calculus; Three sermons on Lord’s Day 1831 and other books. d. Glasgow 25 Dec. 1874 aged 73. Wylie’s Disruption Worthies (1881) 253–60; John Smith’s Our Scottish Clergy (1848) 231–7.
FORBES, John Hay (2 son of Sir Wm. Forbes, 6 Bart., of Pitsligo 1739–1806). b. Edinburgh Sep. 1776; advocate 2 March 1799; sheriff depute of Perthshire 1807; judge of Court of Session with title of Lord Medwyn, Jany. 1825 to Oct. 1852; a lord of justiciary 16 Nov. 1830 to May 1849; edited Thoughts concerning man’s condition in this life and hopes in world to come, By Alexander Forbes, Baron Pitsligo 1854. d. Edinburgh 25 July 1854. J. Kay’s Edinburgh Portraits ii, 99 (1842), portrait.
FORBES, Nathaniel. Entered Madras army 1782; col. 24 Madras N.I. 1820 or 1821 to death; L.G. 10 Jany. 1837. d. Sloane st. London 16 Aug. 1851.
FORBES, Thomas John. Second lieut. R.A. 6 March 1795; col. commandant 8 Dec. 1847 to death; general 16 Jany. 1859. d. Stoke-by-Nayland, Colchester 1 Feb. 1868 aged 87.
FORBES, William. b. 1806; M.P. for Stirlingshire 1835–38 and 1841 to death. d. Callander house near Stirling 10 Feb. 1855.
FORBES, William Alexander (2 son of John Staats Forbes). b. Cheltenham 24 June 1855; educ. Kensington sch. and Winchester coll.; studied at Edin. univ. 1873 and univ. coll. London 1875–76; matric. St. John’s coll. Cam. 1876, fellow; prosector to Zoological soc. of London, Dec. 1879 to death; lectured on comparative anatomy Charing Cross hospital medical sch.; wrote on the muscular structure and voice organs of birds; travelled in Pernambuco 1880 and in tropical Africa 1882 to investigate the fauna; author of The collected papers of A. H. Garrod 1881. d. Shonga on the Niger 14 Jany. 1883. bur. Wickham, Kent 1 April 1884. F. E. Beddard’s Collected Papers of W. A. Forbes (1885).
FORBES, William Nairn (6 son of John Forbes of Blackford, co. Aberdeen). b. Blackford 3 April 1796; ed. at King’s coll. old Aberdeen, univ. of Edin. and Addiscombe; 2 lieut. Bengal engineers 1816, col. 1 Aug. 1854 to death; M.G. 28 Nov. 1854; superintendent of mint machinery at Calcutta 1823; master of Calcutta mint 3 Feb. 1836 to death; built cathedral at Calcutta 1839–47; M.I.C.E. 1828. d. on board the ‘Oriental’ off the island of Tibble Teer on his way to England 1 May 1855. Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. xx, 138–40 (1861).
FORBES-LESLIE, Jonathan (youngest son of John Forbes of Blackford). b. 1798; ensign 78 foot 19 Jany. 1814, lieut. col. 9 Nov. 1846 to 10 Dec. 1847 when he retired from the army; author of Eleven years in Ceylon 2 vols. 1840; Recent disturbances and military executions in Ceylon 1850; assumed name of Leslie after Forbes 1861. d. Rothienorman, Aberdeenshire 23 Dec. 1877. Leslie’s Family of Leslie (1869) iii, 320.
FORD, Charles Erskine. b. 5 Jany. 1812; 2 lieut. R.E. 29 April 1829, col. 11 Oct. 1863, col. commandant 1 Oct. 1877 to death; general 1 Oct. 1877; placed on retired list 1 July 1881. d. Hampton court palace 27 July 1884.
FORD, Rev. David Everard (son of Rev. David Ford, congregational minister). b. Long Melford, Suffolk 13 Sep. 1797; congregational minister at Lymington, Hants. 1821–1841; visited stations of congregational union 1841–43; minister of Richmond chapel, Manchester 1843, resigned 1858; author of Decapolis, or the individual obligation of christians to save souls 1840, fifth American ed. 1848; Chorazin 1841; Damascus 1842; Laodicea 1844 and Alarm in Zion 1848; published music for psalms and hymns 1825–29 and Rudiments of music 1843. d. Bedford 23 Oct. 1875.
FORD, Richard (eld. son of Sir Richard Ford, chief police magistrate of London, who d. 3 May 1806 aged 47). b. Sloane st. London April 1796; ed. at Winchester and Trin. coll. Ox.; B.A. 1817, M.A. 1822; barrister L.I. 17 May 1822; resided in Spain 1830–34; settled at Heavitree near Exeter 1834; contributed to Quarterly Review 1836–57; author of A handbook for travellers in Spain and readers at home 2 vols. 1845, new ed. 2 vols. 1861; Gatherings from Spain 1846, new ed. 1861; had a fine collection of majolica ware. d. Heavitree 1 Sep. 1858. Times 4 Sep. 1858 p. 6, col. 5; Waagen’s Treasures of art ii, 223–6 (1854); Fraser’s Mag. Oct. 1858 pp. 422–4.
FORD, William (eld. son of Rev. Richard Wilbraham Ford, R. of Little Risington, Gloucs.) b. 4 May 1812; ed. at Eton and King’s coll. Cam., fellow; B.A. 1834, M.A. 1837; admitted solicitor 1836; partner in firm of Ranken and Co. London 1837; member of council of Incorporated Law Society 1860–76, vice pres. 1869–70, pres. 1870–71. d. Majori, South Italy 10 Jany. 1889.
FORDHAM, George (son of James Fordham). b. Cambridge 11 Sep. 1837; trained under R. Drewitt and E. Smith, and commenced his career at Brighton 1850; at the head of list of winning jockeys 1855–63, won 165 races 1862; won the Oaks 5 times, the Cambridgeshire 4 times, the Ascot cup 5 times, the 2000 guineas 3 times, the 1000 guineas 7 times; won the Derby on Sir Bevys 1879, won the Grand prix de Paris 1867, 1868 and 1881, the French Derby 1861 and 1868, the French Oaks 1880; known as “the demon.” d. Slough 12 Oct. 1887. Baily’s Mag. iii, 183–8 (1861) xlviii, 277–9 (1888); Illust. sporting news ii, 301 (1863), portrait; Illust. sp. and dr. news i, 16 (1874), portrait, 24 May 1884, portrait; Sporting Mirror ii, 37–40 (1881), portrait.
FORDYCE, Alexander Dingwall. b. Aberdeen 4 March 1800; entered navy 12 June 1813; commander on h.p. 3 Sep. 1841; retired captain 14 July 1857; M.P. for Aberdeen 1847–52; author of Outlines of naval routine 1837. d. Aberdeen 16 July 1864. Naval and military gazette 30 July 1864 p. 483.
FORDYCE, Charles Francis. b. 19 Dec. 1819; ensign 41 foot 17 Feb. 1838; major 47 foot 1852–55; A.Q.M.G. Canada 1855–57; military sec. to governor of Madras 1866–71, private sec. 1871–72; col. second battalion Gloucestershire regiment 7 Aug. 1884 to death; placed on retired list with hon. rank of general 1 July 1881; C.B. 2 Jany. 1857. d. Hayford, Torquay 23 Sep. 1887.
FORDYCE, George Dingwall (brother of Alexander Dingwall Fordyce). b. 1808; advocate 1832, advocate depute; sheriff of Sutherland and Caithness 14 Aug. 1857 to 1875. d. Forres st. Edinburgh 7 Sep. 1875.
FORDYCE, John. b. Ayton, Berwickshire; ensign 34 foot 18 Dec. 1828; lieut. col. 74 foot 10 July 1846 to death; killed in the action of Waterkloof, Caffraria 6 Nov. 1851. The Christian Soldier 1856; W. R. King’s Campaigning in Kaffirland (1853) p. 146, view of his death.
FORDYCE, Sir John (son of James Fordyce). b. 4 March 1806; 2 lieut. Bengal artillery 10 May 1822, col. commandant 5 April 1873 to death; L.G. 21 Jany. 1872; K.C.B. 24 May 1873. d. Colne house, Earl’s Colne, Essex 26 Feb. 1877.
FORDYCE, William Dingwall. b. Rubilaw cottage, Aberdeen 31 March 1836; ed. at Univ. of Edin., M.A. 1859; advocate 1862; M.P. for Aberdeenshire 1866–68, for East Aberdeenshire 1868 to death. d. Brucklay Castle near Aberdeen 27 Nov. 1875.
FORESTER, John George Weld, 2 Baron (eld. child of 1 Baron Forester 1767–1828). b. Sackville st. Piccadilly, London 9 Aug. 1801; M.P. for Wenlock 1826–28; captain of corps of gentlemen-at-arms 1841–46; P.C. 14 Sep. 1841; master of the Belvoir fox hounds 1830–58. d. Willey park, Broseley, Shropshire 10 Oct. 1874. Baily’s Mag. xii, 163–5 (1867), portrait.
FORESTER, George Cecil Weld Forester, 3 Baron (brother of the preceding). b. Sackville st. Piccadilly, London 10 May 1807; ed. at Westminster; cornet Royal horse guards 27 May 1824, lieut. col. 2 Sep. 1853 to 30 Sep. 1859; placed on retired list 1 Oct. 1877; general 1 Oct. 1877; M.P. for Wenlock 1828–74; controller of the household, March to Dec. 1852 and Feb. 1858 to July 1859. d. 3 Carlton gardens, London 14 Feb. 1886.
FORMBY, Rev. Henry (2 son of Henry Greenhalgh Formby of Bury, Lancs. 1789–1834). b. 1816; ed. at Clitheroe gr. sch. Charterhouse and Brasenose coll. Ox.; B.A. 1837, M.A. 1841; V. of Ruardean, Gloucs. 1844; received into R.C. church at St. Mary’s college, Oscott 24 Jany. 1846; ordained priest at Oscott 18 Sep. 1847; priest at St. Chads, Birmingham and Wednesbury successively; resided at Dominican priory of St. Peter, Hinckley, Leics. about 1865 to death; edited for some years The monthly magazine of the Holy Rosary, n.s. 1873, &c.; author of A visit to the East 1843 and 40 other books. d. Normanton hall, Leics. 12 March 1884. Gillow’s English Catholics ii, 309–13 (1885).
FORREST, Sir James, 1 Baronet (son of James Forrest of Edinburgh, writer to the signet 1744–1820). b. 16 Oct. 1780; advocate 1803; lord provost of Edinburgh 1838; created a baronet 7 Aug. 1838; a ruling elder of established church of Scotland to 1843 when he joined the free church; grand master of grand lodge of freemasons in Scotland. d. Plymouth 5 April 1860.
FORREST, Robert. b. Carluke, Lanarkshire 1790; a stonemason in Clydesdale quarries; cut colossal figure of first Viscount Melville in centre of St. Andrew sq. Edinburgh; sculptor of statues of John Knox in Glasgow necropolis, and of Mr. Ferguson of Raith at Haddington 1843; opened his public exhibition of statuary on the Calton hill, Edinburgh 1832. d. Edinburgh 29 Dec. 1852. W. Anderson’s Scottish Nation iii, 710 (1863); Georgian Era iv, 180 (1834).
FORREST, Thomas. b. Burnwynd, Wilkieston, Midlothian 1805; studied under W. H. Lizars in Edinburgh; line engraver; many of his plates were published by Royal Assoc. for promotion of fine arts in Scotland; gave a complete set of his works 160 in number to Royal Scottish Academy 1884. d. Edinburgh. 15 Oct. 1889.
FORRESTER, Alfred Henry (son of Robert Forrester of 5 North gate, royal exchange, London, public notary). b. London 10 Sep. 1804; apprentice to a notary in the city; connected with his brother Charles Robert Forrester (who d. 15 Jany. 1850 aged 47) in business about 1825–39; illustrated several of his brother’s books in which the pseudonym of Alfred Crowquill was conjointly used by writer and artist, but afterwards it was used by the artist alone; contributed sketches to vols. 2, 3 and 4 of Punch 1842–3; member of staff of Illustrated London News from 1843; wrote and illustrated A. Crowquill’s Guide to watering places 1839 and 25 other books; illustrated wholly or partly Ups and Downs 1823 and 32 other books. d. 3 Portland place north, Clapham road, London 26 May 1872. Everitt’s English caricaturists (1886) 194, 368–71, 410; Illustrated Review 15 June 1872 pp. 737–42, portrait; Bentley’s Miscellany (1846) xix, 87, 99, portrait.
FORRESTER, Henry, stage name of Henry Frost. b. Capel near Dorking 9 April 1827; became an actor 1855; first appeared in London at Marylebone theatre as Korac in Zembuca 18 Dec. 1858; acted at Sadler’s Wells 1861–64, at Princess’s, Victoria, Surrey, Royalty, Lyceum; played Iago at Lyceum 14 Feb. 1876; played Daniel Druce in the provinces more than 300 times. d. Capel house, South Lambeth, London 9 April 1882. Illust. sp. and dr. news v, 31–3 (1876).
FORRESTER, Joseph James, Baron de Forrester. b. Hull 27 May 1809; merchant and wine shipper at Oporto 1831 to death; surveyed river Douro with a view to improvement of its navigation, and published a map of it 1848, adopted by Portuguese government as a national work; author of A word or two on port wine 1844, anon., 8 editions, for which he received addresses of thanks from 102 parishes of the Upper Douro; Oliveira Prize essay on Portugal 1853, 2 ed. 1854; created Baron de Forrester for life by Queen of Portugal; F.S.A. 1 May 1856; drowned in the river Douro near a rapid called the Ponto do Cachuo 12 May 1861. Memorials of Star club of London vol. 1 (1855).
FORSAYETH, Thomas (son of Rev. John Forsayeth of Cork). b. Cork 1798; ed. at Cork and Trin. coll. Dublin; called to Irish bar, Jany. 1824; went Munster circuit; recorder of Cork 1844 to death; Q.C. 6 July 1858. d. Merville, Queenstown, co. Cork 13 Oct. 1877. J. R. O’Flanagan’s Irish bar (1879) 408.
FORSHALL, Rev. Josiah (eld. son of Samuel Forshall of Witney, Oxon.) b. Witney 29 March 1795; ed. at Ex. coll. Ox., fell. of his coll. 30 June 1819 to 13 July 1826, assistant tutor 1820, tutor 1822–24; B.A. 1818, M.A. 1821; assist. keeper of MSS. in British Museum 1824, keeper 1827 to July 1837, secretary Feb. 1828–51; F.R.S. 12 June 1828; chaplain of Foundling Hospital 1829–59; edited Catalogue of Arundel and Burney manuscripts in British Museum 1834 and other catalogues; published Gospel of St. John arranged 1859, and other books; published with Sir F. Madden The Holy Bible … in the earliest English versions made by John Wycliffe 4 vols. 1850. d. 49 Woburn place, London 18 Dec. 1863. R. Cowtan’s Memories of the British Museum (1872) 364–76.
FORSTER, Rev. Charles. Ed. at Trin. coll. Dublin; P.C. of Ash, Kent 1834–38; one of the six preachers in Canterbury cathedral 1835 to death; R. of Stisted near Braintree, Essex 1838 to death; author of Discourses on subjects of Scripture history 1823; The life of J. Jebb, bishop of Limerick 1836; The one primeval language 1851 and other books. d. Stisted rectory 20 Aug. 1871 aged 84. Braintree Advertiser 30 Aug. 1871 p. 2.
FORSTER, Frank. b. near Newcastle 1800; managed mines near Swansea, also in Lancs.; assistant of Robert Stephenson in his chief enterprises up to completion of Chester and Holyhead railway on which he was resident engineer of portion from near Conway to Holyhead; chief engineer to Metropolitan commission of sewers from its formation 1849 to 1852; M.I.C.E. 1845. d. Elm lodge, Kilburn, London 13 April 1852. Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. xii, 157 (1853).
FORSTER, Sir George, 2 Baronet. b. Baronstown Glebe, co. Louth 21 March 1796; called to bar in Ireland 1830; succeeded 4 Dec. 1843; M.P. for co. Monaghan 1852–65. d. Fitzwilliam sq. Dublin 4 April 1876.
FORSTER, Rev. Henry (youngest son of Thomas Forster of St. Michael’s, Oxford). Matric. from New coll. Ox. 17 Nov. 1827 aged 18; B.A. 1832, M.A. 1834; esquire bedel in divinity in Univ. of Ox., Feb. 1832 to death when the office expired. d. Oxford 25 April 1857.
FORSTER, John (eld. child of Robert Forster of Newcastle, cattle dealer, who d. 1836). b. Newcastle 2 April 1812; ed. at Newcastle gr. sch. and Univ. coll. London; student at I.T. 10 Nov. 1828, barrister 27 Jany. 1843; dramatic critic on the True Sun 1832; edited Foreign quarterly review 1842–3; edited Daily News 9 Feb. 1846 to Oct. 1846; edited Examiner 1847 to Dec. 1855; sec. to Lunacy commission 28 Dec. 1855 to Feb. 1861, comr. in Lunacy, Feb. 1861 to 1872; painted by Maclise as Kitely in Ben Jonson’s Every man in his humour; bequeathed his collection of pictures, books, &c. to South Kensington Museum; author of Lives of the statesmen of the Commonwealth 5 vols. 1836–9; The life and adventures of Oliver Goldsmith 1848, new ed. 2 vols. 1854; Life of Charles Dickens 3 vols. 1872–4 and many other books. d. Palace gate, Kensington 1 Feb. 1876. Catalogue of the Forster library (1888) i-xxii; Handbook of Forster and Dyce collections (1877) 1–21; Monthly Chronicle of north country lore, Feb. 1888 pp. 49–54; Madden’s Life of Countess of Blessington (1855) ii, 396–405; T. Powell’s Pictures of living authors (1851) 193–200; E. Yates’s Recollections (1884) ii, 161–3; G.M., n.s. xvi, 313–19 (1876); Temple Bar xlvi, 491–505 (1876); I.L.N. vii, 329 (1845), portrait; Graphic xiii, 179, 182, 188 (1876), portrait.
FORSTER, John. b. 1817; M.P. for Berwick 1853–57. d. 91 Victoria st. London 7 Jany. 1878.
FORSTER, John Cooper (son of Mr. Forster of Lambeth, surgeon). b. Mount st. Lambeth 13 Nov. 1823; ed. at King’s coll. sch. and Guy’s hospital; M.R.C.S. 1844, F.R.C.S. 1849, pres. 1884–5; M.B. London 1847; demonstrator of anatomy at Guy’s 1850, assistant surgeon 1855, surgeon 1870–80; retired from practice 1885; the first to perform operation of gastrotomy in England 1858; author of The surgical diseases of children 1860, papers in Pathological and Clinical Society’s Transactions and reports of cases in Guy’s Hospital Reports. d. 29 Upper Grosvenor st. London 2 March 1886. Guy’s Hospital Reports vol. xiv, 40–57 (1887).
FORSTER, Thomas Bowes. Entered Madras army 1818; col. 9 Madras N.I. 13 April 1855 to 1869; L.G. 3 July 1867. d. Burder Titley, Herefordshire 21 March 1870.
FORSTER, Thomas Emerson. b. Garrigill Gate, Northumberland 1802; resident viewer at Walker colliery, Northumberland 1823; engineer at Newcastle 1846 to death; M.I.C.E. 16 Feb. 1836; pres. of north of England institute of mining engineers 1866–68. d. Ellison place, Newcastle 7 March 1875. Transactions of north of England institute of mining engineers, xxv, 5–10 (1876); Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. xliii, 300–303 (1876).
FORSTER, Thomas Ignatius Maria (eld. son of Thomas Furley Forster of Bishopsgate, London, Russia merchant 1761–1825). b. Bank of England, Threadneedle st. 9 Nov. 1789; studied at C.C. coll. Cam., M.B. 1818; left Cambridge for Edinburgh, Feb. 1816; discovered a comet 3 July 1819; joined Church of Rome about 1823; founded with Gompertz the Animals’ Friend Society 1833; F.L.S. 1811; F.R.A.S.; author of Observations on the brumal retreat of the swallow 1808, 5 ed. 1817; Researches about atmospheric phenomena 1813, 3 ed. 1823 and 44 other books. d. Brussels 2 Feb. 1860. Epistolarium Forsterianum 2 vols. Bruges 1845–50, privately printed; Recueil de ma vie, mes ouvrages, et mes pensées, opuscule philosophique, 3 ed. Brussels 1837.
FORSTER, William (son of Mr. Forster of Tottenham, land agent). b. Tottenham 23 March 1784; minister of Society of Friends 1805; resided at Bradpole, Dorset 1816, afterwards at Norwich; spent 5 years on a mission to United States 1820–25; investigated condition of people in Ireland, Nov. 1846 to April 1847; presented an anti-slavery address to president of United States 1 Oct. 1853; author of A Christian exhortation to sailors 1813; Recent intelligence from Van Diemen’s Land 1831; A Salutation of Christian love 1860. d. at house of Samuel Low near the Holston river, East Tennessee 27 Jany. 1854. Memoirs of life of W. Forster edited by B. Seebohm 2 vols. 1865; Brief memoir of W. Forster by R. Charlton 1867.
FORSTER, William Edward (only child of the preceding). b. Bradpole, Dorset 11 July 1818; ed. at the Friend’s sch. Tottenham 1832–5; woollen manufacturer at Bradford with Wm. Fison 1842 to death; left Society of Friends 1850; contested Leeds, April 1859; M.P. for Bradford, Feb. 1861 to 1885, for central division of Bradford, Nov. 1885 to death; under sec. of state for colonies 25 Nov. 1865 to July 1866; P.C. 9 Dec. 1868; vice pres. of committee of council on education 16 Dec. 1868 to Feb. 1874; lord rector of Aberdeen Univ., installed 24 Nov. 1876; presented with freedom of city of Aberdeen 27 Nov. 1876; admitted to freedom of Clothworkers’ Co. 5 June 1877; chief sec. of state for Ireland, April 1880 to May 1882. d. 80 Eccleston sq. London 5 April 1886. bur. at Burley-in-Wharfedale. Life of W. E. Forster, By T. W. Reid 1888, 2 portraits; Illustrated Review vi, 279–81; Alpine Journal, May 1886; I.L.N. xlviii, 313 (1866), portrait, lxxvii, 112 (1881), portrait.
FORSTER, William Frederick. Ensign 3 footguards 26 Aug. 1813; captain 97 foot 18 Aug. 1825 to 18 Feb. 1826 when placed on h.p.; deputy adjutant general 27 Feb. 1855 to 1 July 1860; military sec. to Duke of Cambridge, commander in chief 1 July 1860 to 1 Nov. 1871; colonel 81 foot 12 Feb. 1863 to death; general 6 Jany. 1874; K.H. 1833. d. 7 Chesterfield st. Mayfair, London 8 June 1879 aged 80.
FORSYTH, James. b. 1838; entered Indian civil service; settlement officer and deputy comr. of Nimar; captain Bengal staff corps; author of The sporting rifle and its projectiles 1863; The highlands of Central India, notes on their forests and wild tribes, natural history and sports 1871. d. 38 Manchester st. Manchester sq. London 1 May 1871.
FORSYTH, Sir John. Inspector general medical department, Bengal army 12 Nov. 1857; hon. phys. to the Queen 6 Sep. 1861 to death; C.B. 29 Aug. 1862; K.C.S.I. 24 May 1881. d. 51 Selborne road, West Brighton 14 Jany. 1883 in 84 year.
FORSYTH, Sir Thomas Douglas (10 child of Thomas Forsyth of Liverpool, merchant). b. Birkenhead 7 Oct. 1827; ed. at Sherborne, Rugby and Haileybury; entered Bengal civil service 1848; deputy comr. Umballa 1857; officiating comr. in Punjab 1860; comr. of Lahore 1863, of Jullundur 1865, of Umballa 1871, of Oudh 1872; additional member of governor general’s council 1874; envoy on special mission to Burma 1875, retired 1878; C.B. 1860; K.C.S.I. 27 July 1874. d. Eastbourne 17 Dec. 1886.
FORSYTH, William (son of Morris Forsyth of Turriff, Aberdeenshire). b. Turriff 24 Oct. 1818; ed. at Univs. of Aberdeen and Edin.; assistant to a country doctor; sub-editor of the Inverness Courier 1842; sub editor of Aberdeen Herald 1843; joined staff of Aberdeen Journal 1848, editor 1849 to death; member of Aberdeen school board; author of The martyrdom of Kelavane 1861; Idylls and Lyrics 1872 and other books. d. Richmond hill, Aberdeen 21 June 1879. Memoir of W. Forsyth, By A. Walker (1882).
FORT, Richard. b. Oakenshaw, Lancs. 15 March 1822; ed. at Eton and Ch. Ch. Ox.; sheriff of Lancs. 1854; contested Clitheroe 1853, M.P. for Clitheroe 1865–68. d. 24 Queen’s gate gardens, London 2 July 1868.
FORTESCUE, Hugh Fortescue, 2 Earl (eld. child of 1 Earl Fortescue 1753–1841). b. 13 Feb. 1783; styled Viscount Ebrington 1789–1841; ed. at Eton and Brasenose coll. Ox., B.A. 1803, M.A. 1810; M.P. for Barnstaple 1804–7, for St. Mawes 1807–9, for Buckingham 1812–17, for Devon 1818–20, 1830 and 1831–32, for Tavistock 1820–30, for North Devon 15 Dec. 1832 to 1 March 1839 when summoned to House of Peers in his father’s barony of Fortescue; col. of 1 Devon militia 20 May 1816 to death; F.R.S. 5 June 1817; lord lieut. of Ireland 1 March 1839 to 15 Sep. 1841; P.C. 1 March 1839; lord lieut. of Devon 1839 to death; lord steward of H.M.’s household 1846–50; parliamentary sec. of Poor law board 1847–51; K.G. 12 July 1856; author of Memorandum of two conversations between Napoleon and Viscount Ebrington 1814. d. at house of H. Ford, 25 Southernhay, Exeter 14 Sep. 1861. Saunders’s Portraits of Reformers (1840) 135, portrait; The Eton portrait gallery (1876) 349–52.
FORTESCUE, George Matthew (brother of the preceding). b. Hill st. London 21 May 1791; ed. at Eton and Univ. of Edin.; M.P. for Hindon, Wilts. 1827–32. d. Boconnoc near Lostwithiel, Cornwall 24 Jany. 1877.
FORTESCUE, John William (2 son of 2 Earl Fortescue 1783–1861). b. 14 July 1819; M.P. for Barnstaple 1847–52. d. Madeira 25 Sep. 1859.
FORTESCUE, Matthew (son of Joseph Fortescue of the Scots Greys). b. 18 May 1805; ed. at Queen’s coll. Cam., B.A. 1828, M.A. 1831; special pleader; barrister M.T. 22 Nov. 1839; judge of county court’s circuit No. 58 (Devonshire) 8 Oct. 1857 to death. d. Oak park house, Dawlish 27 March 1883.
FORTUNE, Robert. b. Kelloe, Edrom, Berwickshire 16 Sep. 1813; superintendent of indoor-plant department in Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Chiswick, sent to China by the Society as collector 1842; curator of Chelsea botanical garden 1846–8; introduced tea-plant into north-west provinces of India 1851; author of Three years’ wanderings in the northern provinces of China 1847; Two visits to the tea countries of China and the British plantations in the Himalayas 2 vols. 1853 and other books. d. 1 Gilston road, South Kensington, London 13 April 1880. Field and Semple’s Memoirs of botanic garden at Chelsea (1878) 205–8.
FOSS, Edward (eld. son of Edward Smith Foss of 36 Essex st. Strand, London, solicitor, who d. 13 May 1830 aged 74). b. Gough sq. Fleet st. London 16 Oct. 1787; articled to his father 1804, partner with him 1811–30; student of Inner Temple 1822; under sheriff of London 1827–8; retired from practice 1840; F.S.A. 18 April 1822; one of founders of Incorporated Law Society 1827, pres. 1842–44; published The grandeur of the law 1843; The judges of England 9 vols. 1848–64; Tabulæ Curiales 1865; Biographia Juridica 1870. d. Frensham house, Addiscombe 27 July 1870. Foss’ Biographia Juridica (1870) pp. xii-xv.
FOSTER, Charles James. b. Bicester, Oxfordshire 24 Nov. 1820; went to United States 1847; edited Woodruff’s Trotting horses of America 1868, 2 ed. 1875, also Bogardus’s Field cover and trap shooting 1874; wrote for The Spirit of the times paper; established the New York Sportsman 1876; considered the best informed man in America on subject of racing. d. Astoria, New York 12 Sep. 1883.
FOSTER, Edward Ward (son of Edward Foster, land steward to Sir R. Burdett). b. in parish of All Saints, Derby 8 Nov. 1762; lieut. 20 regt. of foot; served in America, Holland and Egypt; retired 1805; miniature painter to the royal family with apartments in Round tower, Windsor; exhibited 22 landscapes at R.A. 1812–28; travelled in England as a portrait painter; invented machine for taking faces; author of An elementary grammar of French language 1837; A chronological analysis of the Old and New Testament 1850; Chart of Histories of Rome, France and Britain 1835; Chronological Chart of History of British Empire 1847; had grant of £60 a year from Bounty fund. d. Derby 12 March 1865. J. B. Robinson’s Derbyshire Gatherings (1866) 81–4, portrait.
FOSTER, James Lancelot. b. York; edited Yorkshire Gazette, manager and publisher of it 1852–82; sheriff of York 1870–71. d. 15 Ogleforth, York 3 Dec. 1883 in 74 year.
FOSTER, John (son of Jonas Foster, yeoman). b. Thornton, Yorkshire 20 Jany. 1798; established a worsted business at Low Fold near Queensbury 1819; removed to Cannon Mill, Great Horton 1832; built the Blackdike mill 1835; introduced power-looms into his works 1836; commenced using alpaca wool and mohair 1837; employed 3000 people and manufactured 15,000 packs of wool a year; retired 1869; purchased Hornby castle estate, Lancaster 1861. d. Prospect house, Queensbury 6 March 1879. Fortunes made in business ii, 1–107 (1881), portrait.
FOSTER, John Frederic (son of Rev. Dr. Frederick Wm. Foster, Moravian bishop). b. Wyke near Halifax, Yorkshire 1795; ed. at a Moravian coll. and Queen’s coll. Cam., B.A. 1817, M.A. 1821; barrister M.T. 1 June 1821; stipendiary mag. of Manchester, Aug. 1825 to April 1838; chairman of quarter sessions of hundred of Salford 9 April 1838 to death; recorder of Manchester 18 April 1839, resigned May. d. Alderley, Cheshire 9 April 1858. G.M. iv, 559–60 (1858); Illust. news of the world ii, 117 (1858), portrait.