1.RICHARD FOSTER from Cambridge. 1785 a coal merchant was the senior member of this family of merchants and born in Cambridge.
1838 Owned extensive properties in town
Sons were Richard, John & Samuel. His daughter married James Claxton who was Baptist minister from 1816-1818.

2. JOHN FOSTER, 1760-1847
He was living at St Andrews in 1838 and owned whole (site including a Maltings) from Mill Lane to St Andrew’s Place.
1793 British Universal Directory John Foster & Sons merchants High Street
1839 Pigot was a grain merchant, High Street.
1788 Joined Baptist Church. 1795 Deacon 1797 to 1847. He was treasurer when he died.
1838 Tithe Award Plan shown as owner of Chapel House & ground
1823 Kelly John Foster Spirit Merchant, dealer in sea coal, bar iron & timber
1830 Kelly John Foster & Son merchant & maltster High Street
1839 Robson John Foster High Street Corn Merchant, John Foster & Son merchants St Andrews
1839-1869 Kelly John Foster St Andrew
1841 census John Foster aged 75 occupied the newly build Beaumont Close in Shortmead Street.

Two Sons:
3a BLYTHE FOSTER. 1789-1871 born in Biggleswade was living at Stratton House in 1830 The Elms in London Road in 1838/1841 and then Beaumont Close in Shortmead Street from 1842 to his death in 1871 aged 83.
He was buried in the Baptist Churchyard. He purchased the Baptist Manse from brother John N. Foster in 1861

Owned many properties in 1838 including brickworks at Stratton.
1841 The Elms, London Road
Blythe Foster, Alicia Wife
1851census Beaumont Close
Blythe Foster 62 Landed Proprietor; Biggleswade
Alicia Wife 61 London
1871 Beaumont Close
Blythe Foster 82

Kelly 1839 Blythe Foster The Elms, London Road
1850-62 Beaumont Close

3b JOHN NATHANIEL FOSTER. 3/5/1801-30/1/1891 was born at Biggleswade on 21st May 1801. Living at Stratton House in 1838 and at St Andrews from 1854 to 1867, Purchased Manse in 1860 Moved to Sandy Place in 1867 and died there in 1891 and buried in St Swithun’s Churchyard (this actually adjoined Sandy Place)

He was one of the first directors of The Great Northern Railway a Commissioner of The Ivel Navigation, County Magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire and High Sheriff in 1870. In politics he was a Liberal. Obituary Sandy Parish Magazine

1851 Census St Andrews
John Nathaniel Foster 40 coal timber & wine merchant Biggleswade
Frances 37 Royston
Mary 15 B
Harriette 2 B
Albert 7 B

1881 Census Sandy Place
JN Foster M 79 Deputy Lieutenant.

Kelly 1839 John Nathaniel Foster Stratton Street
1854-70 J N Foster St Andrews
1877 J N Foster Sandy Place
Kelly 1894 Mrs Foster Sandy Place
1903-6 Mrs Foster The Elms London Road, Biggleswade
Not there in 1910

Sons:
Albert John vicar of Wootton
Edward Alexander Kinglake
EDWARD JOHN FOSTER (possibly brother of Blythe & John)
Kelly 1890 Woodbury Hall Tempsford Lodge.
Kelly 1894 Edward John Foster MA DL, Broom Hall, Director Town Hall Company & Biggleswade Gas Light & Coke works.

Ken Page
December 2006