FOSTER, JOHN, architect, was born about the year 1786 or 1787, and was the son of a builder of the same name, who carried on a large businesa in Liverpool where he also acted as architect and surveyor to the corporation, and as engineer to the docks. Foster junior was the second of aix sons. According to one account furnished to us, he became a pupil of James Wyatt ; and from other information it would seem that he was also employed under Jeffry Wyatt, afterwards Sir Jeffry Wyattville. In 1809 he went abroad ; was during some time with Mr. Cockerell at iEgina and Phigaleia ; and was concerned in the excavation of the .IEginetan and Phigaleian marbles. The portico at .Egina—that of the temple of Jupiter Panhellenius—became a favourite model with him in his later practice as an architect. He did not return to England till 1816 or 1817, having in the meanwhile, at Smyrna, married a Greek lady of that place. However, about the time mentioned, he settled at Liverpool; and for aomo years after wards carried on the building business, in partnership with a brother, under the firm of John Foater and Co.—his father having withdrawn, but retaining his professional appointments with the corporation and dock trustees. It does not appear that the numerous buildings in which Foster, senior, was concerned, were erected from his own designs ; Foster, junior, however had received better education in art; and for some time, besides his building trade, had considerable practice as an architect. St. John's Market, in Liverpool, a covered area of little short of two acres, and one of the earliest works of its character, was commenced in 1820, "from the designs of Mr. John Foster, the corporation-surveyor of the day, and was completed and opened in 1823." (' The Architectural History of Liverpool,' paper by Mr. J. A.
Picton, read at the Liverpool Architectural Society ; see' The Builder,' vol. xii. p. 231.) It ig probable however that such architectural design as there is in the work was due to the younger Foster, who with his partner carried on the erection of the principal Liverpool buildings. But Foster, senior, having been compelled by ill-health to resign his several appointments, Foster junior was appointed in February 1824 corporation architect and surveyor, receiving a salary of 1000/. per annum, conditional upon withdrawal from the building business. When the Municipal Reform Bill came into operation in June 1835, much of the influence of the Foster family was brought to an end, and John Foster retired with a compensation of 500/. per
annum, and did not afterwards follow his profession.
Few architects have had opportunities similar to those of John Foster. It may however be questioned whether he succeeded in turning these to proper account. That he had acquired a large stock of architectural knowledge cannot be doubted; but, like many of his contemporaries, he missed the special beauty of art iu architecture in his manner of using the Greek models; and perhaps there is no town which now so well affords illustrations of two different systems of practice, as does Liverpool in some of the works of Foster and the great work of Elmcs. [ELMES, HARVEY LONSDALE.] Amongst Foster'a works is the church of St. Michael, Pitt-street, commenced in 1816, though not completed till 1826; it is of excep tional character, having a portico and steeple obviously adapted from the church of St. Martin'a-in•the-Fielda in the metropolis, but is by many considered his best work. The church for the School of the Blind first erected in Hothans-atreet, and since removed and re-erected in Hardman-street, is described as originally presenting a somewhat imposing effect in its Grecian Dorio columns. This has been impaired by alterations in the removal. The small chapel of St. James's cemetery in the same style, has a better effect from its site near the edge of the rock,—in that particular really adopting certain good Greek principles of art. The Custom House, though a very large building, is of little merit in point of art. It has a portico, as it hoe been pointedly remarked, advanced from each of its sides except that on which the sun shines. "There are no indications," says Mr. Picton, "such as are stamped on every line in St. George's Ball, of careful study and 'creative power." The screen of the Railway Station iu Limo•street, built about the year 1835, is of more florid character. It has attached Corinthian columns, and is not without merit.
Foster died on the 21et of August 1846, after a long and painful illness. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society ; was undoubtedly possessed of greet architectural knowledge ; holds an important place in the recent history of architecture, but perhaps deserves commenda tion for his general good qualities, rather than for high powers as an artial- arch itect.