St James' Cemetery » People » John Foster

John Foster (1786-1846)

John Foster was the Senior Surveyor to the corporation of Liverpool prior to Municipal reform, and the noted architect of St. Lukes Church (now burnt out, and known to the inhabitants of Liverpool as 'The Bombed out Church'). Also St. Andrews Church, Rodney St, as well as the Oratory, The Lodge at the South end of the Cemetery, The Ministers House and Gambier Terrace.

The son of John Foster Senior, and the apprentice of the London Architect, Jeffrey Wyatt, he traveled extensively through Southern Europe studying classical architecture at first hand. He was accompanied by Charles Cockerell (1788 - 1863) who was responsible for the interior design of St Georges Hall, Liverpool. He described Foster as: 'A most amusing youth, but too idle to be anything more than a dinner companion.' Between the years 1824 - 1835, Foster was the surveyor to the corporation, following in the footsteps of his father.

As well as his gravestone, there is a slab of polished red granite in the Oratory. It says: 'On his return from long and arduous travels in the pursuit of his art, he enriched his native town with the fruits of his genius, industry and integrity'

Source: © Mike Faulkner

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