George William Foster
- Family History
- Military History
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George William Foster was born on 23rd November 1871 at Southwell and was the son of William a shoemaker and Caroline Foster née Scatcherd of Southwell His father William was born in 1850 at Gunthorpe and his mother Caroline Scatherd was born in 1852 at Ollerton, she died in 1888, they were married on 3rd September 1871 at St Peters Church, Nottingham, they had a further son Samuel b1876 at Southwell George William married his wife Euphemia Mary Gibson (b1871 Oxton) in 1890 their marriage was recorded in the Nottingham Registration District, they went on to have the following children, Caroline Mary b1891, George Henry b1894, Samuel Bernard born 1897 and twins William Hector and Doris Elizabeth b1901, all were born in Southwell. In the 1911 census the family are living at Easthorpe Southwell and are shown as George William Foster 40 yrs a curtain dresser in the lace trade, he is living with his wife Euphemia Mary 40 yrs and their children, Caroline Mary 20 yrs, George Henry 17 yrs an apprentice plumber, Samuel Bernard 14 yrs a scholar, William Hector 10 yrs a scholar and Doris Elizabeth 10 yrs a scholar. He was the landlord of the White Lion Inn, Easthorpe, Southwell. The public house is now known as the Old Coach House.
Sergeant George William Foster enlisted at Southwell and initially served with the service number 905 in the Rifle Brigade, and later with the Garrison Battalion 2nd battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. He saw service in India , Palestine and Mesopotamia. He died in hospital at Cherbourg, France, on 24th October 1918 of influenza and is buried in Tourlaville Communal Cemetery Extension, Manche, France (grave ref. B.17)
Personal inscription on CWGC headstone: 'He fought the good fight' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 30 October 1918: ‘Foster. Died in hospital abroad, October 24th, coming on leave after three years’ Eastern service. Sergt. GW Foster, Northumberland Fusiliers, of the white Lion, Southwell. One of the bravest, one of the best. From his sorrowing wife and family, including two sons and son-in-law in France. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) In 2018 Newark CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) compiled the following article about George Foster which was displayed in the Old Coach House Inn, formerly the White Lion Inn, where George had been the landlord. ‘Southwell landlord remembered 100 years on' ‘George William Foster was born in Southwell in 1872 the son of Caroline and William Foster, the landlord of the White Swan on King Street in Southwell. George married Euphemia Mary in 1890 and worked both at Carey & Sons lace factory and as a publican. ‘In the census of 1901 he was living on Easthorpe Southwell with his wife, two sons and six week old twins. By 1911 he was the landlord of the White Lion Inn (now the Old Coach House Inn) on Easthorpe where he was living with his family. ‘Prior to WW1 George was in the National Reserve and having been passed fit for active service in April 1915, he first served with the London Rifle Brigade in India and later with the Northumberland Fusiliers in Mesopotamia. ‘His two oldest sons also served overseas in WW1. The eldest George Henry served with the Royal Artillery in Egypt whilst Samuel was a lance corporal with the Royal Engineers in France. George Henry, who would later be the landlord of the Cross Keys in Upton, and his brother Samuel both survived the war. ‘George William Foster died of influenza at Cherbourg 24 October 1918 whilst returning for home leave just three weeks before the guns fell silent at the end of World War One and is buried at Tourlaville Communal Cemetery in France. A memorial inscription to him can be found on his mother’s gravestone in Southwell Minster yard.’
