John Foster was born in Clayton, the son of a colliery owner who farmed at Thornton near Bradford.
He was educated at Brookhouse School, Ovenden.
He was a weaver [1841].
He was founder of John Foster & Son Limited.
He went into business, buying yarn and putting-out to an estimated 700 handloom weavers from a warehouse behind his home.
In 1827, he built Prospect House at the Queensbury cross-roads and carried out his business there.
In 1828, he rented Cannon Mill for spinning.
In 1834, he acquired from his father-in-law, Abram Briggs, land known as Black Myres / Black Dyke.
In 1835, he started to build Black Dike Mills.
In 1835, he was one of the subscribers to the Halifax Dispensary, giving 1. guinea.
He played the French horn and founded the Black Dike Mills Band in 1835
In 1837, he began experimenting with alpaca yarn.
In 1842, he acquired Black Dykes Farm.
In 1857, he was granted armorial bearings with the Latin motto
JUSTUM PERFICITO NIHIL TIMETO
In 1819, he married Ruth Briggs.
Ruth was the daughter of Abram Briggs
Children:
The family lived at
He bought and renovated Hornby Castle, Lancashire [1870s], and retired there.
He died at Prospect House [1879]
See Church of the Holy Trinity, Queensbury
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Malcolm Bull 2017 /
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Revised 21:22 on 8th August 2017 / x2043 / 7
