Edward Forster the Elder (11 February 1730 – 20 April 1812) was an English banker and antiquary.

Joseph Addison, Jonathan Swift, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were his favourite authors, and Thomas Gray, Richard Gough and Michael Tyson were among his personal friends.

[1] His portrait was painted by Martin Archer Shee for the Mercers' Company in 1812, and by John Hoppner for the Royal Exchange; the latter was engraved by Charles Turner.

[1][2] In 1774 he published the speeches made by him at the bar of the House of Commons on the linen and Russia trades.

The collection of letters of John Locke that he was given by Benjamin Furly were published by a grandson, Thomas Ignatius Maria Forster.