Joseph Foster (9 March 1844 – 29 July 1905) was an English antiquarian and genealogist whose transcriptions of records held by the Inns of Court and the University of Oxford remain important historical resources.
[1] Working initially as a printer in London, Foster continued to undertake genealogical research and became a prolific writer and publisher in the field.
It has been said of Foster that he was "no scholarly antiquary, but his energy as a transcriber and collector of genealogical and heraldic data has few parallels, and many of his publications remained classic resources, several of permanent value.
[3] His son, Sandys Birket Foster, initially continued his father's work and published several pedigrees in 1890 before qualifying as an accountant and emigrating to America where he died in 1938.
[4] Joseph Foster died in London aged 61, at his home in St John's Wood, and was buried at Kensal Green cemetery.