Thomas Emerson Forster was born on 20 October 1802 at Garrigill, a hamlet on the left bank of the South Tyne river in Cumberland.

Westgarth Forster, one of his father's cousins, published a book in 1816 called A section of the Strata from Cross Fell to Newcastle-on-Tyne.

[1] Forster took an active role in planning and building the Durham and Sunderland Railway during the period when the old wooden wagon-ways were being replaced in the north of England.

He became connected with various collieries including Belmont, Shincliffe, Shotton, Byers Green, and Scremerston.

He was appointed Consulting Engineer to the Earl of Lonsdale, to Lord Boyne, and to other large mining property owners.