His parents moved to New Zealand when he was a child; they arrived in Wellington 31 December 1856, and settled ultimately in Canterbury.
[2] Foster was appointed as the headmaster at Christchurch West High School in 1882, where he had also held the position of master from 1874 to 1881.
[4][5] In 1911 he was appointed the chief school inspector for the North Canterbury Board of Education.
[3][2] His wife was the senior female teacher at Christchurch West High School.
[8][9] The tablet bore the inscription "His life was devoted with untiring zeal and perfect singleness of aim to the cause of education.