Sir Augustus Foster, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Augustus John Foster, 1st Baronet, GCH
, PC (1 or 4 December 1780 1 August 1848) was a British
diplomat and politician. Born into a notable British family, Foster served in a variety of diplomatic functions in continental Europe
and the United States
, interrupted by a short stint as a Member of Parliament. He wrote about his American experiences in Notes on the United States of America.
, and went on to study at Drogheda Grammar School
and Christ Church, Oxford
. He enjoyed a comfortable social situation; his father was the Irish MP for Ennis
, John Thomas Foster
(d. 1796), first cousin of John Foster
and William Foster
, and his mother Elizabeth Hervey
, who would later go on to marry William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
, was herself the daughter of Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol
. Augustus had one older brother, Frederick (1777-1853) and a younger sister Elizabeth (b. 1778), who died several days after birth, as well as two illegitimate half-siblings. Augustus' parents separated in 1781, at which time he and his brother remained in the care of his father.
, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
. In 1805 he was sent to the United States
as the Secretary to British legation, leaving in 1807 to become British chargé d'affaires, Stockholm
, Sweden
from 1808 to 1810. He was sent back to America in 1811 as Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States, but returned to Britain in 1812 with the outbreak of the War of 1812
, where he was promptly elected by Cockermouth
, England
to the House of Commons. In 1814 he left for Copenhagen
, Denmark
, where he would serve as British minister plenipotentiary until 1824. One year after his arrival he married Albinia Jane Hobart (d. 28 May 1867), previously courting Anne Isabella Milbanke
, and they would go on to have three sons. In 1822 he became a Privy Councillor. Following his decade in Denmark, he returned to Italy as British minister plenipotentiary to Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia where he would stay from 1824 to 1840. During this time he was knighted by King George IV (1825) and named Baronet of Glyde Court, Ardee
(1831), a town in County Louth
, Ireland. Ending his service in Turin and his career in the British diplomatic service
in 1840, Foster began drafting his Notes on the United States of America. Foster died in 1848 after cutting his throat at Branksea Castle; he had suffered from delirium because of poor health, and his death was ruled as the result of temporary insanity. His Notes on the United States of America would be rediscovered in a cupboard of his family's home in Northern Ireland
the 1930s, and published posthumously.
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
, PC (1 or 4 December 1780 1 August 1848) was a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
diplomat and politician. Born into a notable British family, Foster served in a variety of diplomatic functions in continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, interrupted by a short stint as a Member of Parliament. He wrote about his American experiences in Notes on the United States of America.
Early life and family
Foster was born in 1780, possibly in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and went on to study at Drogheda Grammar School
Drogheda Grammar School
Drogheda Grammar School is a co-educational, multi-denominational boarding and day school, located on the Mornington Road, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. He enjoyed a comfortable social situation; his father was the Irish MP for Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
, John Thomas Foster
John Thomas Foster
John Thomas Foster , of Dunleer, was an Irish politician.He was the son of Rev Thomas Foster, Rector of Dunleer and Dorothy née Burgh. Foster was elected member to the Irish House of Commons for Dunleer in 1776 and held this seat until 1783...
(d. 1796), first cousin of John Foster
John Foster, 1st Baron Oriel
John Foster, 1st Baron Oriel was an Irish peer and politician.He was the son of Anthony Foster of Louth, an Irish judge . He was elected Member of Parliament to the Irish House of Commons for Dunleer in 1761, a seat he held until 1769...
and William Foster
William Foster (bishop)
William Foster, D.D. was a Church of Ireland bishop.The younger son of Anthony Foster he was chaplain to the Irish House of Commons . Then successively Bishop of Cork and Ross , Bishop of Kilmore and Bishop of Clogher.-Family:He married Catharina-Letitia daughter of Rev. Dr...
, and his mother Elizabeth Hervey
Elizabeth Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
Elizabeth Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire , , is best known as an early woman novelist, and as the close friend of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire...
, who would later go on to marry William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, KG was a British aristocrat and politician. He was the eldest son of the William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire by his wife the heiress Lady Charlotte Boyle, suo jure Baroness Clifford of Lanesborough, who brought in considerable money and estates to...
, was herself the daughter of Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol
Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol
Frederick Augustus Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol, PC , known as The Earl-Bishop, was Bishop of Cloyne from 1767 to 1768 and Bishop of Derry from 1768 to 1803.- Life :...
. Augustus had one older brother, Frederick (1777-1853) and a younger sister Elizabeth (b. 1778), who died several days after birth, as well as two illegitimate half-siblings. Augustus' parents separated in 1781, at which time he and his brother remained in the care of his father.
Career
Between roughly 1802 and 1804 Foster served as the Secretary to British legation, NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
. In 1805 he was sent to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as the Secretary to British legation, leaving in 1807 to become British chargé d'affaires, Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
from 1808 to 1810. He was sent back to America in 1811 as Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States, but returned to Britain in 1812 with the outbreak of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, where he was promptly elected by Cockermouth
Cockermouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Cockermouth was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England in 1295, and again from 1641, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was a parliamentary borough represented by two...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to the House of Commons. In 1814 he left for Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, where he would serve as British minister plenipotentiary until 1824. One year after his arrival he married Albinia Jane Hobart (d. 28 May 1867), previously courting Anne Isabella Milbanke
Anne Isabella Byron, Baroness Byron
Anne Isabella Noel Byron, 11th Baroness Wentworth and Baroness Byron was the wife of the poet Lord Byron, and mother of Ada Lovelace, the patron and co-worker of mathematician Charles Babbage.-Name:Her names were unusually complex...
, and they would go on to have three sons. In 1822 he became a Privy Councillor. Following his decade in Denmark, he returned to Italy as British minister plenipotentiary to Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia where he would stay from 1824 to 1840. During this time he was knighted by King George IV (1825) and named Baronet of Glyde Court, Ardee
Ardee
Ardee is a town and townland in County Louth, Ireland. It is located at the intersection of the N2, N52, and N33 roads. Ardee is on the banks of the River Dee and is approximately 20 km from Dundalk, Drogheda, Slane and Carrickmacross...
(1831), a town in County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland. Ending his service in Turin and his career in the British diplomatic service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
in 1840, Foster began drafting his Notes on the United States of America. Foster died in 1848 after cutting his throat at Branksea Castle; he had suffered from delirium because of poor health, and his death was ruled as the result of temporary insanity. His Notes on the United States of America would be rediscovered in a cupboard of his family's home in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
the 1930s, and published posthumously.