Brother to Joseph Watson Foster and James Thompson Foster (see separate entries on the database). 

Next of kin; wife Mary Elizabeth (m. 27.5.1912); son Johnny.  

Parents: Joseph of High Side Farm, Bowbank (born 1860, died 1945), and Annie, nee Watson of Stoney Hill Harwood (born 1864, died 1945). Joseph was a farmer and carter. Both are buried at Laithkirk. Joseph and Annie had 13 children. 

Brothers and sisters: John (born 1887, died 1950); Thomas (died in 1916); Joseph Watson (born 2.6.1889, died 3.2.1969); Mary (born 1893, died 1894); George William (born c. 1894); James Thompson (born c. September 1894, died 13.11.1918); Arthur (born 1896, died 1982); Elijah (born 5.6.1898, died 1938); Frederick (born 1900, died in the late 1940s); Agnes Annie (born 1902, died 1926); Phoebe Edith (born 28.1. 1904, died 2.2.1904); Rebecca (born 1907, died November 1925).

More details of the family history are available from The Bowes Museum Library. Some family members married and lived locally as farmers or farm workers; some like Joseph Watson and Sydney emigrated to Canada (c.1912/13), probably in response to the pre-war emigration campaign by the Canadian Government;  and a possible 8 of Joesph's and Annie's 13 children died from tuberculosis during the epidemics that hit the dale. Several family members are buried at Laithkirk.