Thomas Forster was a Northumbrian politician and landowner, who served as general of the Jacobite army in the 1715 Uprising.
Background
He was a member of the prominent Forster family of Bamburgh and Adderstone Hall, the son of Thomas Forster (1659-1725) of Adderstone, who was Member of Parliament for Northumberland 1705-1708 and High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1703. His mother was Frances Forster, daughter of Sir William Forster of Bamburgh Castle.
Career
Although Lord Crew purchased the forfeited estates and settled the debts, the heirs were comparatively impoverished. The Forsters were cousins to the Radcliffes. Under his direction Lancelot Errington captured the island of Lindisfarne.
Forster was heavily defeated at the Battle of Preston and surrendered.
Imprisoned in Newgate Prison, he escaped in 1716 to France where he served at the exiled Stuart court. The details of his escape and the text of the royal proclamation ordering his arrest were published by the contemporary commentator Boyer (1716).
Forster was attainted and expelled from Parliament in 1716. He died in France. His body was returned to England and buried at Bamburgh.
He was described as follows in the 1716 royal proclamation ordering his arrest:
A person of middle stature, inclining to be fat, well shaped except that he has stoops in the shoulders, fair complexioned, his mouth wide, his nose pretty large, his eyes grey, speaks the northern dialect".
Dorothy Forster, historical novel by Sir Walter Besant.
Membership
2nd Parliament of Great Britain. 3rd Parliament of Great Britain. 4th Parliament of Great Britain.
5th Parliament of Great Britain]
He was Tory Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Northumberland 1708-1716.