Stephen Foster (Lord Mayor of London) explained

Sir Stephen Forster (fl. 1454) was a fishmonger and later Lord Mayor of London.

Life

He was the son of Robert Forster of London, a stockfish merchant. Elected Sheriff of London in 1444, he became Lord Mayor of London in 1454, and served as the city's Member of Parliament in King Henry VI's 13th parliament.^[1] According to historian John Strype, Foster married a widow named Agnes, who enlarged Ludgate prison (where Forster had at one time been imprisoned for debt^[2]) and improved conditions for those incarcerated therein.^[3]

In literature

Agnes and Stephen Forster appear as characters in William Rowley's (15861626) play A New Wonder, a Woman Never Vexed, based on their lives.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Book: Hazlitt, William Carew. William Carew Hazlitt. Fuimus Troes: The True Trojans. 1875. 90.
2. Book: Smith, William. A new history and survey of the cities of London and Westminster, and the borough of Southwark. 1833. 81.
3. Book: Strype, John. John Strype. A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster. 1633. London. 278.
4. Book: Harvey, William. London Scenes and London People: Anecdotes, Reminiscences, and Sketches of Places, Personages, Events, Customs, and Curiosities of London City, Past and Present. 1863. W.H. Collingridge. 255.