Background

Forster was born in Dublin, the son of Richard Forster and his wife Anne Webber. His father sat in the Irish House of Commons

Irish House of Commons

The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...

 for Swords

Swords (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Swords was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons to 1801.-1692–1801:...

 and came from a family long associated with the Dublin business community.

Career

Forster served as Recorder

Recorder

The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...

 of Dublin from 1701 to 1714, and represented Dublin City

Dublin City (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Dublin City was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons to 1801.-History:In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Dublin City was represented with two members. In the 1760s the radical politician Charles Lucas used the seat as his political base.-1689–1801:...

 in the Irish House of Commons

Irish House of Commons

The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...

 from 1703 to 1715. He was Solicitor-General for Ireland

Solicitor-General for Ireland

The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters. At least one holder of the office, Patrick Barnewall played a significant role in...

 in 1709 and Attorney-General for Ireland

Attorney-General for Ireland

The Attorney-General for Ireland was an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was senior to the Solicitor-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters...

 from Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...

 1709 to 1711, before being raised to the Bench

Bench (law)

Bench in legal contexts means simply the location in a courtroom where a judge sits. The historical roots of that meaning come from the fact that judges formerly sat on long seats or benches when presiding over a court...

 as Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas

Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas

The Chief Justice of the Common Pleas for Ireland was the senior judge of the Court of Common Pleas ,known in its early stage as the Common Bench or simply Bench, one of the senior courts of common law in Ireland. It was a mirror of the Court of Common Pleas in England...

 on 20 September 1714.

Elrington Ball described Forster as " a sound lawyer and impressive speaker" but lacking political judgment. Like Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton

Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton

Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton PC was an Irish lawyer and politician.-Background:He was the second son of Sir St John Brodrick of Ballyannan, near Midleton in County Cork, by his wife Alice , daughter of Laurence Clayton of Mallow, County Cork and sister of Colonel Randall Clayton M.P., of...

, his mentor, he was stubborn and hot-tempered. His tenure as Recorder of Dublin saw a major conflict between the aldermen of Dublin and the Privy Council

Privy council

A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...

; Forster was entirely on the side of the aldermen and for this was violently attacked by Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...

 and other critics. These attacks undoubtedly took their toll, and it is believed he exchanged the Recordership for the position of Chief Justice on the understanding that the more senior position would in practice be less onerous.

Family

Forster married firstly Rebecca Monck, and secondly Anne Evans, sister of George Evans, 1st Baron Carbery

George Evans, 1st Baron Carbery

George Evans, 1st Baron Carbery PC was an Irish politician and peer.Evans was the son of George Evans, of Bulgaddon Hall, County Limerick and his wife Mary . He was elected to the Irish House of Commons for Limerick County in 1707, a seat he held until 1715...

. His daughter Anne married the celebrated philosopher George Berkeley

George Berkeley

George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley , was an Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immaterialism"...

, Bishop of Cloyne

Bishop of Cloyne

The Bishop of Cloyne is an episcopal title which takes its name after the small town of Cloyne in County Cork, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it is a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics....

. He died following a stroke at his home, Clonshagh, Santry

Santry

Santry is a suburb on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland, bordering Coolock, Glasnevin and Ballymun. Today it straddles the boundary of Dublin City and Fingal County Council area....

.