Biography of Ferdinando Forster 1670-1701

In or before 1666 [his father] William Forster of Bamburgh Castle (age 29) and [his mother] Dorothy Selby (age 18) were married.

On 14th February 1670 Ferdinando Forster was born to [his father] William Forster of Bamburgh Castle (age 34) and [his mother] Dorothy Selby (age 23).

On or before 30th September 1672, the date she was buried, [his mother] Dorothy Selby (age 25) died.

In 1674 [his father] William Forster of Bamburgh Castle (age 38) died.

On 23rd July 1700 [his brother-in-law] Bishop Nathaniel Crew 3rd Baron Crew (age 67) and [his sister] Dorothy Forster Baroness Crewe (age 29) were married. She by marriage Baroness Crew of Stene in Northamptonshire. The difference in their ages was 37 years.

In 1701, following the murder of Ferdinando Forster (age 30), he estate passed through to co-heirs: his sister [his sister] Dorothy (age 30) who had married [his brother-in-law] Nathaniel Crew, 3rd Baron Crew (age 67), Bishop of Durham, and Thomas Forster of Adderstone (age 17), the son of their deceased sister [his sister] Frances.

In 1701 Ferdinando Forster (age 30) was elected MP Northumberland.

On 22nd August 1701 Ferdinando Forster (age 31) was attending a dinner at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland [Map] for the grand jury of the county. He quarrelled with John Fenwick of Rock. One account relates that Fenwick entered singing "a favourite party song" to the refrain of "Sir John Fenwick's the flower among them" and thereby provoked Forster, while another claims that Forster angered Fenwick by stating that there were "too many such [i.e. Tories] in the House". Though the two men were prevented from fighting at the dinner, they met the following day in Newcastle, drew swords and in the resulting skirmish Forster was killed.

On 22nd August 1701 Ferdinando Forster (age 31) was killed in a duel by John Fenwick. Ferdinando slipped on the cobbles before the duel commenced, and was run through by John Fenwick. As Ferdinando had slipped this was regarded as murder and exactly one month later, Fenwick was hanged on the same spot, the authorities having barred all the city gates to prevent any attempt by supporters, to rescue the condemned man.

In the annals of the line of "Bamburgh Forsters", Ferdinando is known only for his untimely end, and for his armour hanging in the Chancel of St Aidan's church, Bamburgh. It has been suggested that in a brawl at a Newcastle pub, Ferdinando, MP for Berwick, and Fenwick taunted each other with partisan political songs. But there seems to be more to it…

On In September 1701 John Fenwick of Rock was hanged for the murder of Ferdinando Forster (deceased) a month before. The hanging took place at the location in which the murder took place.