SOME ESSEX NATURALISTS 319
Flora in general use, and James Gordon who was the
nurseryman of Mile End. Lysons tells us that the "Her-
borisations" of the Apothecaries were made once a year in
this neighbourhood, and the company dined together after
their morning's walk at the house of Mr. Warner; the result
of these annual researches was printed for private distri-
bution under the title of '' Plantae Woodfordiensis ''. From
this it would seem that a large part of the work of noting
the plants growing in the area was carried out by the mem-
bers and students and that Warner collated their results.
We must also remember that the book was printed for
private circulation only, and as no price appears on the
copies it is most probable that they were given away by
Warner to members, students and friends.
Richard Warner and his book lead us directly to our next
naturalists, who lived in the same neighbourhood. As is only
to be expected, a local naturalist would acquire a copy of the
local flora of the area in which he lived, and in fact we know
of three brothers who did so, and fortunately all the copies
they owned still exist, and two of them are in the possession
of the Club.
The, brothers were the sons of Edward Forster, known as
"The Elder". The Forster family is reputed to have come
from Normandy and lived at first on the borders of Scotland.
Their forebears resided at Bamborough, Northumberland,
and at various times held the office of Sheriff. One member
of the family was Member of Parliament for Northumber-
land from 1708 to 1716, but when the Old Pretender was
responsible for the rising of 1715, this man, Thomas For-
ster, joined forces with him, but was compelled to surrender
at Preston. His estates were forfeited and he was taken to
Newgate, from whence he eventually escaped and he died
in Paris in 1743.
Edward Forster the Elder was a successful City merchant.
He was at the head of three City companies, The Royal
Exchange Assurance, The Russian Company and The Mer-
cers' Company. He was also deputy governor of the London
Docks. He was also resident partner in the firm of Thomas
and Edward Forster, merchants in Bond Court, in the
parish of St. Stephen's, Walbrook.