Catalogue description Diaries and Papers of Fanny Foster

Foster, Georgiana Fanny Julia, 1891-1975, of Southwold, Suffolk

ACCESSION NO 922 Transferred from the Ipswich Branch of the Suffolk Record Office on 20 June 1995, and formerly references HD 1218.

For further information see I am Southwold - the story of Fanny Foster by Margot Strickland, 1983; shelved at L 920 FOS.

• Southwold Borough Council, Suffolk
• Southwold, Suffolk
• Local government

Georgiana Fanny Julia Foster was born at Thorpe St Andrew near Norwich on 11 October 1891. She was the daughter of Charles Foster, a solicitor, magistrate and Clerk of the Peace for Norfolk, and Gertrude nee Cubitt. The family moved to Southwold and lived at White Lodge/Marine Villa/Gun Hill House until the death of Charles when they moved to Strickland House, 25 Park Lane.

Fanny attended St Felix School, where her mother was a governor, before going up to Newnham College, Cambridge in 1910. She had three years at Cambridge before returning home to look after her mother. During this time she took various correspondence courses in: photography, book-keeping, typing and taught herself Serbo-Croat. She also obtained a post of secretary and part-time violin teacher at St Felix School.

On her mother's death in 1922 Fanny moved into a cottage on the corner of Gardner Road and Park Lane. In 1924 she went to New Zealand to see relatives. On her return she was awarded several travelling scholarships and went to Yugoslavia, and in 1931 and 1934 she was appointed as the official photographer to a pre-historic archaeological expedition organised by Belgrade University. She translated Serbo-Croatian poetry and other works which were published and in 1937 was awarded the Order of St Sara by King Peter II of Yugoslavia. During the Second World War Fanny worked in London translating and censoring correspondence from Eastern Europe.

She also took an active interest in local affairs, and was the treasurer of Southwold Archaeological Society, a founder member of the museum, a governor of St Felix School, manager of local primary school as well as the secretary and treasurer of St Barnabas Home. She served on the Southwold Borough Council for thirty-two years from 1938-1974 and held the office of Mayor three times in 1953, 1954 and 1960. She also chaired the Borough Council Housing Committee and sat on the East Suffolk County Council Planning Committee and North Area Planning Committee. In 1959 she became the first woman alderman of Southwold and in 1971 she was made an honorary freeman of the borough in recognition of 'her untiring service to Southwold and vigilance in seeking to preserve all that is good in the life and character of the Borough.' She became a magistrate in 1939 and served until she reached the age of 75 - a total of 27 years.

She died in Southwold Hospital on 19 October 1975 aged 84.

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