Fonds med-600 - Fred Forster family fonds

Frederick George Forster was born in County Peel, Ontario, January 5, 1870. Fred's father, William George had a general store business in Gravenhurst in 1872 called the Settler's Exchange. He built a store on a boat and took his merchandise to the settlers on various points around the lakes. Unfortunately, his boat was wrecked during a storm and William subsequently died from pneumonia in 1874. Fred's mother remarried and Fred went to live with his uncle who was a printer. Upon completion of his formal education, Fred began to apprentice as a printer and at age 14 had a journeyman certificate. In 1885, in response to an advertisement in a Toronto newspaper for a printer, Fred took the train and headed for Medicine Hat. Fred's arrival in Medicine Hat almost doubled the staff of the Medicine Hat News, a weekly newspaper operated from a railway boxcar. By 1888, at the age of 18, he was manager. He returned to Ontario and married Evaline Catherine (nee Perrin). He and his bride returned to Medicine Hat. Eva supplemented the family income by providing daily dinners for the CPR. workers. Eva and Fred had 4 children: Waldo Oliver Clare, Ralph Perrin, Enid (died in infancy) and Frederick George. In 1896, Fred became editor and manager of the News which moved from the boxcar to a building on South Railway Street. He was a member of town council for several years and in 1906, he became mayor, holding the post for 2 years. In 1911, he retired from the newspaper and moved to Edmonton to act as Chief License Inspector for the Government, a title he held until his death in 1929.