Forster school cello, London circa 1800

The Forster family of British violin makers began with John Forster in Brampton, England in the early 1700s, followed by his son, William Forster I (c. 1714-1801), maker of spinning wheels, gun stocks, and "fiddles." His son, William II (1739-1808), played the violin and took up the trade of violin making professionally to become the most prolific and important maker of the family. Known as "Old Forster" or Forster, Sr. to distinguish him from his son, William III (1764-1824), William II moved to London around 1759, where he established a successful violin workshop crafting mostly Stainer and Amati copies, which were popular among the London virtuosi of the time. He later began a music publishing business, which released works by contemporary composers, including many by Franz Joseph Haydn, between 1781 and 1787. William II and William III ran the famous "Forster & Son" shop until the former's death in 1808 when William III took over the business with his sons, William IV (1788-1824) and Simon Andrew Forster (1801-1870). After the deaths of his father and brother in 1824, Simon Andrew continued to build instruments and also employed other luthiers in the Forster workshop. He is also known for co-authoring The History of the Violin (which includes an extensive history of the Forster violin-making family) with William Sandys in 1864.