 from the 1952 School photo |
 from the 1954 School photo |
 from the 1956 School photo |
Soham Grammarian Autumn 1951
We welcome Mr ACV Foster, Mr L Kitchen and Dr JS Turner, who take their places on the Staff.
Soham Grammarian New Year 1957
We cannot let Mr. Webb and Mr. Foster depart from our midst without placing on record our appreciation of the great contribution each made to the life of the school during their years here - Mr. Webb from 1948, Mr. Foster from 1951.
It was said of the poet Byron that he secretly delighted in cultivating "the Byronic legend." It may surprise his former pupils here to learn that Mr. Foster equally diligently cultivated the "Satch" legend about himself, the legend of the mastersmuggler, the Continental contact-man, the dealer in cameras, cars, fishing rods and surplus military equipment. We understand that it all developed from a connection traced between his possessing certain items of British and German military equipment and the fact that he had been an officer in the Army of Occupation; and from his surprise appearances at School in strange and wonderful cars - two pieces of false deduction, no doubt.
Seriously, though, we have lost a colourful, intriguing personality from the Staff who, if he occasionally "took a strong line" with a sinner, did so out of a genuinely anxious concern for his progress. There can hardly be a boy in school who has not been thankful at some time for Mr. Foster's proficient First Aid services; and the School's creditable swimming achievements are largely due to Mr. Foster's keen efforts in this direction.
Mr. Foster takes our best wishes with him to his new post at the County School for Boys, Cambridge, his own old school.
Mr Foster nowadays lives in a village near Cambridge. Contact was made with him in February 2008. He was intrigued to hear of the Dinners and of his colleagues Leon Kitchen, Ted Quinn, Rex Waller who still attend.
See also:
Rex Waller's talk at the 2006
Dinner " .. the only chap I ever knew who could teach French and
smoke in the classroom."
Visit to Germany, Easter
1954
Visit to Germany, Summer
1956
The Pilgrims
If you can add memories of Mr Foster or provide photos of him, please contact
the editor.
page last updated 4 Feb 2008: 18 Nov 17