My interest is my great grand father Henry FOSTER. Born in Coventry, England he first resided in Beechworth, then Hunnominjie and Omeo where he married. He later lived in Bruthen, East Melbourne and Clifton Hill. He became a Shire Officer for the first Omeo Shire, and later was elected to Gippsland/Omeo Mining and Prospecting Boards. In 1889 he became the first member for Gippsland East and from 1894 - 1899 he was Minister for Mines and Water Supply. In this capacity he travelled all over Victoria inspecting mines and water supply and their workings and also proposed Legislation relavent to ventilation and miners's rights. His sons, Valentine Horace FOSTER was a Water Bailiff at Nyah West, losing his life during the first world war. Henry (Harry) Pritchard FOSTER was a surveyor as was another son Frederick John FOSTER who worked in New Guinea and Nauru. The youngest son George FOSTER who was a 'mining cadet' died aged 19 supposedly from drinking contaminated water. I have collated considerable research of Henry (sometimes known as Harry) FOSTER'S Parliamentary years and would love to hear from anyone whose ancestors had contact with him, or knew of his dealings with mining/gold field areas. Mary of Melbourne