Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/James Foster (architect)


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was speedy keep. Nomination withdrawn. (non-admin closure) Cheers! Fakescientist8000 17:47, 25 March 2022 (UTC)

James Foster (architect)

 * – ( View AfD View log | edits since nomination)

Fails WP:V and WP:GNG. I cannot find anything about this man other than straight-up copies of Wikipedia. Highly suspect that this is a hoax. Cheers! Fakescientist8000 (did I do something wrong? let me know! 17:12, 21 March 2022 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the list of People-related deletion discussions. Cheers! Fakescientist8000 (did I do something wrong? let me know! 17:12, 21 March 2022 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Architecture-related deletion discussions. Cheers! Fakescientist8000 (did I do something wrong? let me know! 17:12, 21 March 2022 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the list of England-related deletion discussions. Cheers! Fakescientist8000 (did I do something wrong? let me know! 17:12, 21 March 2022 (UTC)
 * Comment The article has three sources. I can't go to the library now, but it would be nice if we checked them before declaring the article a hoax. Atchom (talk) 19:32, 21 March 2022 (UTC)
 * Comment Hardly a hoax. Bristol is not my specialist area, but I have access via archive.org to one of the cited sources (Andrew Foyle, Bristol, Pevsner Architectural Guides (2004) ISBN 0-300-10442-1).  Therein we find the following:
 * p26: Public buildings of the early 19th century are ... numerous[.] ... among the few local architects ... is James Foster (c. 1748–1823), founder of a very significant 19th-century firm, but of limited abilities himself. Bit harsh!
 * p30: A full paragraph identifying him and his sons as one of three "architectural dynasties in Bristol" who "dominated 18th- and 19th-century architecture".
 * p97: He designed the south porch and upper vestry at St James's Priory.
 * p213: Description of houses designed by him at Clifton Vale.
 * p230: Description of houses designed by him at Park Place.
 * pp285–287: Description of his extensive work at Ashton Court (a mansion).
 * I would expect a decent range of biographical details in Colvin (1997), which I don't have access to. Likewise, Ison (1978) is a book specific to Foster's era, so I would expect there to be plenty of material in there.  Might be worthing pinging WikiProject Bristol, whose members may have access to more resources.  Hassocks 5489 (Floreat Hova!)  20:24, 21 March 2022 (UTC)
 * Keep. User:Hassocks5489 plus five minutes on Google Books confirmed my initial opinion. Not only not a hoax, but a decent amount of secondary literature as well. Atchom (talk) 19:35, 22 March 2022 (UTC)
 * This is certainly not a hoax, as only needs looking at the sources already cited in the article to confirm. I think the nominator should withdraw that unfounded personal attack against the article creator. Or does not having anything come up at the top of World Wide Web (founded in 1990) search results for a subject who died about 200 years ago count as a hoax? Phil Bridger (talk) 20:28, 22 March 2022 (UTC)
 * I presume that the nominator is watching this discussion (at least I can't imagine starting a deletion discussion myself and not watching), so Fakescientist8000, how about withdrawing the nomination in the light of what others have found? Remember that books are usually the best place to look for sources about such historical subjects. Phil Bridger (talk) 17:23, 25 March 2022 (UTC)
 * I've seen this in the past few days. I was mistaken, although the article probably needs improvement. Cheers! Fakescientist8000 17:45, 25 March 2022 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.