Forster, W.. , 1914-1997

W. Forster (1914-1997), known as 'Bob', was a London bookseller and prodigious D.H. Lawrence collector. He was born Vladimir Voronin in Moscow, August 1914. Forster came to London in 1921 where he was brought up by his maternal grandmother, Lily Forster, adopting her surname. He went to primary school in Essex and then on to Maldon Grammar School, leaving at age 14 to pursue a variety of occupations before joining his uncle's firm, Orion Booksellers, in 1942. In 1952, he began dealing in books from 83a Stamford Hill, London, specialising in bibliographical works.

Forster first became interested in Lawrence in the post-war period, after reading about the suppression of 'The White Peacock'. His personal enthusiasm for Lawrence and his wide bibliographical knowledge and contacts enabled him to build up an impressive specialised stock of Lawrence materials, alongside his other more general holdings. His collecting was not restricted to the primary editions, but extended to a wide range of printed material relating to Lawrence, including criticism, pamphlets, journals, reviews, and newspaper cuttings; in addition, Forster collected ephemeral material, such as theatre programmes, posters, photographs, leaflets and artworks. Following his death, his collection was sold at Bloomsbury Book Auctions.

Bob Forster's association with The University of Nottingham began in 1960 when he was among those who lent material for the first major Lawrence exhibition held at the University. In subsequent years he and his wife, Eileen, visited the University on a number of occasions, particularly in connection with the activities of the D.H. Lawrence Research Centre.

From the guide to the Papers associated with D.H. Lawrence collected by W. Forster, bookseller and Lawrence collector, 1933-1997, 1933-1997, (The University of Nottingham)