Foster House opening

On Thursday, our newly refurbished Almshouse development, Foster House, was officially opened by Betty Foster and The Worshipful, the Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Annette Mackenzie.

Over 50 people attended, including resident representatives, residents of foster house, trustees, staff, contractors, and Homes England, who partially funded the development.

Betty has been a significant part of our history for over 83 years and we were delighted to welcome her daughter Jayne, who shared Betty's story with everyone.

Read more about the history of the Foster house building and Betty's story below.

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The history of Foster Court

Foster Court was originally built in the 1990’s as an extra care facility for residents who could no longer live independently in their own homes.  Known then as Alexandra Court, named after Princess Alexandra, it was comprised of 21 small studio apartments with communal facilities. 

It was a lovely building with a caring staff team and provided a home to dozens of people over the decades. However, a change in the way in which care is provided in the 2020’s and the costs of running extra care in such a small scheme meant that Trustees had to make the difficult decision to close the Court in March 2024. 

Whilst the way in which the building was used came to an end, we knew that Alexandra Court was still a good solid building that could provide a home to new generations of older people, so we worked with architects to redesign the building, and thanks to partial funding from Homes England, we were able to procure J. Harper & Sons who have created 14 new homes, including two bungalows, four 2 bedroom apartments and eight large modern 1 bed apartments.

Works commenced in January last year and were completed in October.

The building is comprised entirely of apartments with only communal corridors.  The reasons for this are because we wanted residents to fully be part of the community on the Olton site and we have fantastic communal facilities in Mason Court, which they have full use of.

The decision to rename the building was quite an easy one, as the Trust wanted to thank and honour someone very special to us, Betty Foster.

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Betty’s SJMT story  

Betty entered the Sir Josiah Mason Orphanage on 10 May 1944, at just 6 years old, together with her little brother Edwin, who was 3. Like all the children, she was given a number - Number 56, something she still remembers clearly. All items owned by the children, including clothing were labelled with their number. The children lived in dormitories arranged by age group and over time Betty moved through nearly all of them, apart from the babies’ dormitory.

Looking back, Betty remembers her time at the orphanage as a happy and positive chapter in her life. It gave her stability during her childhood and provided her with an excellent education, for which she has always been grateful. The orphanage was not just a place to live, but a place where friendships were formed and lasting memories were made.

Some of her strongest memories are the funny ones. One of her favourites involves climbing the pull-out galleries (large clothes dryers) that ran from the basement up to the ground floor. They were strictly out of bounds, but that only added to the excitement. Betty and her friends used them as a secret shortcut from the basement to the ground floor, and although many children were caught, she never was. Another memory she holds dear is Friday night bath time, something she genuinely looked forward to each week and remembers with fondness.

Life at the orphanage also meant learning responsibility. At weekends, the children were given chores, including cleaning the dormitory floors with bumpers, which were like cloth head brooms. To make it more fun, they would put cloths under their feet and dance around the dormitory as they cleaned, turning work into laughter and shared fun.

The friendships Betty made during those years became some of the most important relationships of her life. Many of those bonds have endured, and she remains in contact with several old friends to this day, a reminder of how deeply connected the children were.

After leaving the orphanage, Betty trained as a nursery nurse, beginning a lifelong commitment to caring for children. She worked in a residential school and later in 2 day schools, before finishing her career at Longwill School for Deaf Children. Her work brought her great satisfaction, and she remained devoted to supporting children throughout her working life.

In 2000, Betty took on the role of Chairwoman of the Old Masonians Association (OMA), a position she held with pride and dedication until the association closed in 2025. Through this role, she was able to give something back. She was often invited to give talks sharing her experiences of orphanage life and speaking about the history of the Sir Josiah Mason Orphanage and its founder. Something she valued greatly.

Organising the annual OMA reunion was especially close to Betty’s heart. Held on the last Saturday in June, these reunions continued a tradition that began only a few years after the orphanage first opened. At one time, the association had more than 200 members, although numbers gradually declined over the years. Betty also wrote a bi-annual newsletter, filled with members memories and stories, which she sent to former residents across the world, helping everyone feel connected no matter how far away they were.

Alongside her work with the OMA, Betty served for several years as a trustee of the Sir Josiah Mason Trust. This role allowed her to contribute in a different way, and she greatly valued the strong relationships she formed with fellow trustees and especially with David Healey, the CEO.

Betty’s story is one of resilience, gratitude, and lifelong connection. What began as a childhood shaped by the orphanage grew into a life devoted to service, remembrance, and friendship. Through her commitment and care, she has helped ensure that the experiences and voices of those who lived at the Sir Josiah Mason Orphanage continue to be remembered.

Thank you Jayne for sharing Betty's incredible story with us all.