Foster and Paul was started by Thomas Foster and Thomas Paul who left their previous employment over union matters and in 1901 started their own business.
Foster and Paul was registered on the 4th of August 1905 in Dunedin, but soon after Thomas Paul left the business. Thomas Foster and his brother Alfred took the reins before moving the business to Christchurch in 1905.
A number of years later the business was run by Harold Foster (2nd generation) and currently Stuart Foster (3rd generation) and his sons Tony & Nathan (4th generation).
Over the years there have always been at least three family members working in the business.
We are well-established, and have a great pool of knowledge and experience which we can draw on.
Stuart joined the family business over 50 years ago after finishing school, he completed a letterpress apprenticeship. He went on to be the company representative before becoming Manager in 1969. Stuart now oversees the business accounts, assists with guillotining and completes bindery work.
Tony joined the business after leaving school and did deliveries, bindery and guillotine work for four years, before leaving to take on a courier run. Three years later he returned to Foster and Paul and now manages design, costing and customer service.
The call of the countryside initially appealed to Nathan before he too joined the family business and completed a printing apprenticeship. Nathan now looks after the printing and production side of the business.