William Foster & Co Ltd was an agricultural machinery company based at Lincoln, UK and usually just called "Fosters of Lincoln".

The company was known for producing threshing machines, regarded as among the best available. They also made traction engines, steam tractors such as the Foster Wellington and Showman's road locomotives. During the First World War they built the first tanks for the British Army.

The tank

Fosters as builders of agricultural machinery were involved in the production and design of the prototype tanks, which were in effect agricultural tractors with armoured bodies.

After the First World War, The Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors decided that the inventors of the Tank were Sir William Tritton, managing director of Fosters together with Major W G Wilson.

See also

Military vehicle manufacturers | Agricultural machinery | Defunct companies of the United Kingdom