Thomas Foley, 1st Baron Foley (1716–1777)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Foley, 1st Baron Foley (8 August 1716 – 18 November 1777) was a British
politician.
Foley was the son of Thomas Foley and his wife Hester (née Andrews), and the cousin, namesake and heir of Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley
(a title which became extinct on his death in 1766), thus acquiring Witley Court
and the extensive Great Witley
estate. This included ironworks at Wilden
and Shelsley Walsh
, which were leased about at the end of his life. The Foley family descended from the prominent ironmaster Thomas Foley.
Foley was elected to the House of Commons for Droitwich
in 1741, a constituency he represented until 1746 and again from 1754 to 1768, and then sat for Herefordshire
between 1768 and 1776. The latter year the title held by his cousin was revived when Foley was raised to the peerage as Baron Foley, of Kidderminster in the County of Worcester.
Lord Foley married the Hon. Grace (d. 1769), daughter of George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne
, in 1740. They had seven children:
Foley died in November 1777, aged 61. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, Thomas.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician.
Foley was the son of Thomas Foley and his wife Hester (née Andrews), and the cousin, namesake and heir of Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley
Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley (1703–1766)
Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley was the eldest son of Thomas Foley, 1st Baron Foley and inherited the vast Great Witley estate on his father's death in 1733, including ironworks at Wilden and Shelsley Walsh....
(a title which became extinct on his death in 1766), thus acquiring Witley Court
Witley Court
Witley Court in Worcestershire, England is a Grade 1 listed building and was once one of the great houses of the Midlands, but today it is a spectacular ruin after being devastated by fire in 1937. It was built by Thomas Foley in 1655 on the site of a former manor house near Great Witley...
and the extensive Great Witley
Great Witley
Great Witley is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District in the northwest of the county of Worcestershire, England...
estate. This included ironworks at Wilden
Wilden Ironworks
The village of Wilden is in the English county of Worcestershire. It was for many years the location of an ironworks.-Wilden Mill:Wilden was part of the demesne of the Bishop of Worcester's manor of Hartlebury. A mill was built on the River Stour in 1511 by William Baylly, a fuller...
and Shelsley Walsh
Shelsley Walsh
Shelsley Walsh is a small village in Worcestershire, England at the top of a the western valley side of the River Teme.Its population at the time of the 2001 Census was just 31, but the village's name is widely known among motorsport enthusiasts because of its association with the Shelsley Walsh...
, which were leased about at the end of his life. The Foley family descended from the prominent ironmaster Thomas Foley.
Foley was elected to the House of Commons for Droitwich
Droitwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Droitwich was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of England in 1295, and again from 1554, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
in 1741, a constituency he represented until 1746 and again from 1754 to 1768, and then sat for Herefordshire
Herefordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
The county constituency of Herefordshire, in the West Midlands of England bordering on Wales, was abolished when the county was divided for parliamentary purposes in 1885...
between 1768 and 1776. The latter year the title held by his cousin was revived when Foley was raised to the peerage as Baron Foley, of Kidderminster in the County of Worcester.
Lord Foley married the Hon. Grace (d. 1769), daughter of George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne
George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne
George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne PC was an English poet, playwright, and politician who served as a Privy Counsellor from 1712.-Early life:...
, in 1740. They had seven children:
- Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron FoleyThomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley (1742–1793)Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley was a British peer and politician. He was the eldest son of the first baron, another Thomas Foley...
(1742–1793), to whose family he devised the Great Witley estate - Hon. Grace Foley (1 January 1743 – 9 January 1813), married James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of ClanbrassilJames Hamilton, 2nd Earl of ClanbrassilJames Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Clanbrassil KP PC was an Irish peer, styled Viscount Limerick from 1756 to 1758....
, on 21 May 1774 - Hon. Edward Foley (1747–1803)Edward Foley (1747–1803)Edward Foley was the second son of Thomas, 1st Lord Foley.Like his brother, he was profligate with the great family wealth...
, to whose family he devised his paternal Stoke EdithStoke EdithStoke Edith is a village in the English county of Herefordshire, situated on a road leading from Hereford to Ledbury. The manor belonged formerly to the Wallwynes, Milwaters and Lingen families....
estate - Hon. Andrew FoleyAndrew Foley (MP)Hon. Andrew Foley was the third son of Thomas, 1st Lord Foley.Unlike his two elder brothers, he did not greatly dissipate the family wealth. His father devised to him estates in and around Newent, Gloucestershire that had been in the family for several generations...
(c. 1748–1816), to whose family he devised the NewentNewentNewent is a small market town about 8 miles north west of Gloucester City, on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean, and lying within the Forest of Dean Local Authority District. Its population at the 2001 census was 5,073...
estate - Hon. Anne Foley (d. 9 December 1794), married Sir Edward Winnington, 2nd BaronetSir Edward Winnington, 2nd BaronetSir Edward Winnington, 2nd Baronet , of Stanford Court, Stanford-on-Teme, Worcestershire, was a British baronet and politician....
on 12 September 1776 - Hon. Elizabeth Foley (bef. 1769 – 13 October 1776)
- Hon. Mary Foley (d. December 1844), married Richard Clerk
Foley died in November 1777, aged 61. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, Thomas.