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Robert Foley

1624 – 1676

English ironmonger

Ironmonger
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About Robert Foley

Lived 1624 – 1676 (aged 51–52). Robert Foley was an ironmonger.

Robert Foley (baptised 19 September 1624; buried 1 December 1676) of Stourbridge was a son of Richard Foley, the most important ironmaster of his time in the west Midlands, by his second marriage (to Alice Brindley).

In contrast with other members of the family who became ironmasters, Robert Foley became an ironmonger, that is, a person who organises the manufacture of finished ironware and sells it. In doing so he may have been taking over that aspect of his father's business, just as his older brother Thomas Foley had taken over their father's ironworks. Shortly after the English Restoration, Foley obtained a contract from the Navy Board to supply ironware to several dockyards.

His house at Stourbridge and estate at Netherton in Dudley were given him by his father. He probably mined coal in his land at Yorks Park, near Netherton around 1660, but left others to extend mines into neighbouring land. However he bought the manor of Kenswick in Knightwick himself in 1669.

He was High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1671. He married first Anne Blurton in 1645 and was succeeded by his son, another Robert Foley. He married second Elizabeth Duppa.

Foley died on a business trip. He traveled from his home in Stourbridge to Bristol and then to London, where he died at his inn.

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Important facts

Born
1624
Birth century
Died
1676
Occupation
Ironmonger
Positions held
High Sheriff of Worcestershire

People in Robert Foley's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Robert Foley's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Robert Foley?

English ironmonger

When was Robert Foley born?

Robert Foley was born in 1624.

When did Robert Foley die?

Robert Foley died in 1676.

What was Robert Foley's occupation?

Robert Foley was an ironmonger.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Robert Foley

· Wikidata: Q7344413

· DBpedia: Robert Foley (ironmonger)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Robert Foley. https://biography.guide/robert-foley/

MLA: "Robert Foley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/robert-foley/.

Chicago: "Robert Foley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/robert-foley/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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