Thomas Foley

Thomas Foley (3 December 1617 – 1 October 1677) was an English ironmaster and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1659 and 1677.

Early life Foley was born on 3 December 1617. He was the third, but eldest surviving, son of Richard Foley and, his second wife, Alice Brindley, herself the daughter of Sir William Brindley of Willenhall. His father was a prominent Midlands ironmaster of Stourbridge.

In 1659, he was elected Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in the Third Protectorate Parliament. He was elected MP for Bewdley in 1660 for the Convention Parliament. In 1673, he was elected MP for Bewdley in a by-election to the Cavalier Parliament.

Foley built Witley Court. In the late 1660s, he founded a bluecoat school at Stourbridge known as Old Swinford Hospital, which he endowed in his will. He handed his business over to his sons. Samuel Foley, who died young. Martha Foley (d. 1667), who married William Joliffe, MP for Poole and Director of the East India Company. Sarah Foley

Foley died on 1 October 1677 and was buried at Witley.

Through his second son Paul, he was a grandfather of Thomas Foley, MP, and Paul Foley, also an MP.