Biography.guide
Home › People › Metallurgist › Thomas Foley
Portrait of Thomas Foley

Thomas Foley

1617 – 1677

English ironmaster and politician, died 1677

MetallurgistPolitician
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Thomas Foley

Lived 1617 – 1677 (aged 59). Thomas Foley was an English metallurgist and politician.

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.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Metallurgist, politician
Nationality
Positions held
Member of Parliament in the Parliament of England, Member of the Third Protectorate Parliament, Member of the April 1660 Parliament, Member of the 1661-79 Parliament
Also known as
Thomas (I) Foley

People in Thomas Foley's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Thomas Foley's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Thomas Foley?

English ironmaster and politician, died 1677

When was Thomas Foley born?

Thomas Foley was born on 3 December 1617.

When did Thomas Foley die?

Thomas Foley died on 1 October 1677.

What was Thomas Foley's occupation?

Thomas Foley was a metallurgist and politician.

What nationality was Thomas Foley?

Thomas Foley was English.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Thomas Foley

· Wikidata: Q7789702

· DBpedia: Thomas Foley (died 1677)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Thomas Foley. https://biography.guide/thomas-foley/

MLA: "Thomas Foley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/thomas-foley/.

Chicago: "Thomas Foley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/thomas-foley/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:33 UTC