
Arms of the Barons Foley.
'Baron Foley' is a title that has been created twice in the
Peerage of Great Britain, both times for members of the same family. The first creation came in
1712 in favour of 'Thomas Foley', who had earlier represented
Stafford in the
House of Commons. He was the grandson of the prominent ironmaster
Thomas Foley and the nephew of
Paul Foley,
Speaker of the House of Commons, and
Philip Foley. However, this creation became extinct in
1766 on the death of his son, the second Baron.
It was revived in
1776 for 'Thomas Foley', the cousin, heir and namesake of the last holder of the
1712 creation, who was created 'Baron Foley', of Kidderminster in the County of Worcester. He was a former
Member of Parliament for
Droitwich and
Herefordshire. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baron. He also represented Droitwich and Herefordshire in Parliament and served as
Postmaster General. On his death the title passed to his son, the third Baron. He notably held office as
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (Government Chief Whip in the
House of Lords) in the
Whig administration of
Lord Grey.
He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Baron. He was also a
Whig politician and succeeded his father as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms in
1833, a post he held until
1834, and again from
1835 to
1841, from
1846 to
1852, from
1852 to
1858, from
1859 to
1866 and from
1868 to
1869. On the death of his second son, the sixth Baron, in
1918, this line of the family failed. The late Baron was succeeded by his first cousin once removed, the sixth Baron. He was the grandson of General the Hon. Sir St George Gerald Foley, third son of the third Baron. As of
2007 the title is held by the seventh Baron's son, the eighth Baron, who succeeded to the title in
1927 at the age of three. Lord Foley is a composer and pianist.
The family seat was
Witley Court until this was sold to trustees for William, Lord Ward, later
Earl of Dudley in
1837.
==Barons Foley, First Creation (
1712)==
★
Thomas Foley, 1st Baron Foley (
1673–
1733)
★
Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley (
1703–
1766)
==Barons Foley, Second Creation (
1776)==
★
Thomas Foley, 1st Baron Foley (
1716–
1777)
★
Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley (
1742–
1793)
★
Thomas Foley, 3rd Baron Foley (
1780–
1833)
★
Thomas Henry Foley, 4th Baron Foley (
1808–
1869)
★
Henry Thomas Foley, 5th Baron Foley (
1850–
1905)
★
Fitzalan Charles John Foley, 6th Baron Foley (
1852–
1918)
★
Gerald Henry Foley, 7th Baron Foley (
1898–
1927)
★
Adrian Gerald Foley, 8th Baron Foley (b.
1923)
The
Heir Apparent is the present holder's son Hon.
Thomas Henry Foley (b.
1961)
References
★ Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
★
Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page