Thomas Foley (auditor of the imprests)

Thomas Foley (c. 1670 – 10 December 1737), of Stoke Edith Court, Herefordshire, was a British landowner and Tory politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1691 and 1737. He held the sinecure office of auditor of the imprests.

Foley was the eldest son of Paul Foley, House of Commons of England and ironmaster, and succeeded to his estates around Stoke Edith, Herefordshire on his father's death in 1699.



Foley was Member of Parliament for Weobley from 1691 to 1698 and from 1699 to 1700. He was then MP for Hereford from 1701 to 1722. He was subsequently MP for Stafford from 1722 to 1727 and again from 1734 until his death. Throughout this period, he was the leading ironmaster in the Forest of Dean. Initially this business was managed by John Wheeler and then by William Rea, until Rea was sacked in 1725. From that time the number of ironworks operated by his business, latterly without outside partners gradually declined.

Foley and his wife Anne, daughter and heir of Essex Knightley of Fawsley, Northamptonshire had one son Thomas Foley, and two daughters, Anne and Mary.