Hagley Historical and Field Society

As part of its 50^th anniversary celebrations, several regular speakers from the past have been invited back to contribute to the Society’s 2012 programme.  Who better to start the ball rolling than Roy Peacock who first talked to us in 1988 and who has made more presentations than anyone?  Making his 15^th appearance, Roy addressed the February meeting on “The Creation of the Foley Barony of Kidderminster”.  Using neither notes nor illustrations, our speaker took us on a fascinating journey from Richard Foley in 1580 to the creation of the first Lord Foley in 1712.  This was a time of a banking crisis, increasing national debt, a coalition government and an on-going war: all this had a familiar ring!  The Foleys made their fortune through the iron trade, by making some good marriages and by supplying cannon in the Civil War and numerous subsequent conflicts.  Roy took us through three generations’ parliamentary activities, the reasons that Queen Anne created Thomas III a peer and his ultimate fall from grace under George I.  This was a fascinating talk that included connections to Witley Court and Oldswinford Hospital School but which ended all too soon.