The son of Henry Hodgetts-Foley, a politician and member of a Stourbridge family of ironmasters, he was born at Westminster in March 1857.

[1] Foley was also the main proponent for Worcestershire's move from their Boughton Park home ground to New Road in 1896 when he acquired a lease on a field from the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, with Foley paying for the construction of the pavilion at New Road.

[2] Following the death of Lady Emily Foley he inherited Stoke Edith House.

[10] In 1926, he donated 136 rare books in 242 volumes from the Stoke Edith House to Hereford Cathedral's library.

[8] His son Henry, and cousin Cyril Foley both played first-class cricket.