FOLJAMBE, Francis Ferrand (1750-1814), of Aldwark, nr. Rotherham, Yorks.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1 Jan. - 25 Mar. 1784
13 Nov. 1801 - 1807

Family and Education

b. 17 Jan. 1750, o.s. of John Moore of Hull by Anne, da. of Francis Foljambe of Aldwark. educ. St. John’s, Camb. 1768. m. (1) 30 June 1774, Mary Arabella (d. 28 Dec. 1790), da. of John Hewett, by Arabella, sis. and coh. of Sir George Savile, 8th Bt., 5s. 2da.; (2) 12 June 1792, Lady Mary Arabella Lumley, da. of Richard, 4th Earl of Scarbrough, by Barbara, also sis. and coh. of Sir George Savile, s.p. suc. uncle Thomas Foljambe 1758, and took name of Foljambe; and fa. 1768.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Yorks. 1787-8.

Biography

Foljambe was a member of the Yorkshire Association of 1780 and took a prominent part in its activities. When his wife’s uncle, Sir George Savile, retired from the representation of the county in November 1783, Foljambe, though comparatively young and untried, was chosen to succeed him. He received the support of the Association and of Lord Fitzwilliam, both of whom were trying to make capital out of Savile’s popularity.

Foljambe’s first vote, 16 Jan. 1784, was for Lord Charles Spencer’s motion for the dismissal of Pitt. Mason and Wyvill, the leaders of the Association, who had come out strongly in favour of Pitt, now regretted having supported Foljambe for the county. Mason wrote about him to Wyvill, 22 Jan.:1

I have known him from his infancy; I may justly say that I have been a father to him; yet on many trying occasions I have seen him close and reserved where he ought to have been open and explicit, rash and determined where he should have been deliberate or dubious, and always too soon cooled in his pursuits if the expected success did not immediately attend him ... We must now hope no more from him than a mere support of parliamentary reform, if ever that question should chance to be agitated. This will not satisfy me, nor do I think it will you.

After the county meeting of 25 Mar., when Wyvill succeeded in obtaining an address in support of Pitt, Foljambe resigned from the Association; and at the general election stood with William Weddell as Fitzwilliam’s candidate. Their canvass was unfavourable, and the evening before the poll they withdrew.

Foljambe remained loyal to Fitzwilliam, but refused Fitzwilliam’s request to stand again in 1788. He died 13 Nov. 1814.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: E. A. Smith

Notes

  • 1. Wyvill, Political Pprs. iv. 353-4.