William Orme Foster

William Orme Foster (29 October 1814-29 September 1899) was an English ironmaster, coalmaster and owner of the large industrial firm John Bradley & Co, which he inherited from his uncle, James Foster in 1853. He served as a Liberal MP for South Staffordshire from 1857 until 1868.

William Orme Foster was born in 1814, the son of William Foster of Wordsley House in Stourbridge and his wife Charlotte daughter of William Orme of Dulwich, Surrey. William Foster had an iron business in Stourbridge but it was as heir to his uncle, James Foster that William Orme Foster was to achieve great wealth and a prominent position as an ironmaster in the Midlands region of England.

William Orme Foster was employed as an agent by his uncle before 1850. On James Foster's death in 1853, Foster inherited the bulk of his estate which was valued at £700,0000. The inheritance included mines, ironworks, furnaces and engineering works situated at Stourbridge, Shropshire and the Black Country region of England. The growth of his business was stimulated by the booming railways industry, rails and other equipment being a major product of his works.

In 1855, Foster bought the second version of Constable's painting The Lock for a price of £860.

From 1857 until 1868 William Orme Foster served as a Member of Parliament for South Staffordshire. He was elected unopposed for this two-member constituency in 1857, 1859 and 1865. However after boundary changes, he contested West Staffordshire in 1868, coming only third in the poll for the two-member constituency. Other public offices held include High Sheriff for the County of Wexford in 1876, and High Sheriff for the County of Shropshire in 1883.

In 1867 W.O. Foster bought the Apley Park estate near Bridgnorth in Shropshire, from Douglas Whitmore for over £300,000. The estate included most of Bridgnorth town. In 1873 as landowner he held in England 8,457 acres in Shropshire, 1,917 acres in Worcestershire and 874 acres in Staffordshire, besides 9,724 acres in County Wexford in Ireland.

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