Foljambe was born at Osberton Hall in Worksop, Nottinghamshire. He was the son of George Savile Foljambe and Lady Selina Jenkinson, daughter of Charles Jenkinson, 3rd Earl of Liverpool. Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, was his great-uncle, and his older half-brother was Francis Foljambe, a fellow Liberal politician. He joined the Royal Navy and served as a midshipman 1861–67 then lieutenant 1867–70, in England, and in New Zealand during the Waikato War in 1863–64. He kept his own hand-written logs of his voyages, which include numerous colour and black and white sketches. His postings included HMS Victory, HMS Defence, HMS Curacoa, HM Gunboat Pioneer, HM Steamer Avon, and HM Colonial Steamer Koheroa. During 1863, he completed a running survey of the Waikato River between Ngāruawāhia and Hunlty when a fellow shipmate was wounded. He was promoted to lieutenant on 8 June 1867, and retired from the navy on 2 May 1870.
Political career
In 1880, Foljambe was elected to the House of Commons for North Nottinghamshire. He held this seat until 1885, and then represented Mansfield from 1885 to 1892. In 1893 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Hawkesbury, of Haselbech in the County of Northampton and of Ollerton, Sherwood Forest, in the County of Nottingham, a revival of the barony held by his maternal grandfather, Lord Liverpool. In 1894, he was appointed a Lord-in-waiting in the Liberal administration of Lord Rosebery, a post he held until the government fell in 1895. In July 1901, he was appointed an additional member of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. When the Liberals returned to power in 1905 under Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Hawkesbury was made Lord Steward of the Household. A few days later the earldom of Liverpool was also revived when he was made Viscount Hawkesbury, of Kirkham in the County of York and of Mansfield in the County of Nottingham, and Earl of Liverpool. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1906 and remained a member of the government until his death in March 1907.
Family
Lord Liverpool married Louisa Howard, daughter of Frederick John Howard, on 22 July 1869. They had two children:
Arthur William de Brito Savile Foljambe, 2nd Earl of Liverpool
After his first wife's death in 1871, Foljambe erected memorial plaques and windows in 38 churches which had connections with the family, e.g. Sherburn-in-Elmet church where there is a "Foljambe window". On 21 July 1877, Foljambe married his first wife's cousin, Susan Cavendish, daughter of William Frederick Henry Cavendish. They had eleven children:
Gerald William Frederick Savile Foljambe, 3rd Earl of Liverpool, an officer in the Oxfordshire Light Infantry.
Lady Edith Margaret Emily Mary Foljambe, married Brigadier-General D'Arcy Legard.
Lady Alice Etheldreda Georgiana Mary Foljambe, died unmarried.
Lady Mabel Evelyn Selina Mary Foljambe, married Dr. William Woodburn.
Margaret Susan Louisa Mary Foljambe, died in infancy.
Lady Constance Blanche Alethea Mary Foljambe, married Reverend Hezekiah Hawkins.
Robert Anthony Edward St Andrew Savile Foljambe, 4th Earl of Liverpool
Honourable Bertram Marmaduke Osbert Savile Foljambe, married Joyce Edmunson and had issue, including Captain Peter George William Savile Foljambe, whose son Edward Foljambe is the present Earl of Liverpool.
Lady Rosamond Sylvia Diana Mary Foljambe, married Archibald Melville, 13th Earl of Leven, and had issue.
Foljambe died in March 1907, aged 60, and was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest and only surviving son from his first marriage, Arthur. The Countess of Liverpool died in December 1917.
