Page 52 - All About History - Issue 56-17

Hero or Villain?
SIR ROBERT PEEL
JOHN DEE

This sketch of murderers William Burke and William Hare killing
a woman to sell her corpse for dissection was drawn to satirise
Wellington and Peel’s opposition to Catholic emancipation

Sir Robert Peel is honoured by a statue in
As befitting his wealth and status, Peel was a patron Bury, Lancashire, the town of his birth. A JD
of the arts with a large collection of paintings Wetherspoon pub is also named after him

opposed the repeal of the Corn Laws for much of through Parliament in 1814 and it paved the way this was needed at a time of widespread discontent
his political career, only to change his mind around for the Royal Irish Constabulary. and violent action, especially in the industrialised
1844. What’s more, when he had become chief Peel was so encouraged by its success that he cities of the north. The country was changing fast.
secretary of Ireland in 1812, he strongly opposed sought to replicate it in London when he became This was certainly obvious in 1830. The Tory
Catholic emancipation, a stance that earned home secretary in 1822. He achieved this in government had fallen and Peel — now Member of
him the nickname ‘Orange Peel’ — 1829, establishing the Metropolitan Parliament (MP) for Tamworth — found himself in
the Protestant Irish having been Police Force. Supervised by two opposition to a new administration headed by Whig
known as ‘orange’ since 1690. magistrates and financed by prime minister Earl Grey. Grey wanted to overhaul
Fast-forward to 1828 Defining a police rate, the constables Parliament but Peel spoke firmly against it. In
and Peel was agreeing to moment became known as doing so, he was opposing the Great Reform Bill’s
oversee the passage of Death of his father ‘bobbies’ and ‘peelers’ plan to rid the UK of so-called ‘rotten boroughs’,
the Catholic Relief Act Peel was close to his father, who had in Peel’s honour. constituencies that were able to elect an MP despite
of 1829, allowing non- worked so hard to ensure Peel’s early political During this period, having very few voters. Something Peel had very
life was a success. So when his father dies
Anglicans the right to peacefully in his armchair at the age of 80, Peel also informed the much benefitted from.
hold public office. For it comes as a huge blow. Peel is left all of his prime minister that At the same time, the bill wanted to hand
that move, Peel was father’s lands and four times the assets left he wanted to reform representation to northern cities like Manchester
to his other sons. He decides to demolish
dubbed a traitor by his criminal law. He had that had no MPs despite their huge size. When
Drayton Manor and replaces it with
own party and he was a grand mansion incorporating a a desire for people to it passed in 1832, the electorate increased from
angrily turfed out of the three-storey tower. clearly understand the 500,000 to 813,000 and those industrialised areas
Oxford University seat he’d 3 May 1830 consequences of committing gained at the rightful expense of those dominated
held since 1817. an offence and he believed the by wealthy patrons. It led to a period of national
Something he did stick to, current system was too blurred. He prosperity — and also to another Peel U-turn.
though, was his idea of a non-military argued that the death penalty should After Peel became prime minister in 1834, he
police service. While he was in Dublin, he be removed for some offences and he reformed issued the Tamworth Manifesto. It laid down the
worked hard on a proposal for a provisional force prisons through the Gaol Act of 1823 by employing principles of the modern Conservative Party, yet it
that could be deployed in the counties with the surgeons and chaplains in jails, paying gaolers, also accepted the Reform Act. Little wonder Lord
worst disorder. The Peace Preservation Act passed educating inmates and forbidding alcohol. All of John Russell would later go on to say Peel was a
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