Peel, Sir Robert

Peel, Sir Robert (1788-1850), statesman, b. Bury, Lancashire, England.

Robert Peel was a leader of the Conservative Party in England.

He held several posts in the government and in 1828-30 was Home Secretary, and Prime Minister in 1834 and 1841-46.

As a result of his work, Parliament passed an Act in 1829 starting the Metropolitan Police Force in London and within ten years, police forces were being raised all over England.

From the start, police constables were nicknamed 'peelers' or 'bobbies' after Robert Peel.

See Eric Evans Sir Robert Peel: Statemanship, Power And Party