Sir Robert Peel: The Life and Legacy (Library of Victorian Studies)

241 Pages·2010·3.49 MB·English

by  Richard A. Gaunt

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Richard A. Gaunt is Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of
NottinghamandaFellowoftheRoyalHistoricalSociety.Hehaseditedthediariesof
amajorUltra-Torypoliticianoftheperiod,UnhappyReactionary:TheDiariesofthe
FourthDukeofNewcastleunderLyne,andabookofcontemporarytextsconcerning
BenjaminDisraeli.HehascontributedtotheOxfordDictionaryofNationalBiography
andiscurrentlywritingConservativePoliticsintheAgeofReform:FromPitttheYounger
toSirRobertPeel,1780–1850(I.B.Tauris).
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Library Series List
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SIR ROBERT PEEL
The Life and Legacy
RICHARD A. GAUNT
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Publishedin2010byI.B.Tauris&CoLtd
6SalemRoad,LondonW24BU
175FifthAvenue,NewYorkNY10010
www.ibtauris.com
DistributedintheUnitedStatesandCanadaExclusivelybyPalgraveMacmillan
175FifthAvenue,NewYorkNY10010
Copyright©2010RichardA.Gaunt
TherightofRichardA.Gaunttobeidentifiedastheauthorofthisworkhasbeenassertedbyhimin
accordancewiththeCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988.
Allrightsreserved.Exceptforbriefquotationsinareview,thisbook,oranypartthereof,maynotbe
reproduced,storedinorintroducedintoaretrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,
electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise,withoutthepriorwrittenpermissionof
thepublisher.
LibraryofVictorianStudies:2
ISBN:9781848850354
AfullCIPrecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
AfullCIPrecordisavailablefromtheLibraryofCongress
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber:available
PrintedandboundinGreatBritainbyCPIAntonyRowe,Chippenham
fromcamera-readycopy,editedandsuppliedby4wordLtd,Bristol
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For Kevin
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CONTENTS
ListofIllustrations ix
Acknowledgements xi
1.SirRobertPeelinHistoricalPerspective 1
2.‘OrangePeel’?CatholicEmancipationandPolicyTowardsIreland 17
3.‘Peel’sAct’:RobertPeelandCurrencyReform 41
4.MrHomeSecretaryPeel:AnIlliberal‘LiberalTory’? 59
5.‘TheFounderofModernConservatism’?PeelandtheConservativeParty 81
6.‘Re-Peel’:ReformoftheTariffandRepealoftheCornLaws 103
7.TheRise(andFall)ofSirRobertPeel 131
8.Peel,DeathandPosterity 143
Notes 161
Bibliography 203
Index 219
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ILLUSTRATIONS
1. ‘BlackMonday;Or,TheOpeningOfSt.Stephen’sAcademy’. 6
2. ‘ThePremierNavigator’. 9
3. ‘ADisturberOfThePublicPeace’. 25
4. ‘TheManWotPlaysSeveralInstrumentsAtOnce’. 33
5. ‘TheNewSt.Patrick;Or,SirRobertTurningTheReptilesOutOf
Ireland’. 39
6. ‘ThePolitical“Robin”DrivenByTheSeverityOfTheTimesToSeek
ForGrain’. 55
7. ‘YoungGulliver,AndTheBrobdignagMinister’. 84
8. ‘TheLetterOfIntroduction’. 96
9. ‘Peel’sBaneAndAntidote’. 109
10. ‘TheAgriculturalQuestionSettled’. 115
11. ‘PapaCobdenTakingMasterRobertAFreeTradeWalk’. 120
12. ‘Peel’sDirtyLittleBoy’. 136
AllillustrationsarereproducedfromoriginalsinthepossessionofMrNigelMorris.