Robert Peel at Parliament Square, London

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Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, a British Conservative statesman, twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from December 10, 1834, to April 8, 1835, and again from August 30, 1841, to June 29, 1846. Born on February 5, 1788, into a wealthy textile manufacturer family, he held top offices over four decades. As Home Secretary, Peel reformed the criminal law, created the modern police force, leading to "bobbies" in England and "peelers" in Ireland. He cut tariffs, replacing lost revenue with a 3% income tax. A central figure in making Free Trade a reality, he established a modern banking system. Initially supporting Catholic discrimination, Peel eventually backed the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1829, claiming that emancipation was a great danger, but civil strife was greater. Critics have condemned his handling of the Irish famine. In 1834, Peel issued the Tamworth Manifesto, outlining principles for the modern British Conservative Party. He often began as a traditional Tory opponent to legislation, only to reverse himself and champion liberal causes, including the Test Act (1828), Catholic Emancipation (1829), the Reform Act of 1832, income tax (1842), and most notably the repeal of the Corn Laws (1846). Many labeled him a traitor or "a Liberal wolf in sheep's clothing" for embracing liberal ideas. Historian A.J.P. Taylor says: Peel was among the top statesmen of the 19th century. He carried Catholic Emancipation, repealed the Corn Laws, and formed the modern Conservative Party from the remnants of old Toryism. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully printable sculptures and landmarks for free access worldwide. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how to help.