Place Name
Sir Robert Peel (February 5, 1788 – July 2, 1850) was a statesman and Conservative Party MP who served twice as Prime Minister (1834–35 and again 1841–46) and twice as Home Secretary (1822–27 and 1828–30). He is probably best known, however, as the father of modern British policing, owing to his founding of the Metropolitan Police Service. He was also the first prime minister from an industrial business background rather than from the landed gentry. He cut tariffs to stimulate trade, replacing the lost revenue with a three per cent income tax. He played a central role in making free trade a reality and set up a modern banking system. He introduced the Factory Act to improve conditions for workers and he repealed the Corn Laws, which restricted grains coming in from abroad against the interests of the British landed classes. In short he was one of the great reforming statesmen of the 19thCentury. This is one of a cluster of roads named after Victorian Prime Ministers. The others Canning and Palmerston, were planned as long ago as 1854 when they formed part of Harrow Park Estate.
