Richard A. Gaunt is Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has contributed to The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and edited the diaries of a major Ultra-Tory politician of the period in Unhappy Reactionary: The Diaries of the Fourth Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne and a book of contemporary texts concerning Benjamin Disraeli. He is currently writing Conservative Politics in the Age of Reform 1780-1850 (I.B.Tauris).

'The writing is clear and historically sound, covering both Peel's career and the historiography of his reputation, and should appeal to a wide readership' - Professor David McLean, King's College, University of London

• AcknowledgementsList of Illustrations1 Sir Robert Peel in Historical Perspective2 ‘Orange Peel’? Catholic Emancipation and policy towards Ireland3 ‘Peel’s Act’. Robert Peel and Currency Reform4 Mr Home Secretary Peel: an illiberal ‘Liberal Tory’?5 ‘The Founder of Modern Conservatism’? Peel and the Conservative Party6 ‘Re-Peel’: Reform of the Tariff and Repeal of the Corn Laws7 The Rise (and Fall) of Sir Robert Peel8 Peel, Death and ProsperityBibliographyIndex

Richard A. Gaunt is Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has contributed to The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and edited the diaries of a major Ultra-Tory politician of the period in Unhappy Reactionary: The Diaries of the Fourth Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne and a book of contemporary texts concerning Benjamin Disraeli. He is currently writing Conservative Politics in the Age of Reform 1780-1850 (I.B.Tauris).

'The writing is clear and historically sound, covering both Peel's career and the historiography of his reputation, and should appeal to a wide readership' - Professor David McLean, King's College, University of London

• AcknowledgementsList of Illustrations1 Sir Robert Peel in Historical Perspective2 ‘Orange Peel’? Catholic Emancipation and policy towards Ireland3 ‘Peel’s Act’. Robert Peel and Currency Reform4 Mr Home Secretary Peel: an illiberal ‘Liberal Tory’?5 ‘The Founder of Modern Conservatism’? Peel and the Conservative Party6 ‘Re-Peel’: Reform of the Tariff and Repeal of the Corn Laws7 The Rise (and Fall) of Sir Robert Peel8 Peel, Death and ProsperityBibliographyIndex

Richard A. Gaunt is Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has contributed to The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and edited the diaries of a major Ultra-Tory politician of the period in Unhappy Reactionary: The Diaries of the Fourth Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne and a book of contemporary texts concerning Benjamin Disraeli. He is currently writing Conservative Politics in the Age of Reform 1780-1850 (I.B.Tauris).

'The writing is clear and historically sound, covering both Peel's career and the historiography of his reputation, and should appeal to a wide readership' - Professor David McLean, King's College, University of London

• AcknowledgementsList of Illustrations1 Sir Robert Peel in Historical Perspective2 ‘Orange Peel’? Catholic Emancipation and policy towards Ireland3 ‘Peel’s Act’. Robert Peel and Currency Reform4 Mr Home Secretary Peel: an illiberal ‘Liberal Tory’?5 ‘The Founder of Modern Conservatism’? Peel and the Conservative Party6 ‘Re-Peel’: Reform of the Tariff and Repeal of the Corn Laws7 The Rise (and Fall) of Sir Robert Peel8 Peel, Death and ProsperityBibliographyIndex