On Saturday 11th January 2025 we were privileged to welcome to Tamworth Lord Lexden, Deputy Speaker at the House of Lords. At the Castle Hotel Lord Lexden gave a very informative talk to a group of some 50 guests, explaining why Sir Robert Peel wrote and published his Tamworth Manifesto, and why it is still relevant and important even in today's political scene.
Following the talk we were then invited into the Town Hall by Mayor Gareth Coates, from where the manifesto was first read aloud to Tamworth's voters, before Peel himself, by now Prime Minister, finally managed to get there in person on 11th January 1835, exactly 190 year ago. Fascinating.
EVENT- 3rd APRIL - MEREVALE HALL, ATHERSTONE
Sir William Dugdale (better known as Matthew) kindly agreed to take a group of both members and non-members on a guided tour of Mereval Hall and gardens on the afternoon of Thursday 3rd April 2025. We have often driven past the hall, only to see it perched on the top of a hill and seemingly out of reach. To actually see inside and hear its story was a real privilege.
The connection with the Peel Society is that in 1862, Arthur Wellesley Peel (a godson of the Duke of Wellington), youngest son of Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, married Adelaide Dugdale the daugher of William Stratford Dugdale. They had 7 children.
There is a charge of £15 per person for the tour, all of which is donated to the local Merevale Parish Church and Sir William (Matthew) will consider allowing other groups to undertake such a visit if suitable. Contact details are on their website.
175 Years since Peel's unfortunate accident and death - 2nd JULY 2025
July 2nd 2025 marked 175yrs since the sad death of Sir Robert Peel, after being thrown from his horse.
On this date we held a special event entitled 'Remembering Sir Robert Peel- in public and in private', at our HQ premises, Middleton Hall. Our guest speaker was Dr Richard Gaunt of Nottingham University, a life member of the Peel Society, who examined what happened after Peel's death, giving different perspectives on how he was commemorated, featuring material sent to family members and different forms of memorialisation, including religious, civic and artistic responses.
The event opened with a lovely buffet provided by the staff at Middleton Hall and the bar was open, leading to a very convivial evening indeed!
OUR 2025 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
