London Metropolitan Police got their nickname "bobbie" after Robert Peel, who is credited with conceptualizing the idea of the modern police department structure. He was instrumental in setting up the force in the early 19th century, as well as reforming the police system in Ireland.The Right Honorable Sir Robert Peel was a very important figure in the United Kingdom in the first half of the 19th century, and famous for many other things besides police organization as well.
Without looking up his official biography, who can tell
1. What county he was from? (Hint: not the one where the above statue is located.)
2. Some of the offices he held in his lifetime?
3. Some of his many accomplishments?
5. What the corn laws were?
6. Were Irish police also called bobbies?
7. His early political mentor?
8. (extra points for extreme trivia) He was first elected at age 21 as MP from the rotten borough of Cashel, Tipperary. What is a "rotten" borough? Do you know how many votes there were in that borough when Peel was elected?
