Jonathan Peel,
PC (12 October 1799 – 13 February 1879) was a British soldier,
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
politician and racehorse owner.
Background and education
Peel was the fifth son of
Sir Robert Peel, 1st Baronet, and his first wife Ellen (née Yates), and the younger brother of Prime Minister
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet. He was educated at
Rugby.
Military career
Peel was commissioned into the
Rifle Brigade as a
2nd Lieutenant in June 1815. His later steady rise through the ranks was obtained by purchase. Peel served as a lieutenant in the 71st Highlanders from 1819 to 1821 and in the
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...
from 1822 to 1825, as a Major in the 69th Foot from 1826 to 1827, as a
Lieutenant-Colonel in the 53rd Foot in 1827, when he was placed on
half-pay. He was promoted to
brevet Colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
in 1841, to
Major-General in 1854 and to
Lieutenant-General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was normall ...
in 1859.
Political career
Peel's political career started when he was elected
Member of Parliament for
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
in 1826. He lost this seat in 1830 but returned to Parliament the following year as one of two representatives for
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by John, King of England, King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver C ...
, a seat he held until 1868.
He served under his brother as
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance from 1841 to 1846 and was
Secretary of State for War (with a seat in the cabinet) under the
Earl of Derby between 1858 and 1859 and 1866 and 1867. In the latter office he was considered competent and successful and became very popular. However, he resigned in March 1867 in protest against the proposed
electoral reforms. He had been admitted to the
Privy Council in 1858.
Racing
Apart from his military and political career Peel was also an owner of racehorses, and in 1844 his horse
Orlando won the
Derby
Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
, after another horse, Running Rein, had been disqualified.
Personal life

Peel married, on 19 March 1824, Lady Alice Jane, youngest daughter of
Archibald Kennedy, first Marquis of Ailsa, by whom he had eight children, five sons and three daughters. Their second son,
Edmund Yates Peel, became a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army. Their fourth son, John Peel, achieved the rank of Lieutenant-General in the Army. Their second daughter Alice married the diplomat
Sir Robert Morier. Their youngest daughter, Adelaide Georgiana, married
Michael Biddulph, 1st Baron Biddulph.
Death
He died on 13 February 1879, aged 79, at his home,
Marble Hill House, Twickenham, Middlesex, and was buried in Twickenham new cemetery on 19 February. His widow died in 1887.
See also
*
Earl Peel
References
Sources
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Peel, Jonathan
1799 births
1879 deaths
British Army lieutenant generals
British racehorse owners and breeders
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
UK MPs 1826–1830
UK MPs 1831–1832
UK MPs 1832–1835
UK MPs 1835–1837
UK MPs 1837–1841
UK MPs 1841–1847
UK MPs 1847–1852
UK MPs 1852–1857
UK MPs 1857–1859
UK MPs 1859–1865
UK MPs 1865–1868
People educated at Rugby School
Rifle Brigade officers
Grenadier Guards officers
69th Regiment of Foot officers
Highland Light Infantry officers
King's Shropshire Light Infantry officers
Owners of Epsom Derby winners
Younger sons of baronets
Tory MPs (pre-1834)
Jonathan
Place of birth missing