Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

An early 19th century gold memorial ring, with central glazed hairwork panel within a surround of half pearls, in pinched collet closed back setting, reverse of bezel engraved ‘Mary Peel ob Nov.r 5 1802 alt 19’, between bifurcated scroll shoulders, inner shank strengthened, ring size L (leading edge). £300-400

Mary Peel (1783-1802) was the eldest daughter, and second of 13 children of Lawrence Peel (1756-1827), of Ardwick, near Manchester and his wife Alice, née Haworth. Mary was christened at St Ann’s church in Manchester on 28 March 1783, but died of a ‘fever’ aged just 19, on 5 November 1802. She was buried at St John’s church in Manchester on 9 November 1802.

Mary’s father Lawrence, was the fifth son of Robert Peele (1723-95). The Peele family were originally from Oswaldtwistle, near Whalley in Lancashire, there they had been yeoman farmers, but Robert was to start a calico-printing firm in Blackburn in partnership with Messrs Jonathan Haworth and William Yates. This proved highly successful and the parsley leaf pattern they developed led to Robert being widely referred to as ‘Parsley Peel’ (he had chosen to drop the final ‘e’ from his surname). Following in his father’s footsteps, Lawrence also became a successful manufacturer and merchant of textiles in Manchester. His older brother, Robert Peel (1750-1830) was also to expand upon the family business, owning many factories and becoming a very wealthy industrialist in his own right. He entered politics, becoming MP for Tamworth, and was later to be made Sir Robert Peel (1st Baronet). It was his son (Mary’s cousin), the second Sir Robert Peel (1788-1850, 2nd Baronet), who was to hold high political office, including that of Home secretary (twice), Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister, between 1834-35 and again 1841-46. He played an important role in modernising the British government’s social and economic policies, including the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846, and the creation of the modern police force, leading to a new type of officer known in tribute to him as ‘bobbies’ or ‘peelers’.

.