, 1860-07-19
The kir8t Lady Peel.

Sir Robert Peel, The first baronet, and the
second manufacturer Of tie name, Inherited ull
hin fathers enterprise, sbility and industry. His
position ut starting in life was little above that
o. ia ordinary wo' 'king man; for his father,
though laying the foundation Of future pros
arising from insufficient capital When Robert
vas twenty years Of age, he determined 10 be-
gin the business Of cotton printing. which he
had BY the time learned With his father, on his
own account. His uncle, James Haworth, and
Wm. y lates, Of Blackburn, joined him in this
enterprise; The whole capital which they could
Eai.e among them amounting to only $500. the
principal part Of which wa. supplied By Wm.
Yates. his father kept small inn in Black
burn, where he was known as "Iateso-th'-
Bull" aud having saTed money By this business
be was willing to advance sufficient 10 giye his
son a start in the lucrative trade Of cotton
printing, then in its infancy. Robert Peel,
the prac.,cal knowledge Of the business, but it
wss said Of him, aud It proved true, THAT he
carried an old head On roupg Shoulders"
A ruined corn mill with its adjoining field.
was purchased for comparatively small sum,
near the then insignificant town Of BURY,
where the works long at.ar continued to be
known US 1.-THE Ground !" and few wooden
their cotton printing business in i very humble
way in 1170, adding to it that Of cotton spin
ming a few yeara later. The frugal style in
which the partners lived may be Inferred from
the following Incident in their early career:
"Wiltian Yates, being married man with q
scale, and to oblige Peel, who vas single, be
agreed to take nin1 as a lodger. The SUM which
The latter first paid for board aud lodging was
only eight shliings week, hut Yates consider
ing this too little, insisted on the weekly par
meat being increased shilling, to which Peel
r. So I r,ad n.A 1nA- %t.u
partners took place, which was eventually CON-
promised by The lod1er paying m advance OF
81. per week. Wm. Yates eldest child was
girl named Ellen, and she reyy aoon became an
especial favorite with the young iodger."
% returning from his hard days work at
"The Ground" he would take the little girl
upon bis knee. and say TO her, Nelly, thou
bouuy iittts dear, witt be my wife?" 10 which
the child would readily apsrer, Yes" as any
child would DO. "1'ten III wait for t;,ee, Netiv
| Iii wed thee and none else" And Robert Peal
did wait As the gil grew. ia beauty towards
wornanhood, his determination to wait for her
| was strengthened, and after lapss Of ten
and rapidly increasing prosperity. Robert Peel
| married Ellen Yates when she bud completed
her seventeenth year; and the pretty child
whom her mothers lodger and father part1 ei
had nnrsed upon bis Knee, beeame Mrs.. Peel
| and eventually Lady Peel, The mother Of the tu'
ture Prime Minister Of England. =:
! Lady Peel wss noble and beautiful woman
fitted 10 grace any station III life. She possessed
! rare powers Of mind, and Was, on every emer
| Rency. the high-souled and faithful counselor o
ber husband For many years after their mar
riage, she acted Is his xmanuensis, conducting
the principal part Of his busineEs correspond
| ence, for Mr. P. himself was an Indifferent snt
almost uninte!.igible writer. She died in 1903
only three yeass alter the hironetcJ bad beer
| conferred upon her husband, It ID said tha
London fashionable life, SO unlike y ha. she hat
btsn accuttomed 70 at home. proved injuriou
to her health, and old III. Ya,es vas sfler~ard
accustomed 10 say, III Robert hadn't mad
! our Nelly q Lady, she might have been iivinI
yet,h-hm;t<s' Setf Retp.