P  e  e  l    T  o  w  e  r

&

G r a n t ' s  T o w e r

Sat in a commanding position nearly 1000 feet above sea level, just to the west of Ramsbottom outside of Manchester, you will find this fine tower erected to the memory of Sir Robert Peel. Peel was born in 1788 in nearby Bury where he has a statue in the marketplace. He was the second son to the owner of one of England's biggest cotton manufacturers, and he eventually rose to become Prime Minister. (For non-UK readers - the second most powerful person of the United Kingdom at that time - nowadays probably the most powerful).

Photo supplied by David Scott (See link Page) 

Following his father, who was also a member of parliament (for Tamworthe), Robert started in politics in 1809 as a Conservative, moving up to the position of Secretary for Ireland and also serving two sessions as Home Secretary. It was whilst in his second term as Home Secretary that he set up London's Metropolitan Police, which proved to be the starting point later for the national police force.

Police Force

In London the - initially unpopular - Metropolitan Police quickly got the nickname of 'Bobbies' [from Robert] or sometimes 'Peelers' [from Peel], both terms [especially the latter] are very rarely heard now, unless of course you happen to listen to Dick Van Dyke in the 1964 film, 'Mary Poppins' utter them in his amazingly authentic cockney accent!

Sir Robert died in 1850 in London from injuries sustained from a fall from his horse whilst riding, and two years later on the 8th September 1852 the good people of Bury opened this tower to his memory. The money, a total of £965, was raised by public subscription. The relative cheapness of the structure came about because it was built of stone from the surrounding area.

The Tower

To climb the 124 foot tall tower, when it is open, you will need to negotiate the 160 steps of its interior staircase, but the view from the top is stunning in this strategic position, with - it is said, views of Blackpool Tower on a good day.
In more recent times the tower has been extensively repaired by Bury Council, and has also played a role in fund raising for charities, when used by abseilers.

Photo supplied by David Scott (See link Page) 

"It may be that I shall leave a name sometimes remembered with expressions of good-will in the abodes of those, whose lot it is to labour, and too earn their daily bread with the sweat of their brow, when they shall recruit their exhausted strength with abundant and untaxed food. The sweeter, because it is no longer leavened by a sense of injustice."

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This inscription comes from his last speech made in Parliament, and refers to the fact that he was responsible for removing the tax on corn, the so called Corn Laws. [in reality affecting the price of bread ]

At the time the landowners, whose only interest was their own well being, dominated Parliament - a situation that continued well into the 20th century - and bread at the time was an important part of the working man's diet. (those whose lot it is to earn their daily bread by the sweat of their brow).

Irish Potato Famine

However the truth was that he was forced to repeal the corn law because Ireland suffered the 1845 potato blight. Their potato crop had failed, and upwards of three million people, whose diet was largely potatoes, needed cheap imported corn.
Around the same time John Bright and Richard Cobden were active speakers of the Anti-Corn Law League, and because of public awareness raised by them, Peel had his hand forced in the end, after initially resisting any change.

Richard Cutts of Bolton has produced small concrete models of various follies in and around his native Yorkshire which you can purchase.

Included among them is this folly.

Have a look at his website at   

G r a n t ' s    T  o  w  e  r

 

Ramsbottom & The Grant Brothers

The nearest town of Ramsbottom is a typical, fairly original, Victorian 'mill town', a large part of it having been built by the Grant brothers. Anyone familiar with Charles Dickens and his book 'Nicholas Nickleby', will know of the Cheeryble brothers, who were actually based on the Grants.
The Grants erected their own tower not far away on the eastern side of the valley in 1828, this served the useful purpose of a Home Guard post in the Second World War, until it unfortunately collapsed in 1944. A lovely postcard of the tower in its hay-day and its now sadly ruined remains we see today are shown below:

Grant's Tower Photos supplied by and are copyright of David Smythe-Tomlinson

Co-Ords: 377671 416203 / SD 776162  

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