Page 14 - GB Parliamentary and Other Stories

Henry Grevme, The Earl of Warwick, to Sir Robert Peell, Bt.,

in early May 1839 at the time of the Bedchamber Crisis

In May 1839 at the time of this correspondence, Sir Robert Peel was offered another chance to form a
government, this time by the new monarch, Queen Victoria. His request for-her to change her Ladies-in-
Waiting to reflect his political party's views was met by Her Majesty's refusal, so initiating the so-called
Bedchamber Crisis on 7 May 1839. '

This free front is dated 10 May 1839, three days after the request from Sir Robert Peel to Her Majesty The
Queen, and was a 'Private' communication from Henry Greville. Little doubt, perhaps, that it was in reference
to the new constitutional crisis.

Henry Greville, 3rd Earl of Warwick (1779-1853) was a Tory politician, the party being led at this time by
Sir Robert Peel (1788-1850). In Sir Robert's second administration, Warwick served from 1841to1846 as
= a Lord-in-Waiting, a government whip in the House of Lords, and married Lady Sarah Savile, daughter of
the Earl of Mexborough. Sir Robert Peel is regarded as the father of modem British policing and as one of
the founders of the modern Conservative Party.