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Peacock & Son was a tanning and wool-brokering business in the early days of South Australia. Three members of the family were notable public figures: William Peacock (c. 1790 – 20 January 1874) was a successful businessman and one of the colony's first parliamentarians. His eldest son Joseph Peacock (c. 1825 – 25 July 1867) carried on the family business and was a member of parliament. His youngest son Caleb Peacock (13 April 1841 – 17 February 1896) was a member of parliament and Mayor of Adelaide from 1875 to 1877, the first such born in the Colony.
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William and family sailed for South Australia on the "Glenalvon", a ship he chartered, arriving at Holdfast Bay on 28 December 1838.
William Peacock
William commenced his tannery business in Grenfell Street in 1839, with a fellmongering facility at Adam Street, Hindmarsh. He had moved by 1868 to Thebarton His was the first major tannery, ahead of both Dench & Co. and G. W. Bean, and the first to export acacia bark. The Adam Street property was sold in July 1903 to fellmongers Michell and Sons.
He was one of the original investors in the South Australian Mining Association, which developed the lucrative Burra copper mines between 1845 and 1865, and a director (disqualified in 1860 through absence greater than 6 months but subsequently re-elected)
Religion and Education
He was associated with the Congregational Church in Freeman Street (now part of Gawler Place), funded the building of the chapel in Ebenezer Place (off Rundle Street east). He then helped organise the building of the Hindmarsh Square Congregational Church, which later became an office and orchestral studio for ABC Radio. He was closely associated with J. L. Young and his Adelaide Educational Institution, which for many years used rooms at the Ebenezer Place and Freeman Street chapels.
Politics
He served on the Adelaide City Council as Councillor and Alderman from 1842
He won the seat of Noarlunga in the South Australian Legislative Council (then the only House) against Major O'Halloran in 1851 which he held to 1856. He won a Legislative Council seat in 1861, which he held until 1869 when he retired, a few days before parliament was prorogued.
Family
William Peacock married Elizabeth Everett, daughter of Joseph, another Bermondsey fellmonger, in 1816. He was widowed between 1834 and 1836 and remarried in 1836. His new wife was Maria Groch who accompanied him on the "Glenalvon" with their infant son William. The older children in the party were from his first marriage to Elizabeth.
His children with Maria (c. 1802 – 13 February 1869) were:
Their home for many years was "Palm House" in Hackney on what was known as "Peacock Hill", now St. Peter's College. He married Mary Ann Evans (1821–1908) on 15 June 1871. She was to marry Carrington Smedley on 4 March 1875.
Joseph Peacock
Joseph Peacock (c. 1825 – 25 July 1867) lived at Glenelg and was M.P. for Sturt from 1860 until his death. He worked as co-manager of Peacock and Son in Grenfell Street, was a trustee of the South Australian Mining Company and a director of the National Bank.
He married Harriet Hope Gooch (c. 1832 – 27 August 1854) around 1850. They had two daughters who never survived childhood. He married again, to Maria Houghton (c. 1828 – 18 June 1901). A daughter, Kate Marian Lilian Peacock, married Dr. Harry Swift. Maria Peacock died at her residence "Newland House", 80 Brougham Place, North Adelaide. "Newland House" was later purchased by Caleb Peacock, and is now owned by the South Australian branch of the Australian Medical Association.
Caleb Peacock
Caleb Peacock, born in Adelaide on 13 April 1841, was educated at Adelaide Educational Institution, one of J. L. Young's two first students.
He was for some time manager of the tannery.
He was associated with Beeby and Dunstan, millers and was an agent in Blanchetown.
He died at his home "Keston" on Barton Terrace, North Adelaide, from heat apoplexy (heat stroke), on 17 February 1896.
Personal
In 1885 he was elected President of the Adelaide Rowing Club, a position he held until his death.