Joseph William Peck1,2

#12468, (30 July 1817-20 November 1886)
FatherWilliam Peck2 (c 1785-b Apr 1839)
ChartsAylott Family - descendants
Brett Family - descendants
Darby Family - descendants
Descendents of Richard Darby
Last Edited29 Dec 2021
     NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.
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Joseph William Peck was born on 30 July 1817 at Hertford.3,2 He was the son of William Peck.2 Joseph William Peck was a carpenter on 1 March 1839.4 Joseph lived on 1 March 1839 at Hertford.4 The city of Hertford dates back to at least 673, and was an important market town surrounded by agricultural land. From the late 16th century, it had access to the London corn markets via the Lea river.

He and Ann Darby made an application for free passage to South Australia. The original document has them single, then seems changed to say that they were married, perhaps as a reflection of impending marriage a month later. They made the application at the same time as Ann's brother John and his wife and their brother Thomas on 1 March 1839.4 Joseph William Peck was described as a builder in April 1839.2 Joseph lived in April 1839 at Kingston Road, Shoreditch, London.2



He married Ann Darby, daughter of George Darby and Elizabeth Aylott, in a Church of England ceremony at St. Leonard's on Monday, 1 April 1839 at Shoreditch, London. He was 21 and his wife Ann was 26. They married seventeen days before they set sail for South Australia. Ann was the daughter of a millwright and builder. The wedding certificate was also signed by Amelia Darby and Laurence John Coxall. Joseph and Ann went on to have five children together. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Lucretia Darby, Mary Ann Darby, William Darby, Martha Darby, Thomas Darby, John D. Darby, Samuel Darby and Elizabeth Darby.5,2

At the age of 21 Joseph and his wife Ann emigrated with Ann's brothers Thomas and John, John's wife Mary, her sister Martha and Martha's husband John Speller Wright. from London on 20 April 1839 on the 'Somersetshire.6' Joseph and his wife Ann arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 25 August 1839.6


On his arrival, there were a little over 10,000 people in the colony.7

The family was mentioned in a letter from another South Australian immigrant. Describing something of their circumstances on 21 March 1840:
"On the 27th of August [1839], I had the pleasure of seeing Thomas Darby, his brothers, and sisters, but they did not know me at the first sight, I looked so thin and bad ; but I told them I was well and hearty. They received me very kindly indeed, and I helpt them make their bed the first night in the colony; but to them it seemed a miracle that we should all meet here, after talking about it up at their father's house that night their chimney caught fire [perhaps the brickyard straw fire of 2 years previously]. They desire me to send their kind love to you all, likewise to their fathers and mothers, to their sisters and brothers, and to all inquiring friends and relations."


No doubt this letter was very eagerly received back home.8,9

A congregationalist, Joseph built the Union Chapel, in Morphett Vale, South Australia, starting in 1849 and completed in the following year.10

John provided 'the plans and general superindendence' for the construction of the Union Chapel, which was opened on Sunday, 10 February 1850 in Morphett Vale after being commenced in the previous year. His brother-in-law Joseph William Peck was the builder. The building still stands today.11,12 He was was working with Wesley Hayes as 'builders, carpenters and joiners' and 'beg respectfully to inform their friends and the settlers of the South that having joined in partnership they are prepared to execute all orders with which they may be favoured with punctuality and despatch'. on 1 November 1853 at Morphett Vale, South Australia.13

In 1854 Joseph was assessed for rates of £14 for holding a house on 7.5 acres. He was assessed the same in 1867/1868, except by then he had added a shop.14

He and Ann Darby selected land in October 1861 at Noarlunga, South Australia.15 'Applications were received and resulted in the appointment of Mr. Joseph Peck to the office of Clerk and Superintendent of Works, for the annual sum of £56' by the District Council.16 Joseph William Peck was involved, with Rev. D. Badger, in the Young Men's Society, later the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society. This group seemed successful in that 'many who, previously could do very little in the simple rudiments of education can now creditably practise the three R.'s, as well as spell and understand geography' in November 1864 at Morphett Vale, South Australia.17,18,19 He enrolled in the North Adelaide Volunteer Company, a militia unit on 12 October 1866.20 He was an early member of the Morphett Vale Cricket Club (formed 1849). He was a fast bowler and made cricket bats from local willow. circa 1867.21,22

Joseph put an advertisment in the paper on 19 March 1872:
NOTICE.— All PIGS, GOATS and POULTRY found TRESPASSING on my Property, part of Section 626, Morphett Vale, will be DESTROYED after this date. JOSEPH PECK. March, 1872.23



Joseph advertised the manufacture of cricket bats on 13 February 1874:
"CRICKET.-AUSTRALIA V. ENGLAND. JOSEPH PECK, Morphett Vale, wishes to inform all Cricketers that having erected very powerful Machinery is prepared to SUPPLY the COLONIES with BATS Equal to Imported. Specimens can be oeen at the forth coming Exhibition. Any quantity to be obtained at the commencement of next Season, which will render importation unnecessary."24



Joseph spoke to the paper further about the particulars of manufacture (and the story borrowed liberally from Joseph's ad copy) on 7 March 1874:
"MORPHETT VALE, March 5. A new branch of Industry has been revived here by Mr. Joseph Peck, in the manufacture of cricket bats, and so closely is the foreign article approached, if not excelled, that they bid fair to do away with any necessity for importations. The greatest difficulty felt was the hardening of the face of the bat; and as all the enquiries failed to elicit how it was done. Mr, Peck has had to overcome it by a course of failures and expense, till he found that the object was effected by the bats being pressed between two revolving rollers, driven by horse power, whereby the face is sufficiently divested of all sap, and by the socceeding processes of solution in which they are inserted for some time, they are rendered very hard. The willow is colonial, but the material for the handles is from India. Mr. Peck has a large stock in all stages of preparation."25,26



Joseph, as the father of the groom, attended the wedding of Alfred and Eliza Maria Davis at the residence of Joseph Peck on Monday, 18 May 1874 at Morphett Vale, South Australia.. Eliza and Alfred went on to have five known children together.27

His wife Ann died 11 December 1883 at the age of 71, leaving him a widower at age 66. Joseph William Peck was elected Councillor for No.4 Ward on 8 July 1885.28 Joseph lived in 1886 at Morphett Vale, South Australia.29


Joseph was tried for indecent assault on 16 February 1886:
"SERIOUS ASSAULT.
Joseph Peck, an old man (on bail), was charged with having, at Morphett Vale on January 16 last, indecently assaulted Alice Butterick. Prisoner admitted the accusation, but asked that he might be allowed to call witnesses as to character. His Honor stated that he would pass sentence on Friday."30,31



The court heard further pleas, and he was then sentanced:
"INDECENT ASSAULT. Joseph Peck (69), who pleaded guilty on Tuesday last to a charge of indecently assaulting a little girl 12 years of age, was brought up for sentence. Several gentleman, who had known witness for over 35 years, gave him an excellent character, and Peck pleaded that he committed the offence whilst suffering from temporary aberration of the mind. His Honor, in sentencing prisoner (who also stated that he suffered from heart disease) to nine months' imprisonment without hard labor, remarked that if it were discovered that the prisoner was subject to the alleged attacks His Excellency tbe Governor would probably exercise his clemency in the case."32,33



Joseph died on 20 November 1886 at Adelaide Hospital, in Adelaide, at age 69 almost exactly 9 months after he received a nine-month gaol sentance..29 He was buried on 22 November 1886 at Bain's Cemetery, in Morphett Vale, South Australia.34,35

Joseph's will was probated on 5 February 1887. To the value of £100.36

Timeline

DateEventPlace
Family
1817BirthHertford3,2
2
1839Occupation4
1839ResidenceHertford4
1839Note4
1839Occupation2
1839ResidenceKingston Road, Shoreditch, London2
1839MarriageSt. Leonard's, Shoreditch, London5,2
1839Emigratn-newLondon6
1839Immigratn-newPort Adelaide, South Australia6
1850Note memo only CR CRthe Union Chapel, in Morphett Vale, South Australia10
1850Note memo only CR CRMorphett Vale, South Australia11,12
1853OccupationMorphett Vale, South Australia13
1854Note memo only CR CR14
1861NoteNoarlunga, South Australia15
1864Note memo only16
1864NoteMorphett Vale, South Australia17,18,19
1866Note20
1867Note21,22
1872Quotation type 123
1874Quotation type 124
1874Quotation type 125,26
1885Note28
1886ResidenceMorphett Vale, South Australia29
1886Quotation type 130,31
Quotation type 232,33
1886DeathAdelaide Hospital, in Adelaide29
1886BurialBain's Cemetery, in Morphett Vale, South Australia34,35
1887Probate36

Family

Ann Darby (5 Jun 1812-11 Dec 1883)
Children

Citations

  1. [S1303] Kelly Dyer, Manuscript, 2021 p.158 (for middle name).
  2. [S549] E-mails from Eve Mintern to Tim Hill, 2012- 22 Aug 2012.
  3. [S1303] Kelly Dyer, Manuscript, 2021 p.158 (for place of birth and exact date).
  4. [S558] "Labourers applications for free passage to South Australia - certificates #3361-#9422," , 1838-. Currently held by State Library of Victoria (Latrobe Library), 328 Swanston Street, Melbourne 1 Mar 1839 #4121.
  5. [S1303] Kelly Dyer, Manuscript, 2021 p.158.
  6. [S473] The Pioneers Association of South Australia (http://www.pioneerssa.org.au) Ships arriving 1839 (http://www.pioneerssa.org.au/1839.html).
  7. [S882] Pioneers Association of South Australia Inc (http://www.pioneerssa.org.au/) Early SA History - http://www.pioneerssa.org.au/early_sa_history.html
  8. [S541] The Hertford Mercury and Reformer, Hertford, Hertfordshire, England, 'Emigration from Hertford' 21 Mar 1840 p.3.
  9. [S541] The Hertford Mercury and Reformer, Hertford, Hertfordshire, England, 05 Sep 1837 p.2.
  10. [S1303] Kelly Dyer, Manuscript, 2021 p.159.
  11. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1850 'LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 18 February, p. 2, viewed 12 February, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38442010
  12. [S653] The City of Onkaparinga - Local Studies Online (http://www.onkaparingacity.com/libraries/localstudies/…) http://www.onkaparingacity.com/libraries/localstudies/… (The building is located at 52 Bains Road, Morphett Vale and is now a private house).
  13. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1853 'Advertising.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 2 November, p. 2, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48550415
  14. [S1306] Robert James Randall Donley The Golden Harvest - A History of the Southern Vales 1836-1880 p.362.
  15. [S321] The South Australian Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1861 'Classified Advertising.', The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), 18 October, p. 4, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article878769
  16. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1864 'MORPHETT VALE.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 17 October, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39117921
  17. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1864 'MORPHETT VALE.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 14 November, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39127733
  18. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1865 'MORPHETT VALE.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 6 November, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41023858
  19. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1868 'MORPHETT VALE, November 5.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 9 November, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41397631
  20. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1866 'THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 13 October, p. 2, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41027047
  21. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1867 'MORPHETT VALE.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 19 August, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39192055
  22. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/) http://trees.ancestry.com.au/tree/7853895/person/…
  23. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1872 'Advertising.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 19 March, p. 2, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39261144
  24. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1874 'Advertising.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 13 February, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39814069
  25. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1874 'COUNTRY NEWS.', The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), 7 March, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28728852
  26. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1874 'CRISIS-MONGERING.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 7 March, p. 5, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39820488 (for a longer article).
  27. [S7] South Australia, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages Vol.99 p.(not stated).
  28. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1885 'Advertising.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 8 July, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44948615
  29. [S321] The South Australian Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1886 'Family Notices.', The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), 27 November, p. 4, viewed 23 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37163256
  30. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1886 'PRESIDENT CLEVELAND'S MESSAGE.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 13 February, p. 5, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50184401
  31. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1886 'SUPREME COURT.—CRIMINAL SITTINGS.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 17 February, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50188732
  32. [S321] The South Australian Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1886 'LAW COURTS.', The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), 20 February, p. 6, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36323147
  33. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1886 'LAW AND CRIMINAL COURTS.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 20 February, p. 3, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50183977 ((a similar report)).
  34. [S560] Bain's Cemetery - Register (http://onkaparingacity.com/onka/discover/history_heritage/…) http://dcw.onkaparingacity.com/site/page.cfm?c=10175
  35. [S549] E-mails from Eve Mintern to Tim Hill, 2012- 30 Aug 2012.
  36. [S244] The South Australian Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1887 'SIR SAMUEL DAVENPORT'S RECEPTION.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 5 February, p. 4, viewed 24 August, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46081711
  37. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/) http://trees.ancestry.com.au/tree/7853895/person/…
  38. [S7] South Australia, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages Vol. 150 p.150.
  39. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/) http://trees.ancestry.com.au/tree/7853895/person/…
  40. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/) http://trees.ancestry.com.au/tree/7853895/person/…