Peake's - The Australian Grocers' Household Diary 1955

Thomas William Peake was born in Rheola, Victoria in 1874. He was educated at Dunnolly, Victoria. He came to W.A. at the turn of the century and spent 14 years as an engine driver on the goldfields. He married Matilda Riedell, who also came from Victoria in 1905. She had come to boulder to join her brother and there met Tom Peake. They were married at Subiaco in 1907.
They started a business in Boulder which it is interesting to note, only closed down in the 1960’s. They traded under the name Peake’s. After leaving Boulder they opened a business in Nannup and then moved to Capel opening a branch there as well as Busselton and later Margaret River and Cowaramup. They also had a store in Jarrahwood.
The Busselton store opened in 1918 on the corner of West and Albert streets in the old Bovell’s store. Sometime later they moved to the old Freemason’s site where they built a store which continued in use until the disastrous fire of 1937, which caused £1300 or $2600 worth of damage, which was a very large sum in those days.
The fire was first noticed by Mr Stan Holgate at 4.45am while he was working in the shop opposite, known as “Coleman and Lyddies”. The alarm was raised and the shops books and safe were saved. The lack of water from the mains prevented the fire being controlled.
Peake’s continued to trade from Barnards shed across the road and a shed behind the burnt-out store. For their 1937 Christmas trade they hired St Mary’s Parish Hall. No doubt there are still people living in Busselton who remember the fire.
The fine new store which was built later, was revolutionary in design and was noted for its lofty ceilings which made for coolness in summer (many would also remember the coolness in the winter months). This new store was designed by Henderson and Gamble and the building contractor was W.F. Dusting. Falkingham’s Barrett’s and Balchin did the shop fittings, and the painting was done by B. Hogg.
The new store was opened in April 1938 and morning tea was served to the customers at the rear of the store. It is interesting to note that in the next weeks local paper, Killerby’s put in an item congratulating Peake’s on their fine new store.
Mr Peake died at the age of 74 years following a stroke. He had been Rectors Warden at St Mary’s for 20 years and took a great interest in all the church affairs. He was a member of the Municipal Council from 1925-1935 and he was also a member of the Busselton Agricultural Society and several other organisations.
After the death of her father, his daughter Wilma and her husband Lance Taylor carried on the business. Mrs Peake continued to take keen interest in the business up to the time of her death in 1961. She was a patron of the Croquet Club and an active member of St Mary’s Guild and a keen gardener. She took many prizes at the Agricultural and Horticultural shows.
Peake’s store closed in April 1967 after 49 years of service to the Busselton people. Mr T.W. Doyle of Margaret River has many memories of his family’s association with Peakes. Early in 1922 his father George Doyle was allocated to Group 12 Group Settlement organisation. He was working as a blacksmith in the Midland Junction Workshops at the time. His children were attending Eden Hill School. When Mr Cooper the Headmaster, heard that the Doyle family were going to an area south of Busselton, he told them to contact his son-in-law Mr Edgar Germain who worked for Mr Peake, which they did. The Doyle’s became staunch customers of Peake’s and when Mr Germain delivered their stores with his T. Model Ford truck, Mrs Doyle always entertained him with a cup of tea and sandwiches. She was the only woman living on Group 12 at the time.
During the winter months the roads became a quagmire, so it was difficult for the trucks to get through. Each time he called, Mrs Doyle when bidding him goodbye would say, “see you next Tuesday”, or whatever day he was expected and Mr Germain would reply, “I’ll be here God willing, weather permitting and engine running”.
The Peake family and Doyle family became great friends and Mr Peake offered Mr Doyle the job of manager at the branch store he was opening in Margaret River, but Mr Doyle refused the offer as he had set his heart on becoming a farmer.
Busselton Historical Society (INC) Newsletter March 1983