Ponsonby Peacocke
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Captain Stephen Ponsonby Peacocke (1813 – 29 May 1872) was a British officer of the
Bombay Army The Bombay Army was the army of the Bombay Presidency, one of the three presidencies of Presidencies and provinces of British India, British India. It was established in 1662 and governed by the East India Company until the Government of India A ...
and an artist notable for his 17 paintings of historic
landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...
views in the
Nilgiri Hills The Nilgiri Mountains form part of the Western Ghats in northwestern Tamil Nadu, Southern Karnataka, and eastern Kerala in India. They are located at the trijunction of three states and connect the Western Ghats with the Eastern Ghats. At le ...
in
South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
. Tinted
lithograph Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German a ...
s were made of these views and published in imperial folio in London by the lithographer Paul Gauci in 1847. Peacocke's lithographs reflect the romantic escape to a temperate hilly area that all
British people British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs mo ...
in the plains yearned for in those days. His career culminated as a member of the
New Zealand Legislative Council The New Zealand Legislative Council was the upper house of the General Assembly of New Zealand between 1853 and 1951. An earlier arrangement of legislative councils for the colony and provinces existed from 1841 when New Zealand became a co ...
from 1866 until his death in 1872.


Family

Captain Peacocke's parents, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Peacocke Sr. of the
Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army traditionally raised in the English county of Kent and garrisoned at Canterbury. It had a history dating back to 1572 and ...
(3rd Foot) and Louisa Tottenham Peacocke, were married at
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
, Somerset, in the west of England, on 11 June 1808. There is a fine miniature portrait of Stephen Peacocke Sr., ''c.'' 1800, by
George Chinnery George Chinnery (; 5 January 1774 – 30 May 1852) was an English painter who spent most of his life in Asia, especially India and southern China. Early life Chinnery was born in London, where he studied at the Royal Academy Schools. ...
. There is a love note from Louisa to Stephen in the back of the miniature:
"My beloved, my adored, Stephen, my idolised and matchless husband, married 11 June 1808. Louisa Peacocke"
Their eldest child, Stephen Ponsonby Peacocke Jr., the artist, was born in 1813. He was known by his middle name. Their second son, Eliott Tottenham Peacocke, was at
Tonbridge School (God Giveth the Increase) , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent day and boarding , religion = , president = , head_label ...
1832–33, joined the 1st Bombay Native Infantry in 1837, was promoted to captain in the 1st Grenadiers Regiment in India in 1847 as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General of the Army, and died in Bombay aged 38 on 13 July 1854. There was/is supposedly a monument there erected to his memory by his fellow officers. In 1837, Stephen Ponsonby Peacocke Jr. and Isabella Anne Louisa Brydges born 1815, the daughter of a baronet, were married, probably while he was on leave in England. Stephen and Isabella Peacocke had four sons and two daughters and at least ten grandchildren. Three of the sons and one daughter were residents of Auckland, and the fourth son settled in
New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...
. They are: :*1. Georgina Elizabeth Emma Peacocke, of Devonport, New Zealand, born c.1844, Poet, author of a book of verse, ''Rays from the Southern Cross'', died 14 May 1892, at Devonport, NZ. :*2. John FitzRoy Beresford Peacocke, of
Remuera Remuera is an affluent inner city suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located four kilometres southeast of the city centre. Remuera is characterised by many large houses, often Edwardian or mid 20th century. A prime example of a "leafy" sub ...
, New Zealand, Born
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, ''c.'' 1847, married about 1876 at Auckland at the age of 29 to Florence Pilling, lived in New Zealand sixty years, no known occupation, died 11 June 1917 aged seventy at Woolton Road, Remuera, NZ, buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Howick. Male issue living - aged 36, 33, 28, 26. Female issue living - aged 40, 38, 34, 30. ::1. Hilary m 1st Evelyn Wood 2nd Edna. ::2. Cyril Loftus DeQuincey Peacocke killed in action WW I. ::3. Noel Peacocke. ::4. Muriel Charlotte Anne Peacocke, born 1881. ::5. Egerton Francis Joseph Peacocke, born 1880, died 1960. ::6. Blanch Louisa Peacocke. ::7. Frederica Isabel Peacocke, born 1878. ::8. Paul Peacocke died in infancy. ::9. Florence Blanche Mary Peacocke, born 1876. ::10. ? Madge :*3. Gerald Loftus Torin Peacocke, a
Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
-born English barrister, later editor of the ''New Zealand Farmer''. ::1. Inez Isabel Maud Peacocke, born 31 January 1881, a teacher, novelist, broadcaster and poet, married George Edward Cluett on 30 June 1920 in the Holy Trinity Parish Church of Devonport, died childless 1973. :*4. Reginald Thomas Stephen Peacocke b 1854, went to Australia and married Elizabeth Crook. :*5. Ponsonby John Raleigh Peacocke. :*6. Ines Eva Isabel Peacocke, married Thomas Lindesay, of
Howick, New Zealand Howick is an eastern suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, forming part of what is sometimes called East Auckland. Modern Howick draws much of its character from the succeeding waves of Asian settlement that it has experienced since New Zealand’s ...
.


Career

Peacocke joined the
King's Own Scottish Borderers The King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSBs) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. On 28 March 2006 the regiment was amalgamated with the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own ...
(25th Foot)
infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
regiment as an
ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
on 25 October 1833. He was in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in the 1830s with his regiment and was in Ootacamund convalescing from an illness for some time during this period. He was promoted to
Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
on 15 September 1837 and
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
23 August. 1839. In October 1842, Capt. Peacock was furloughed for 3 months to Bombay. In April 1843 he was furloughed to England for nine months for the purpose of effecting an exchange or retiring, either on half-pay or by the sale of his commission. By 1851 he was with the 59th Foot and on 11 November 1851 received a
brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...
promotion to
Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
. On the same day he appears on the list of Majors who have retired by sale, by commutation, with a gratuity or by surrender of half pay, not in the reserve. In 1854–55, he appears on the retired list.Mildred Archer and Ronald Lightbown, ''India Observed: India as viewed by British artists 1760-1860''. (London 1982), Alpine Fine Arts Collection (1984) ,


Artworks

In the early days, only about 15 years after the founding of
Ootacamund Ooty (), officially known as Udhagamandalam (also known as Ootacamund (); abbreviated as Udhagai), is a city and a municipality in the Nilgiris district of the South Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu. It is located ...
, Captain Peacocke created 17 drawings of historic landscape views in the Nilgiri Hills during a medical leave spent at Ootacamund in the late 1830s. His lithographs reflect the romantic escape to a temperate hilly area that all
British people British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs mo ...
in the plains yearned for in those days. It was a home away from home. Furlough was usually only every five years or so but there was the nearby refuge of the cool climate of the Indian hills to seek, especially Ooty with its downs,
primula ''Primula'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. They include the primrose ('' P. vulgaris''), a familiar wildflower of banks and verges. Other common species are '' P. auricula'' (auricula), '' P. veris'' (cow ...
s and strawberries growing wild. In May 1847, the imperial folio ''Koondah Ranges, Western Ghauts, Madras, at & about the Stations of Ootacamund and Conoor, and the Segoor, Koondah and Conoor Passes'', with vignette title page and sixteen large ( x ) plates after Peacocke was executed in the best style of tinted lithography printed on
card stock Card stock, also called cover stock and pasteboard, is paper that is thicker and more durable than normal writing and printing paper, but thinner and more flexible than other forms of paperboard. Card stock is often used for business cards, ...
, with added hand colouring, in contemporary half
morocco leather Morocco leather (also known as Levant, the French Maroquin, or German Saffian from Safi, Morocco, Safi, a Moroccan town famous for leather) is a Vegetable tanning, vegetable-tanned leather known for its softness, pliability, and ability to take c ...
binding with gilt
spine Spine or spinal may refer to: Science Biology * Vertebral column, also known as the backbone * Dendritic spine, a small membranous protrusion from a neuron's dendrite * Thorns, spines, and prickles, needle-like structures in plants * Spine (zoolog ...
for the price of £2, 12 s. 6 p. The set was published by the lithographer, Paul Gauci, 9 North Crescent,
Bedford Square Bedford Square is a garden square in the Bloomsbury district of the Borough of Camden in London, England. History Built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area, the square has had many distinguished residents, inclu ...
, London. There are three notable features in all the Peacocke drawings. First, the play of sunlight in the background of these landscapes is realistic and supplies the title ''the Sunlit Hillscapes'' to this series. The soft but brilliant glow of light in the South Indian hills is beautifully captured by the artist in each of the drawings. Second, the
graphical perspective Linear or point-projection perspective (from la, perspicere 'to see through') is one of two types of graphical projection perspective in the graphic arts; the other is parallel projection. Linear perspective is an approximate representation, ...
in his topographic representations is very lifelike. The elevations and distant houses are all in proportion and scale. The distant views, with scale and depth, give drama to Peacocke's landscapes. Third is attention to detail away from the central focus of the work. For example, in ''View in the Hills, Hullikkul'', one can see that the hills to top left are dotted about with houses, not apparent on a cursory glance, all perfectly positioned, topographically, and in perspective. Capt. Peacocke was trained in surveying in the Army and used this training to good effect in his Neilgherry views. Other than their 1847 publication, the lithographs are undated and the sequence of the original paintings is unknown. In an advertisement in ''Allen's Indian Mail'' the lithographs are listed in the following order: :1. Vignette title-page, with a ''view of a halting place between Avalanche and Sispara.'' (This may be
Bangitappal Bangitappal (Cannabis tableland), is a valley in the southwest end of Mukurthi National Park located at: , elevation: at the confluence of two streams at the head of the Sispara Pass in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu South India South ...
.) :2. ''General View of Ootacamund.'' :3. ''Avalanche.'' :4. ''View amongst the Hills, near Hullikul.'' :5. ''Bearer's godown at the Avalanche'' :6. ''Toda Mund and Todas Ootacamund'' :7. ''View from the Upper Bungalow, Conoor'' :8. ''View over the Native Village, Conoor.'' :9. ''View near Hullikul with the Koondah Range and Peak'' :10. ''View of Conoor from the Oota Road'' :11. ''Traveller's Bungallow, Sispara.'' :12. ''View in the Koondhas, near Sispara.'' :13. ''Mr. Grove's House, Waterfall Kaitee.'' :14. ''Road Cut between Ootacamund and Conoor'' :15. ''View of the Low Country Conoor Pass.'' :16. ''Waterfall near Bungallow.'' :17. ''View at Ootacamuud, Nilligierries.''


Gallery of lithographs

The following gallery of Peacocke's landscape lithographs is ordered geographically from ''the Low Country & Coonoor Pass'', up through ''General View of Ootacamund'' and continuing west up along the Sispara Ghat road past ''Avalanche'' and culminating in the most dramatic geography in the Nilgiri Hills; ''View in the Koondahs, near Sispara''. Image:Peacocke-View of the Low Country & Coonoor Pass -.jpg, (*) A View of the Low Country &
Coonoor Coonoor, natively spelt as Kunnur (), is a Taluk and a municipality of the Nilgiris district in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 45,494. Demographics According to 2011 census, Coonoor had a population ...
Pass File:Peacocke-View of Coonoor from the Ootah Road.jpg, (*) View of Coonoor from the Ootah Road File:Peacocke-View of the Upper Bungalow, Coonoor -.jpg, (*) View from the Upper Bungalow, Coonoor File:Peacocke-View near Hullikul, Koondah -.jpg, (*) View Near Hullikul, Koondahs File:Peacocke-View in the Hills, Hullikkul.jpg, (*) View in the Hills, Hullikkul File:Peacocke-Roadcut Between Coonoor & Ootacamund.jpg, Roadcut Between Coonoor &
Ootacamund Ooty (), officially known as Udhagamandalam (also known as Ootacamund (); abbreviated as Udhagai), is a city and a municipality in the Nilgiris district of the South Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu. It is located ...
File:Peacocke-View Over the Native Village, Coonoor, Looking Towards Ootacamund.jpg, View Over the Native Village, Coonoor, Looking Towards Ootacamund File:Peacocke-View at Ootacamund Neilgherries, Govt House.jpg, Government House View at Ootacamund, Neilgherries File:Peacocke-General view of Ootacamund.jpg, General View of Ootacamund File:Peacocke,Waterfall From Bungalow at Colhutty, Segoor pass.jpg, Waterfall from Bungalow at Colhutty, Segoor pass File:Peacocke-Mr Grove's House, Waterfall, Kaitie.jpg, Mr Grove's House, Waterfall, Kaitie File:Peacocke,Todas & Toda Munds (Habitations) -.jpg, (*) Todas Munds (Huts) &
Toda people Toda people are a Dravidian ethnic group who live in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu. Before the 18th century and British colonisation, the Toda coexisted locally with other ethnic communities, including the Kota, Badaga and Kurumba, in a ...
File:Peacocke-Bearers godown at the Avalanche.jpg, (*) Bearers godown at the Avalanche File:Peacocke-Avalanche.jpg, (*) The Avalanche File:Peacocke-Travellers Bungalow, Sispara.jpg, (*) Travellers' Bungalow, Sispara File:Peacocke-View in the Koondahs, near Sispara.jpg, View in the Koondahs, near
Sispara Sispara , സിസ്പാര (Sisapara, Sisparra, Sisparah, Su:spore), a proper noun, is a combination of the Badaga language words ''si:su'' + ''pore''; meaning: magnetite bearing rock + gorge. It may refer to: * Sispara peak, a large hill ...
An entire set of 16, tinted and uncoloured, are part of the Raj Bhavan art collection in Ooty. In June 1996, a partial set of 14 plates was sold by
Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...
at auction for £863 ($1,335). The lithos of Peacocke are not in ''Travel in Aquatint & Lithography'' by the late Maj.
John Roland Abbey Major John Roland Abbey (23 November 1894 – 24 December 1969) was an English book collector and high sheriff. Early life He was the eldest of three sons of William Henry Abbey, a brewer, and was named John Rowland before dropping the 'w'. ...
. (*) On 19–31 August 2009 nine of these lithographs, from the private collection of V. Narayan Swami, were displayed in the exhibition of rare, unique and never-before-seen etchings, engravings & aquatints: "Madras: From the City to the Presidency" at the Vennirul Art Gallery, C.P. Art Centre by the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.


Later life

After a period in
Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
, the Peacockes immigrated to New Zealand from England in 1858 and founded a strong and continuing lineage in New Zealand and Australia. After a short stay in the province of
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...
they moved to Auckland in 1859. By 1860, Peacocke had bought some land near the Pensioner Settlement of Howick,
East Tāmaki East Tāmaki is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is a largely industrial area adjacent to a rapidly growing population. Prior to the 1960s it was largely a dairy farming area. A landmark is Smales Mountain which in 2010 has the remains of ...
, and remained settled there for the rest of his life. In 1860–1861 he was on the
Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
jury list as a retired field officer living at East Tāmaki. When the
New Zealand Wars The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. They were previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the M ...
broke out in the
Waikato Waikato () is a Regions of New Zealand, local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City ...
, Major Peacocke, as an ex-military officer, offered his services to the Government. He was given the rank of
Lt. Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the army, armies, most Marine (armed services), marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use t ...
and command of the 3rd battalion of the Auckland Militia, during the
Invasion of the Waikato The Invasion of the Waikato became the largest and most important campaign of the 19th-century New Zealand Wars. Hostilities took place in the North Island of New Zealand between the military forces of the colonial government and a federation ...
. He commanded the district extending from Wairoa South to Otahuhu, a line which at the beginning of the war was practically "the front", defended by Galloway's and St. John's redoubts. After the war, in 1865, Colonel Peacocke (or Ponsonby as he was called) turned his attention to politics. He represented the Pensioner Settlements electorate on the
Auckland Provincial Council The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. Area The province covered roughly half of the North Island of New Zealand. It was the largest of the six initial provinces, both ...
from 2 November 1865 to 7 September 1869. He was a member of the provincial executive council in May 1867. He was called to the Legislative Council on 8 May 1866 and attended several sessions of
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
in Wellington, where he became known as a polished and effective speaker. He served as Commissioner of Crown Lands between 1867 and 1868. He continued to be a member of the Legislative Council, but his membership lapsed due to non-attendance and his final date of membership is the same as his death date. Isabella Peacocke died on 12 March 1872 and Stephen Peacocke died just over two months later at Howick on 29 May 1872. They are both buried in All Saints Churchyard, Howick, New Zealand. The headstone over their grave reads: "In death they were not divided".


Notes


References

* * * *


External sources


Ponsonby and Peacocke, Genealogy Message Board
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peacocke, Stephen Ponsonby 19th-century English painters English male painters English lithographers 1813 births 1872 deaths King's Own Scottish Borderers officers 59th Regiment of Foot officers Members of the Auckland Provincial Council Members of Auckland provincial executive councils 19th-century New Zealand painters 19th-century New Zealand male artists 19th-century New Zealand politicians 19th-century English male artists