William Spence Peter
William Spence Peter | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1818 Perthshire, Scotland |
| Died | 1891-05-23 Ashburton, New Zealand |
| Occupation(s) | Pastoral pioneer, sheep breeder, politician |
| Years active | 1839–1891 |
| Known for | Pastoral pioneering in South Australia and New Zealand; member of the New Zealand Legislative Council (1868–1891) |
William Spence Peter (1818 – 23 May 1891) was an early pastoral pioneer in both South Australia and New Zealand, who also held a seat on the New Zealand Legislative Council from 1868 until 1891.
Early life and arrival in Australia
Born in 1818 in Perthshire, Scotland, Peter—sometimes incorrectly referred to as Peters—arrived in Adelaide, South Australia, in January 1839. He travelled with his brother or cousin Edward Peter aboard the Indus. Shortly after arriving, they relocated to New South Wales where they acquired 12,500 sheep from Icely & Co. By June 1840, they had successfully driven the flock overland from Bathurst to Adelaide. Their sheep, primarily grazed near the River Light, were notably free from scab.
Mid-North of South Australia
The Peters secured pastoral occupation licences throughout the lower Mid North, managing vast unfenced grazing lands tended by itinerant shepherds. Their first main homestead was established in 1840 on the Light River, east of what is now Marrabel. During this time, the nearby landmark Peters Hill was named in their honour. By 1841, W.S. Peter was ranked as the fifth largest sheep owner in South Australia, surpassed only by the South Australian Company.
One of Peter’s drovers, William Roach, acted as store-keeper at the River Light station. Roach became involved in a deadly altercation with an Aboriginal man accused of livestock killing; although charged with manslaughter, he was ultimately acquitted. Roach later worked for C.J.F. Campbell at Hill River before he tragically died in a horse-riding accident in 1845.
Throughout the 1840s, Peter expanded his pastoral interests with several outstations across the Mid-North region, including locations near the future site of the Burra copper mine where shepherd huts were established by 1842. By 1844, he was managing a flock of 10,000 sheep at Emu Lodge (also known as Emu Springs), based at Black Springs on the River Gilbert. Subsequently, he founded Gum Creek Station near Hanson, approximately 16 km southwest of Burra, becoming a key figure within the Manoora district. The prominence of Gum Creek Station later influenced the naming of a pastoral property within the Flinders Ranges.
Eyre Peninsula
In 1842, Peter was part of a group of four pastoralists who joined a volunteer search party led by James Collins Hawker alongside a police contingent under Inspector Tolmer, seeking missing pastoralist Charles Christian Dutton near Port Lincoln. Later in 1846, he entered into partnership with George and Alex Elder, founders of Elders Limited, to establish Warrow Station—a sheep grazing property at Coulta close to Port Lincoln. Peter moved there permanently and was appointed justice of the peace and magistrate; during this time he presided over the inquest into the murder of neighbouring pastoralist James Rigby Beevor.
In 1856, he married Jane Seymour, daughter of prominent pastoralist Henry Seymour from Killanoola station near Naracoorte. Jane’s sister Elizabeth was wed to George Charles Hawker of both Bungaree and Anama Stations, making W.S. Peter his brother-in-law. After marrying, Peter returned to manage Gum Creek and collaborated with the Elder brothers to develop the Booleroo run near what is now known as Booleroo Centre.
By 1861, Gum Creek and Booleroo combined spanned an area of 896 square miles and supported a flock numbering 60,500 sheep. On 28 February that year, both properties along with 27,700 sheep were sold at auction as W.S. Peter decided to relocate permanently to Canterbury, New Zealand to concentrate on stud sheep breeding. He left Adelaide aboard the Oscar in June 1861.
The Moonta Mine leases
On 25 May 1861, shortly before his departure, a significant event occurred involving W.S. Peter’s stock and station agents, Elder, Stirling & Co., who also acted on behalf of Walter Hughes. Hughes had recently acquired Peter’s Gum Creek Station and owned pastoral land near Wallaroo, where copper ore was discovered in 1859, leading to the establishment of Wallaroo Mines. A comparable discovery in May 1861 at what would become the profitable Moonta mines led to conflicting claims. To avoid public frenzy and deflect attention, Elders lodged the initial mineral lease applications under W.S. Peter’s name before transferring them to Hughes and his enterprise. This maneuver caused disputes and legal opposition from other claimants, prompting a State Select Committee investigation led by G.S. Kingston and culminating in an out-of-court agreement.
New Zealand
Peter made his home at Anama, close to Ashburton, where he specialized in breeding merino sheep. The choice of the name Anama reflected his connections to South Australia. The Peter Range located in Canterbury bears his name as a tribute.
As a prosperous sheep farmer, W.S. Peter also held a position as a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council, representing the Canterbury region from 23 June 1868 until his passing.
He passed away on 23 May 1891 at Ashburton Hospital following a short illness. His son, Charles James Peter, wed Violet Sealy, daughter of the surveyor and explorer Edward Sealy, in 1898. Their daughter, Juliet Peter, gained recognition as an accomplished potter.