Country Property
A.E.Gibson and Co. (in conjunction with JIH^uckrcll) report selling by auction on account of the estate of the late Mr J.M.Peck,Wannaeue, a brick villa and land, Pascoevale road, Pascoevale, to Mr A.T.Cook, for L1525.
(P.14, Argus, 28-8-1928.)

John Murray Peck came from New Hampshire, U.S.A. with three other young Yankees, one of whom was Freeman Cobb, in the early years of Victoria's gold rush, and formed a coach company famed in Australia's history. No prizes for guessing its name! His beautifully restored grave can be seen at the Will Will Rook Cemetery (Melway 7 B9) of which a history has recently been completed. As well as the Concord coaches, the names Mascoma, Lebanon and Hiawatha from New Hampshire (of which the Pecks were pioneers) were introduced into our heritage by the family.

Alexander McCracken, the first secretary of the Essendon Football Club and the first president of the V.F.L., was one of his sons in law. J.M.Peck was a vice president of the Essendon Football Club and wore the red and black Sturt's Desert Pea in his lapel to every game. How would I know that? Harry Huntington Peck's MEMOIRS OF A STOCKMAN which records such details about hundreds of Australian pioneers as well as his fearless coach-driving father.

William Allison Blair lived on the site of the Essendon Tech. but was hugely involved in the history of the Mornington Peninsula, establishing a virtual monopoly in the lime production there from the 1860's. His battles with Charles Gavan Duffy to acquire land through selection caused nightmares for the members of the Land Board and according to Sidney Smith Crispo led to a suggestion by him that one parcel of land in dispute between them should be proclaimed as the Village of Sorrento. Blair bought much land south of the Rye township, obtaining the kilns of many limeburners and therefore reducing competition. Blair also bought the land between Elizabeth Avenue and Truemans Rd in Rosebud West. This happened to be in the parish of WANNAEUE.

John Murray Peck became one of Australia's foremost stock and station agents and a renowned cattle salesmen, often selling at Newmarket Saleyards. He built a house at Ascot Vale called Mascoma and Alexander McCracken's mother who lived across Mount Alexander Rd could hear his booming voice from Ailsa (later Mercy college and now a Scientology property.) In 1882, he moved into Lebanon at today's Strathmore whose driveway was Peck Avenue.

John Murray Peck probably had the house, whose site is now occupied by Red Rooster at the east end of the footbridge that takes pedestrians over Pascoe Vale Rd from Peck Avenue, built for his daughter as a wedding present. His son, Harry, built the heritage-listed Hiawatha at the top of Kilburn St and he'd want a nice house for his daughters too. Alexander McCracken's North Park on the south side of Woodland St (now the Columban Mission)was an acceptable home for Margaret so why should Minnie Waters miss out.

BLAIR - PECK.- On the 12th inst., at St. John's Church, Essendon, by the Rev. Alexander Stewart,M.A., William Allison, elder son of W. A. Blair, of Netherlea, Essendon, to Minnie Waters, younger daughter of J. M. Peck, of Lebanon, Pascoevale.(P.1, Argus, 26-4-1888.)

BLAIR.- On the 28th ult., at Wannaeue, Pascoevale,the wife of W. A. Blair, jun., of a son.
(P.1, Argus, 6-2-1889.)

Because a Hugh Peck had land at Mornington in early days, I originally thought that John Murray Peck gave the illegally demolished house its name. That was until I discovered that his daughter had married the lime merchant's namesake son!

Albert Cook was the longtime clerk of the shire of Broadmeadows. The Township of Broadmeadows, now Westmeadows, was the obvious administrative centre for the road board and then the shire because it was surrounded for years by farmland. However the subdivisions started during the land boom of the latter 1880's but thwarted by the 1890's depression were now being populated in areas such as Pascoe Vale and Glenroy. In 1928, a new council building was constructed near the Broadmeadows Station. The new office was too far from the the old shire hall near the West Broadmeadows bridge where Albert had made young Norm Woods part of his family and mentored him as a future shire secretary, which he became, at Keilor, as long-serving and respected as Albert. In any case the old building was probably going to be sold to help pay for the new one.

The Pascoe Vale kids of the 1930's called Albert's house Cook's homestead. Demolition was illegally started (in the 1980's?) but although the City of Broadmeadows responded quickly, the damage was done. A Miss Roberts had at one time owned the land between Wannaeue and the Board Track on the Strathmore High School site; she was most likely related to John Murray Peck's widow, Louisa Ellen (nee Roberts) a native of London.

PECK. - On the 5th July, at her residence,Wannaene, Pascovale, Louisa Ellen, relict of the late J. M. Peck, aged 85 years. (Private interment.) (P.1, Argus, 6-7-1928.)

I deliberately didn't correct the name of the house so that you could understand how the great Sam Merrifield, founder of the Essendon Historical Society gained the impression that the house was called Wanganui. Wannaeue was hardly a household name and was often mangled by the newspapers.

Wannaeue was put up for sale within a month after Louisa's death.

SATURDAY, AUGUST l8.
At Three O'clock. On the Property,
SALE OF VALUABLE BRICK VILLA, WANNAEUE,
AT PASCOEVALE.
WITH SPLENDID BLOCK OF LAND.
IN THE ESTATE OF THE LATE Mr. J. M. PECK.
Wannaeue is an Attractive Brick Villa of Substantial Construction, Occupying a Nice Position
on the Main road, in the Most Progressive Part of Pascoevale, and Within Cooee (220 Yards)
of the Pascoevale Railway Station, which Enjoys a Good Electric Train Service.
The Rooms Are Lofty, Under Slate roof, and Comprise Spacious Dining and Breakfast rooms,
Five Bedrooms, Kitchen, Laundry, Bath, Pantrv, Cupboards, and Cellar; Also Garage, Man's
Room, Feedhouse, Hot-water Service Installed, Electric Light, Telephone, and Sewerage Sys
tem, and Surrounded by Nice Flower and vegetable Gardens, and Fine Old Ornamental Trees.
The Land Has a Grand Frontage of About 360ft to the Main Pascoevale Road, by Irregular Depth,
Culminating In a Picturesque and Fertile Frontage to the Moonee Ponds Creek.
Altogether Wannaeue Represents a Commodious Home with Wholesome and Refined Surround-
ings, and Being for Genuine Sale tor the Purpose of Finalising Trust Matters, Buyers in
Quest of a Home of This Description May Attend the Sale in Confidence.
Title, Certifícate. Terms-One-third Cash, One-third In Twelve Months, and One-third in Two
Years. Interest, 6 Per Cent. Per Annum.
Arrangements Could be Made If a Buyer so wished to run a Cow in Paddocks Adjacent
A.E.GIBSON & CO.,
Auctioneer, 150 Queen Street, Melbourne (Te). Cent S514); and at Glenroy,
In Conjunction With
J. L. FACKRELL,
Estate Agent, Opposite Hallway Station, Pascoevale. Tel. FU6709.
(P.2, Argus, 4-8-1928.)

G6ACIOUS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A SHIRE SECRETARY'S WORTH.
A complimentary social evening was held at the Broadmeadows Shire Hall on the evening of the 12th inst., in
recognition of the 25 years' service rendered as shire secretary by Mr. A.T. Cook, J.P. The gathering was representative of the Broadmeadows and neighbouring councils, the ratepayers of the Shire of Broadmeadows, public bodies and the public generally. The shire hall was packed.

The president of the shire (Or. R.O. Hadfield*, J.P.) presided over the gathering. He spoke with keen appreciation of the assistance he had received at the hands of Mr. Cook,whose close attention to duty was very
striking, Mr. Cook had not missed a council meeting during the 25 years he had been in the employment of the
council. Cr. W. H. Poole, J.P., who for 23 years had been a member of the council, spoke in feeling terms of the excellent service rendered by Mr. Cook. Cr. A. F. Showers, of Essendon, the president of the Progress Association, and several others spoke in similar terms, after which the president made a presentation of a clock and a wallet of notes, to Mr. and Mrs. Cook.
(P.2, Wodonga and Towong Sentinel, 22-12-1933.)
*John Pascoe Fawkner's "Box Forest" was renamed in honour of Rupert Hadfield, not the supposed reason given on the website Australia for Everyone; Place Names.