Nat Gould

William Peake 1752-1788

William Peake was born in 1752, the son of Michael Peake 1709-1770 and his wife née Sarah Smith. He was baptised on 6 August 1752 at St. Mary's church in Stafford.

St. Mary's church in Stafford

William Peake married Mary Mackerness on 16 June 1777 at Tixall in Staffordshire (1). She was the daughter of Edward Mackerness and his wife née Dorothy Perry.

They had the following children, all baptised at St Mary's church in Stafford:

Michael Peake. He was born in 1778 and was baptised on 24 March 1778. In 1805 he married Sarah Hordern at Leek in Staffordshire. He died on 9 October 1831 aged 53 years (2), and was buried on 14 October 1831 at Berkswich in Staffordshire, where there is a gravestone inscribed to his memory.

Ellen Peake. She was born in 1779, and was baptised on 6 August 1779. On 8 August 1803 she was married at Stafford to Thomas Tomkinson of Leek in Staffordshire. He was born on 7 June 1780 at Endon in Staffordshire, and became a tanner by trade.

Mary Peake. She was born in 1780, and was baptised on 16 September 1780. She died on 29 November 1837 aged 57 years. She was buried at Berkswich, where there is a gravestone inscribed to her memory.

Sarah Peake. She was born in 1782, and was baptised on 6 January 1782. She died in 1858 aged 81 years. She was buried on 23 December 1858 at Berkswich, where there is a gravestone inscribed to her memory.

Margaret Peake. She was born at Lammascote, Stafford in 1783, and was baptised on 11 June 1783. On 27 October 1814 she was married at St Mary's church in Stafford to Edmund Gould 1782-1833 of Pilsbury Grange in Hartington parish in Derbyshire. He became the tenant there in 1820 upon the death of his father Richard Gould 1741-1820. He died there on 27 December 1833 aged 51 years, and was buried at Hartington on 3 January 1834. She died at Pilsbury Grange on 8 November 1844, and was buried on 15 November 1844 in Hartington.

Elizabeth Peake. She was born in 1787, and baptised on 30 May 1787.

Their father William Peake died in 1788, and was buried on 11 April 1788 at Berkswich.
His widow Mary Peake died on 28 February 1822 aged 71 years, and was buried on 4 March 1822 at Berkswich, where there is a gravestone inscribed to her memory.

(1) ["Married.] On Monday se'nnight at Tixall, near Stafford. Mr. William Peak [sic], of St. Thomas, to Miss Mackerness, of Stafford, with a Fortune of 10,000l." Derby Mercury 20 June 1777. A se’nnnight or sevennight is a week. "Monday se'nnight" in this report was 16 June 1777. St. Thomas is a place near Stafford, Tixall and Lammascote, not a Stafford parish church.
(2) "DIED. Early on Sunday morning, aged 53, Mr. Michael Peake, of the Lamberscotes, near this town, after a lingering indisposition" Staffordshire Advertiser 15 October 1831. The town would be Stafford.