Former
Speakers

Sir Alexander James Peacock
1861-1933
Speaker: 1928-1933
Legislative Assembly: 1889-1933

Like several of his predecessors, Peacock became Speaker at the end of a long and distinguished political career. He was born in Creswick and maintained his association with the area throughout his life.

In his early years he was a teacher in Creswick and spent some time in Melbourne before returning to work in the office of one of the biggest legal mining managers in Creswick. He later established his own office with branches in Creswick, Ballarat and Melbourne.

Peacock was prominent in the Australian Natives' Association in the 1880s, and this experience served him well when he contested and won the Legislative Assembly seat of Clunes and Allendale in 1889. He held this seat until 1904, and Allendale from 1904 to 1933. He was a Minister Without Portfolio between 1890 and 1892, and Minister for Public Instruction in 1892-93 and 1894-99. It was, however, in his capacity as Chief Secretary between 1894 and 1899 that he made his name by introducing anti-sweating legislation in the form of the Factories and Shops Act 1895. In 1897 Peacock was a delegate to the Federal Convention.

Early in 1901 Peacock married Millie Gertrude Holden. He was then Chief Secretary and Minister for Labour in the second Turner Ministry, and when Sir George Turner resigned to enter Federal Parliament he formed the first of his own three ministries. The first Peacock ministry remained in office for sixteen months, and the next was between 1914 and 1917. In the intervening years, Peacock was Chief Secretary and Minister of Labour in 1907-08, and Minister of Labour and Minister of Public Instruction in 1913-14.

After the 1917 election Peacock was in opposition until 1920, when he became Minister of Forests, Labour and Public Instruction. He retained those portfolios until 1924, when he once again became Premier at short time.

His ministry was replaced by the first effective Labor government under Prendergast, which itself was in office for only five months, and in November 1924 Peacock returned to government as the Minister of Public Instruction and the Minister of Labour. In 1928 he was elected Speaker, and remained in the position until his death in Creswick. He was survived by his wife, who then held his seat for two years, the remainder of his term.

Peacock was a popular figure, known as 'the laughing premier' because of his loud and infectious laugh and his funeral was a major event in Creswick.