W.C. Peacock and Company

[hawaiiandigger]

I got in touch with one of the relatives of W.C. Peacock. I asked him what the W.C. stands for. Here is his reply. His name is Joe and he is looking for any Peacock items.
Hi, The WC stands for Walter Chamberlain Peacock. Walter started in the Hawaii liquor business with George Freeth in 1881. George's son is known as the father of California surfing as he was one of the first to surf here. After a few years George Freeth went on his own and Walter started WC peacock & Co. He and his brother Corbet Alfred Peacock (my great grandfather) ran the stores and bars. Walter built the Royal Saloon at the intersection of Nuuanu Avenue and Merchant Street. It is now Murphy's Bar & Grill but the building is considered a Honolulu landmark. Walter owned a very large home on Waikiki beach and eventually built the Moana Hotel by moving his house back a bit and putting the hotel in front. Walter planted the famous Banyan tree there. My grandfather's pet dog was buried under it ~1904. There were not enough tourism to handle the many hotel rooms on the island and much money was lost on the Moana Hotel and many other hotels until decades later.

 

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[hawaiiandigger]

Hi Mike,

Sounds like I am connected to the right guy. At the moment I am interested in anything W.C. Peacock. If there are 8 variations I would love to have them all. I currently have one gin and one brown whisky bottle. I have seen them listed for a wide range in price. I am not so much into what is rare as I want a piece of my family history that is at the moment lost. By this I mean they are all worth pretty much the same to me. If "A" was worth 10X the cost of "B" I would rather have ten of "B". If you have any for sale I am interested in hearing about all of them with their cost even if you have duplicates. I am OK with saving ebay fees as well. Also, can you tell me how to find out more about these?

joehanke@sbcglobal.net

 

[808kaz]

Hawaiiandigger, that's some very interesting facts, never knew what the W.C. in Peacock stand for, thanks for the information, I rather keep my Peacock artifacts though...By the way how you guys do in the water? I stay in one digging drought, last 4 times, small kine stuffs, keepers but nothing to be excited about....
Day-off today, decided to take a rest, the mind say go... But the body say rest... Good idea I stay kinda burnt out, not like before, getting older, the body taking longer to recover...Resume digging next week...
ALOHA 808KAZ

 

[hawaiiandigger]

We only found two half pint milks one Dairymens and one Aiea Dairy. Lots of bottles out of Mgrew point, probably around 200 out from the water, was fun but mostly newer stuff.
Was cool digging with the boys and Uncle Ling had a good time.
You going rest cause you get weak sauce?

 

[808kaz]

Hawaiiandigger, Good one 808Kaz

 

[hawaiiandigger]

Hi Mike,

I bought two caps so far but I am not clear from who as they used EBay names.

My grandfather told me when he was a school kid he helped fill gin bottles. Peacock sold 3 grades of gin increasing in price. Many bought the most expensive kind. However, in the back room all the gin came out of the same barrel. That is why I suspect there was a paper label of sorts even though I have never seen one. WC Peacock & Co. closed down with the 1915 Hawaiian prohibition. That included the import business and several saloons. Peacock owned and operated many saloons and had at least 3 saloons at the same time. The photo shows a coin that would get you beer at any of the three. If you are aware of any of these coins I would love to hear about it. WC Peacock built the Royal Saloon building. Wth prohibition my grandfather leased it out in 1916 for general business and selling it in the mid 1920s. It is now an historic building and a bar operated as Murphy's. WC died in 1909. After leaving Hawaii in 1917 my Grandfather CA Peacock had a very fancy
bar in San Francisco for a period but it closed after a few years. He lived in a large house in Berkeley until his death in 1942. I have seen several Peacock bar items like a cork screw but I do not have any nor does anyone in my family. Any real Peacock & Co items would have to be produced before 1915. I believe when they re-built the Moana Hotel they re-created the name WC Peacock & Co as the restaurant. My mother gave them many family items including an entire Tea service that sailed around the horn from England. A few are on display but many "disappeared".

Sincerely,

Joe Hanke

 

[Da Sand Crab]

Priceless information. Thanks for posting.

 

[808kaz]

2 Merchant St, Honolulu, HI 96813