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- WILLIAM PECK was born about 1794 in New South Wales. There is no record of his birth or baptism. In March 1817 William was convicted for associating with bushrangers, and was set to prison in Hobart. A few days later he escaped, and remained on the run until August when it was reported that he gave himself up at Port Dalrymple. During this period a reward of 20 Guineas was offered for information leading to his capture.
One of his bushranger associates was Michael Howe, who many compared to Dick Turpin and Robin Hood, robbing the rich and helping the poor. Howe had served in the Yorkshire Army as a soldier. After some years of training, he deserted and was then caught robbing a stage coach on the King's Highway.
William Peck reappeared in Van DiemenÂ’s Land in 1820, but by 1821 was in trouble again, having been tried and convicted along with his father and 2 brothers of stealing sheep and was sentenced to Newcastle for a period of 14 years.
In 1822 William escaped from Newcastle and upon recapture was sent to Macquarie Harbour, where his brother John was to be later sentenced in 1824 for receiving stolen sheep.
On 14th January 1858 the Cornwall Chronicle newspaper reported that a William Peck, a former resident of Evandale and a licensed victualler at the Victoria Diggings committed suicide by taking strychnine in a glass of gin.
In one of his books, Karl von Steiglitz, a Launceston historian, says that this William is the son of Joshua junior. This is not possible, but he could have been the son of Joshua senior. The William who died by his own hand in 1858 was reported as being 50 years old. It is more likely that it was actually James Peck given the age tallies with James' date of birth and that the death and inquest were both recorded as James Peck.
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