Basic Biographical Details Name: | (Sir) Samuel Morton Peto | Designation: | | Born: | 4 August 1809(?) | Died: | 13 November 1889 | Bio Notes: | Sir Samuel Morton Peto was born at Woking on 4 August 1809 of a Baptist family, and his architectural work was incidental to his main business as a contractor and as a civil engineer. In 1830, at the age of 21, he inherited from an uncle a half-share holding in the contracting firm of Grissel & Peto, to which he had been apprenticed as a builder. During the period of his partnership in the 1830s and 1840s, the firm was responsible for many major London contracts, including the Reform Club, Nelson's Column and the Houses of Parliament. In 1846 he entered into partnership with Edward Ladd Betts (1815-1892) to concentrate on large-scale harbour and railway contracts both in Britain and overseas - mainly in Canada, Denmark, Russia and Argentina. The London building operations of Grissell & Peto were then sold to Lucas Brothers. Peto then entered politics, being Liberal MP for Norwich 1847-54, for Finsbury 1859-65, and for Bristol 1865-68. He was made a baronet in 1855, but by 1861 Peto & Betts were in financial difficulties in overseas contracts. Peto was obliged to sell his Suffolk estate of Somerleyton, where he had rebuilt the house with the sculptor John Thomas as his architect in 1844-51. Peto & Betts were eventually forced to suspend payment in 1866.
Peto did not seek re-election thereafter, spending his remaining years in complete retirement. He died 13 November 1889. The architect Harold Ainsworth Peto (1854-1933) of Sir Ernest George & Kelsall Peto refounded the family contracting firm as Peto Brothers, which traded between 1872 and 1892. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | London, England | Business | | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Grissel & Peto | c. 1825(?) | Before 1830 | Apprentice | | | Grissel & Peto | 1830 | 1846 or 1847 | Partner | | | Peto & Betts | 1846 or 1847 | 1866 | Partner | |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1839(?) | Nelson's Column | Trafalgar Square | | London | England | Building contractors | | 1840(?) | Houses of Parliament | Westminster | | London | England | Building contractors | | 1844 | Somerleyton | | | Suffolk | England | Rebuilt house, with sculptor John Thomas as his architect | | 1870 | House of Glenmuick with East lodge | Ballater | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | House and 'possibly' (HS) East Lodge |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Bell, S P | 1975 | A Biographical Index of British Engineers in the 19th Century | | New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc. | | | DNB | | Dictionary of National Biography | | | |
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