Eldest son of Richard Peacock, born in Leeds in 1838. He began his technical training at the family firm around 1854 before being sent to Paris in 1860 to gain further experience at the workshops of E Gouin & Co. In 1885 he returned to work at Beyer, Peacock and succeeded his father as Managing Director of Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd in 1889, and remained a Director until he retired from the company in 1905.