John Thomas Peacock MLC JP (1827 – 20 October 1905) was a New Zealand businessman, philanthropist and politician.

Settlement organised by the Canterbury Association started in December 1850, so the Peacocks were in the colony at an early stage.

It is said about him that "he could be seen at Lyttelton ... at 6 am on a frosty morning, knee deep in the water loading a boat with sacks of potatoes for shipment by his brig which lay at anchor some distance away.

Janey's husband was unfaithful and violent and their marriage was dissolved exactly ten years later.

He had Peacock's Wharf built, the first substantial place for landing a boat in Lyttelton.

By buying the plant for the Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company, he enabled the success of this industry for the region.

[1] Peacock was elected unopposed to Parliament at a 2 November 1868 by-election in the Lyttelton electorate[11] and took the oath and his seat on 11 June 1869.

[13][14] In early April 1873, Peacock was promoted to the New Zealand Legislative Council (the upper house).

[18] Peacock was a member of the Legislative Council until his death, although in 1877 he had been reappointed after Disqualification by inadvertence.

Brown was from Pennsylvania and owned land north of the Waimakariri River inland from Kaiapoi, which he gave the Cherokee name of ‘Swannanoa’.

[21] Henry Richard Webb (1829–1901), who succeeded Peacock in the Lyttelton electorate, was two years his junior and had also attended Sydney College.

[21] Peacock's wife died suddenly and unexpectedly on 19 August 1894 at their residence, aged 59.

[2] The Peacock Mausoleum in the Linwood Cemetery still exists (Block 32 Plot 135–144) but has fallen into dereliction.

[34] Captain Joseph Thomas built the first jetty at Lyttelton, in time for the arrival of the First Four Ships in December 1850.

[3] Hawkesbury Avenue was named after the New South Wales birth district of Peacock.

[37] Peacocks Gallop is a reserve in Sumner on reclaimed land between the former tram line (now Main Road) and some high cliffs.

Peacock's father John Jenkins, when he rode by horse from Lyttelton to Sumner via Evans Pass, is said to have always been afraid of falling rocks, so he galloped along the base of the cliff.