PEEK, Arthur George
Arthur George Peek was born at 17 May Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk on 30 April 1911, son of Ernest Frederick Peek (17 November 1881-1973), a sea fisherman, and his wife Ethel Maud née Saunders (21 October 1881-1959), who married at Lowestoft in 1901. In 1911, Arthur was a newly born, living at 17 May Road, Lowestoft with his 29-year-old mother Ethel Maud, and siblings Ernest William 8, John Frederick 4 and Ethel Maud 2, all born at Lowestoft and in 1921 were still living at 17 May Road with further children, Arthur 10, Frank 8, George 6, Edna Mary 2 and newly born Harry Edward, Ethel's husband was at sea. By 1939 they were living at 26 Ipswich Road, Lowestoft. Arthur married at Lowestoft in 1937, Ada Jane Corbyn (7 March 1917-1987) and in 1939, a 'fisherman & weekly painter', living at 12 Milton Road, Lowestoft with his wife Ada and his mother-in-law Emma J. Corbyn (4 January 1884-1961). The fishing industry was in decline along the stretch of the Norfolk and Suffolk coast by the time of the Second World War. Tourists were taking over, moving in to enjoy the air, the newly built promenades, the frequent train connections with London. They took photographs of the fishermen lolling against their boats: high Cossack hats, tight Guernsey sweaters, heavy thigh boots with metal cleats. But, like many others, with not enough money to live they indulged in painting boats and their surroundings, selling them to eke out their weekly wages and Peek was both a fisherman and painter. He died in the Waveney district of Suffolk in 1976.