Peacock Fountain facts for kids

The beautiful Peacock Fountain in 2008.

The Peacock Fountain is a famous and colourful fountain located in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was bought with money left by a kind man named John Thomas Peacock. He was a successful businessman and politician who wanted to make Christchurch more beautiful. The fountain was first shown to the public in 1911. Over the years, it moved to different spots and was even stored away for a long time. After a big repair job that cost $270,000, it was brought back to life in 1996. Today, it's a popular spot for tourists to visit and take photos.

The Story of John Thomas Peacock

A close-up look at the Peacock Fountain.

John Thomas Peacock was born in 1827 and passed away in 1905. He came to Lyttelton with his family in 1844. This was very early in New Zealand's history, even before the main group of settlers arrived in 1850. John Peacock became a very successful merchant, which means he bought and sold goods. He even owned several ships! He was so good at business that he was able to retire when he was only 37 years old.

John Peacock also cared a lot about his community. He was a politician, which means he helped make decisions for the city. He was also a philanthropist, someone who gives money to help others.

The Fountain's Journey

John Thomas Peacock left a large sum of money to the Christchurch Beautifying Association. He wanted them to use it to make the city's parks and gardens look nicer, and to improve the Avon River. The idea for a special fountain came from this gift.

The fountain itself was made in England at a place called the Coalbrookdale Iron Works. It was built from many different pieces that were put together. When it was finished, it had a special message carved into it:

Erected by the Christchurch Beautifying Association from funds bequeathed by the late Hon. J. T. Peacock.

First Home and Early Troubles

The Peacock Fountain in its first location.

The Peacock Fountain was first shown to the public in June 1911. Right from the start, some people had strong opinions about it. It was placed in the Botanic Gardens, near where the Robert McDougall Art Gallery is now. A few years later, it was moved to a different spot called the Archery lawn.

Some people thought the fountain was too fancy or "gaudy." One art expert even said it looked like something from a fairground!

From Storage to Restoration

The Peacock Fountain in its second location.

Over time, the fountain had many problems and needed a lot of repairs. Because of this, in 1949, the city decided to take it apart. All its pieces were put into storage. In the 1980s, the parts were moved to Ferrymead Historic Park.

Many of the fountain's 309 cast iron pieces went missing or got damaged while in storage. So, when the decision was made to bring it back, 158 of the pieces had to be made again!

The fountain was carefully put back together and given a new, bright colour scheme. This new look also caused some discussion, with some people still finding it very bold! The restored fountain was officially opened again on 26 May 1996. It was placed in its third and current location, south of the Canterbury Museum. The whole project to fix and restore the fountain cost $270,000.

See also

In Spanish: Fuente Peacock para niños