Peach's Farm (Carbonear)
Sitting on some of best farmland around Carbonear, Peach's Farm, also known as Soper's Farm, has been an institution in the area since the early 1830s.
Robert Pack, who was one of the most respected and wealthiest merchants in Carbonear, originally owned the area now known as Soper's Farm. Pack was born in Poole, England, in 1785 and at an early age became a Dorsetshire merchant. Sometime after, he moved to Newfoundland and formed a partnership, Pack and Blackner, that operated out of Bay Roberts.
Pack continued to run his business out of Newfoundland for most of his life, either with business partners or on his own. During this time the firm managed to get a Crown Grant of land. While nobody knows the exact date Pack built his house, it is thought to be between 1830 and 1833. As early as 1835, he began to cultivate the land for farming and the area quickly gained a reputation as the best farmland around Carbonear.
Pack died in 1860 at age 75. At the time of his death, he was one of the most important and respected figures in Carbonear. He was twice elected to the Newfoundland Legislature and was known for his generosity, especially to local schools and churches. In fact, the farm was the frequent site of Sunday School picnics.
After his death other members of his family briefly owned the property before it was sold to Rev. John S. Peach, the minister of the old Methodist church in Carbonear.
After Peach's death in 1891, the property was taken over by his son, James, who owned the land until his death in 1933, when it was then taken over by his daughter, Grace Peach, who married George Soper. The Peach family still owns the building and the surrounding area.
The building is of wooden construction and is a two-storeyed dwelling with a cottage-type roof. It also has Georgian features and has been altered little since it was first built. The only significant change was the addition of a linhay that was added sometime after 1867 by Rev. Peach. The house is on a flat, rolling piece of agricultural land situated on high ground. It is also a significant landmark that can be seen from almost anywhere in Carbonear and from the sea.
Peach's Farm was recognised as a Registered Heritage Structure in December 1985.
Also view the Rural Retreat (Peach's Farm) Registered Heritage Structure on the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador web site. The Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web Site has on its site only a portion of the registered heritage structures in Newfoundland and Labrador. To view a complete list or search for a particular structure visit the Heritage Foundation's Property Search page.
