Ernest Leslie Peake

Ernest Leslie Peake
JP
Peake in 1954
Chairman of the Central Provident Fund Board
In office
28 January 1954 (1954-01-28) – 1 July 1957 (1957-07-01)
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byRobert Charles Kendall
Personal details
Born(1905-03-23)23 March 1905
Hengchow, China
Died3 July 1978(1978-07-03) (aged 73)
Sussex, England
SpouseRuth Van Alstine (m. 1934)
Children2
Alma materEltham College
Chefoo School
NicknameLonnie

Ernest Leslie Peake JP (23 March 1905 – 3 July 1978) was a chartered accountant and the first chairman of the Central Provident Fund Board, after the scheme officially started.

Peake was the chairman of Fraser and Neave[1][2] and Children's Aid Society Singapore (1955–1957).[3][4] He also served as a director for United Engineers and Malayan Breweries.[5][6]

Early life and education

On 23 March 1905, Peake was born in Hengchow, China. His father, Ernest Cromwell Peake, was a medical missionary doctor with the London Missionary Society, and his mother, Amanda Elizabeth Powell, had come to China as a missionary assistant. His younger brother, Mervyn Peake, was an author and illustrator.[7][8][9]

In July 1905, his mother experienced gynaecological complications,[10] and underwent an operation in Hengchow. However, the operation failed to fix the complications, and his family moved to England in October 1905 to seek treatment. In January 1907, the family moved back to Hengchow.[7][8]

Peake received his early education in Kuling. In May 1914, Peake and his family moved to Mottingham, London, while his father attended the University of Edinburgh to complete a Doctor of Medicine. During this period, Peake attended Eltham College. In October 1916, Peake and his family moved to Tientsin—a journey that took two months due to World War I.[10] They sailed on Kashima Maru via the Cape of Good Hope. Peake was sent to Chefoo School, a boarding school nearly 800 km (500 mi) away.[7][8][11]

In 1921, Peake went back to study at Eltham College, and in January 1923, his family moved back to Mottingham.[7][8]

Career

In 1929, Peake became a chartered accountant,[11][12] and he worked in the Kuala Lumpur branch of Evatt & Company, an accounting firm.[13][14][15] Later, he was transferred to the Malacca branch of the firm.[16] Peake was also appointed as a liquidator for some rubber estates in Singapore.[17][18][19]

In June 1946, Peake returned to Malacca with his wife, and was appointed as the branch manager.[7][20]

On 28 January 1954, Peake was appointed as the inaugural board chairman of the Central Provident Fund (CPF).[21][22][23] In August 1954, three expatriates from the Ministry of Pensions and Insurance arrived in Singapore to assist with the CPF scheme.[24][25] In March 1955, Peake urged employers to register with the CPF scheme soon, as all earnings would be subject to contributions from 1 May 1955.[26]

On 17 January 1956, Peake disputed a claim that the CPF scheme was introduced too early.[27] He said:

A start has to be made some time with social legislation of this type. Lots of things have been before their time but have turned out successfully. And who can say with certainty whether this scheme is 25, five or 50 years too soon, or indeed whether it is before its time at all.
There are some people who will try to side-step anything, including income tax and exchange control. You find such people in any community, not only in Malaya, and the fact that they exist is no justification for abandoning necessary social legislation.[27]

In March 1956, the three expatriates had contracts expiring next year, and Peake claimed it was difficult to replace them. He said, "there is nobody in Malaya, Asian or European, who can take over the general manager's job".[28]

In June 1957, Peake retired and stepped down as chairman of Fraser and Neave.[29] On 1 July 1957, he resigned as chairman of CPF and he was replaced by Robert Charles Kendall.[30][31] On 12 July 1957, Peake left Singapore for Sussex, England.[32][33]

Personal life

On 9 June 1934, Peake married Ruth Thirza Van Alstine (30 March 1910 – 25 July 1976).[34][35] In October 1934, both of them moved to Kuala Lumpur.[13] Peake and Van Alstine have a son and daughter.[36]

During the Japanese occupation of Malaya, Peake was captured as a prisoner of war and interned at the Sime Road Camp.[20] His wife and two children evacuated to Australia. After the war ended, Peake returned to London and stayed with his brother. In 1946, his wife and children joined him.[7][37]

On 3 July 1978, Peake died.[38]

References

  1. ^ "RUBBER PRICE IMPROVES IN SINGAPORE ON STEADY MART". The Straits Times. 8 October 1955. p. 10. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  2. ^ "$1 1/2 M. Profit For Fraser & Neave". Singapore Tiger Standard. 8 October 1955. p. 10. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  3. ^ "Society plans new children's home". The Straits Times. 7 December 1955. p. 9. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  4. ^ "GOVERNOR PRAISES CHILD AND WORKERS". The Straits Times. 11 December 1956. p. 9. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ Boland, Geoffrey (3 March 1956). "$8 mil. company probe demanded". The Straits Times. p. 1. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ "FAREWELL DINNER TO RETIRING DIRECTOR". The Straits Times. 6 March 1957. p. 5. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Winnington, G. Peter (2009). Mervyn Peake's Vast Alchemies: The Life and Work of Mervyn Peake (Revised ed.). London: Peter Owen Publishers. pp. 25–29, 33, 37, 39–40, 53, 175, 209. ISBN 9780720613414.
  8. ^ a b c d Mervyn Peake: My Eyes Mint Gold: A Life. New York: The Overlook Press. 1 July 2002. pp. 20, 24, 27, 30, 32. ISBN 9781585672110.
  9. ^ Peake, Clare (2011). Under a Canvas Sky: Living Outside Gormenghast. London: Constable & Robinson. p. 8. ISBN 9781849015110.
  10. ^ a b Peake, Ernest Cromwell (2014). Peake in China: Memoirs of Ernest Cromwell Peake. London: British Library. pp. 13, 16–17. ISBN 9780712357418.
  11. ^ a b Watney, John (1976). Mervyn Peake. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 24, 26, 50. ISBN 978-0718114954.
  12. ^ "Central Provident Fund Board". Indian Daily Mail. 1 February 1954. p. 4. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  13. ^ a b "Engagement of Mr. E. L. Peake". Malaya Tribune. 24 April 1934. p. 14. Retrieved 22 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  14. ^ Ryan, Margaret (2009). "Evatt & Co., Singapore Office : interior [3]". National Library Board. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  15. ^ "AUSTRALIANS WED IN S'PORE". The Straits Times. 9 July 1950. p. 9. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659 – via NewspaperSG.
  16. ^ "ABOUT PEOPLE". The Straits Times. 3 July 1938. p. 25. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  17. ^ "NOTICES: HAYTOR RUBBER ESTATES LIMITED". The Straits Times. 6 February 1951. p. 2. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  18. ^ "NOTICES: THE BUKIT TIMAH RUBBER ESTATES LIMITED". The Straits Times. 19 January 1952. p. 2. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  19. ^ "NOTICES: THE ULU PANDANG (SINGAPORE) RUBBER ESTATES LIMITED". The Straits Times. 1 August 1952. p. 2. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  20. ^ a b "PERSONALIA". The Straits Chronicle. 22 June 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  21. ^ "GOVT. NAMES 7-MAN FUND BOARD: Plan To Make An Early Start". Singapore Tiger Standard. 29 January 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  22. ^ "Provident Fund Starts In Jan". Singapore Tiger Standard. 1 July 1954. p. 5. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  23. ^ "PROVIDENT FUND SIGN UP TOMORROW". Singapore Tiger Standard. 3 January 1955. p. 2. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  24. ^ "3 PROVIDENT FUND EXPERTS ARRIVE". The Straits Times. 10 August 1954. p. 7. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  25. ^ "To Assist The Fund". Singapore Tiger Standard. 10 August 1954. p. 4. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  26. ^ "HURRY ALONG THOSE FORMS, FIRMS URGED". The Straits Times. 30 March 1955. p. 2. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  27. ^ a b "25 years too soon? "Not at all"". The Straits Times. 18 January 1956. p. 4. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  28. ^ "Hard to replace our 'expats'". The Straits Times. 31 March 1956. p. 8. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  29. ^ "RETIRES AFTER 28 YEARS IN MALAYA". The Straits Times. 21 June 1957. p. 7. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  30. ^ "New chairman". The Straits Times. 22 June 1957. p. 4. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  31. ^ "C.P.F. CHAIRMAN". Singapore Tiger Standard. 22 June 1957. p. 5. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  32. ^ "Firm fetes partner". The Straits Times. 12 July 1957. p. 5. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  33. ^ "Two members of the Evatt and Co. staff in Singapore have retired after serving the company for many years". Singapore Free Press. 13 July 1957. p. 5. Retrieved 23 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  34. ^ "Home News For Malaya". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 23 April 1934. p. 14. Retrieved 22 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  35. ^ "NOTICES UNDER THE TRUSTEE ACT, 1925, s. 27" (PDF). The London Gazette. No. 47020. 21 September 1976. p. 12869. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  36. ^ "BIRTHS". The Straits Times. 18 November 1939. p. 2. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 22 August 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
  37. ^ Batchelor, John (1974). Mervyn Peake: A Biographical and Critical Exploration. London: Gerald Duckworth and Company. p. 28. ISBN 9780715606797.
  38. ^ "NOTICES UNDER THE TRUSTEE ACT, 1925, s. 27" (PDF). The London Gazette. No. 47606. 3 August 1978. p. 9347. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
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