Man of Action

He was born at Longfords in 1777. He was the eldest legitimate son of Thomas and Martha Playne, but they had already had three children, including his business partner William.

He was tall for the time, at six foot, and had keen blue eyes. He was clean shaven, except for whiskers, and had dark brown hair. He wore a blue coat with brass buttons.

He married Ann Dancey. The daughter of a yeoman she was born at the Boot Inn, Horsley, in 1786. It was suggested that he marry a daughter of the Bengers (William married two of them) but he laughed and said he thought there were enough in the family already. Ann was good looking when young and grew to be comfortably fat and jolly with age. She bore five sons and 4 daughters, one dying at 16 months and another when she was 8 years old.

He was a man of great energy. Besides building so much of Dunkirk and Box House he managed six mills and three farms. He also was a man of great taste and judgement. The furniture he bought was still highly valued in 1889.

Peter died in 1851 and Ann in 1859 of "cerebral apoplexy."