Peach and his first wife were involved in social reform and politics and were members of the Independent Labour Party. įollowing his death, the Dryad companies were run by his elder and younger sons, Geoffrey and Roger Peach. By the time of his death, Dryad Handicrafts was the largest supplier of craft materials in the world. Identifying the growing demand for craft materials for domestic and educational purposes, Peach established Dryad Handicrafts to supply materials, instructional leaflets and designs and organise classes. ĭuring World War I, Peach began promoting craft work as a form of occupational therapy for wounded and disabled servicemen and donated large quantities of cane offcuts for this purpose. By 1914, the companies employed nearly 200 staff. Fletcher had introduced Peach to the writings of William Morris and William Lethaby and other members of the Arts and Crafts movement, and many of the Dryad designs were in the arts and crafts style. By 1912, the company had expanded to a workforce of 50 and moved into larger premises, where he joined forces with designer William Pick to set up Dryad Metal Works, supplying architectural and household fittings manufactured in copper, brass and wrought iron. Dryad supplied cane deck lounger chairs for White Star Lines ships, including the Titanic. ( He had been asked by his father-in-law for a cane chair for his billiard room.) At the time the market was dominated by European manufacturers and Peach and Fletcher wanted to develop the local cane industry to compete and supply furniture suitable for the English market. In 1907, he set up Dryad Furniture to manufacture cane furniture with his friend Benjamin Fletcher, who was head of the Leicester School of Art, as the main designer and a workforce of four. īy 1906, Peach's eyesight was failing and he gave up selling books. After leaving school, Peach worked with his father for a short time as an estate agent before opening a specialist bookshop in Leicester dealing in manuscripts and early printed books.
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