Born Woking. Started life as an apprentice brick-layer. MP and extremely wealthy construction entrepreneur. Often called Morton Peto. Father of Harold.
In 1853 Peto bought the Regent's Park Diorama (opposite the Jerwood Medical Centre), which was failing financially, and converted it to a Baptist chapel, adding the buttressing. It remained a chapel until 1921. At some point the street it is in, originally Albany Place, was renamed Peto Place. We doubt much of interest remains inside but the building is a rare survival.
Peto managed construction firms that built many major buildings and monuments in London, including The Reform Club, The Lyceum, Nelson's Column and the new Houses of Parliament.
