They are correctly called cotters. Most of the cotters you'll find being sold by retailers are crap. Pay a bit more and get high quality cotters here:
http://bikesmithdesign.com/CotterPress/cotters.html
He'll also sell you the correct tool to remove and install them, or you can take it to a bike shop and have them do it. It can be done with a hammer, but a press is the right way to do it.
The Peugeot appears to have a replacement fork and front wheel, so it was probably crashed into something. Check the frame at the headlug for signs of damage.