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Peake-class lifeboat

Ipswich, a 10-oar boat of 1862
Class overview
NamePeake-class
Operators RNLI
General characteristics
TypeLifeboat
Length25 ft (7.6 m)–37 ft (11.3 m)
BeamTypically 7 ft 6 in (2.3 m)
PropulsionOars, sails

The Peake-class lifeboats were the most numerous lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) around the coasts of the United Kingdom including Ireland between the 1850s and the 1890s.

Background

Lifeboats of various designs had been stationed at many towns in the United Kingdom by the middle of the 18th century. Some were self-righting and all were rowed or "pulled"; many were designed by local committees to their own preferred design. In 1850 a competition was held by the Duke of Northumberland to design a lifeboat that could also use sails so that its range could be extended, a "pulling and sailing" lifeboat. 280 entries were received and that by James Beeching considered the best. Several Beeching-class lifeboats were built but James Peake, a master shipwright at the Royal Woolwich Dockyard, was asked by the RNLI to develop the design further.[1]

Design

Peake's development of Beeching's lifeboat, 1851

Peake produced a self-righting lifeboat similar to Beeching's design, some 30 ft (9.1 m) long and 7 ft 6 in (2.3 m) wide. It drew just 14 in (36 cm) of water and weighed only 4,256 lb (1,930 kg), lighter than Beeching's 3.5 t (3,500 kg) and therefore easier transport on its specially designed carriage to a launch site and get into the water.

A 784 lb (356 kg) iron keel enabled it to self-right if it capsized. The ballast beneath the floor was cork whereas Beeching had used water tanks. The boat was fitted with large air-tight cases in the bow, stern, and along the sides which were covered in cork to give better grip to people moving around in the boat. There were also one-way valves at the bottom of the boat to drain out water. Tests showed that the boat could self-right in about 3 seconds and a boat full of water could drain in about 30 seconds.[1][2]

Deployment 1852–1863

Peake-designed lifeboats were the preferred choice for both new and replacement boats at most stations, although some other designs were provided to suit local needs. The first to be built was 30 ft (9.1 m) long and designed for 12 oars.[3] Most stations were provided with boats designed generally for 6 or 10 people at the oars.

Built Name Length Oars First station Comments
1852 Percy 30 ft (9.1 m) 12 Cullercoats Prototype Peake-class lifeboat built at Woolwich Dockyard.[4][5]
1852 Petrel 31 ft (9.4 m) 12 Appledore [6][7]
1852 Latimer 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Newbiggin [8][7]
1852 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 10 Worthing [5]
1853 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 12 Aldeburgh [9][7]
1853 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 8 Barmouth [5]
1853 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 8 Bude Haven [7]
1853 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 8 Lyme Regis [7]
1853 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Penzance Later stationed at Lyme Regis.[10][7]
1853 — 25 ft (7.6 m) 6 Sennen Cove [5]
1854 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 8 Ardrossan [11]
1854 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 8 Dungeness [11]
1854 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 10 Portmadoc [12]
1854 — 29 ft (8.8 m) 10 Skerries [11]
1855 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Berwick-upon-Tweed [13]
1855 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Boulmer [12]
1855 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Fishguard [12]
1855 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Hauxley [13]
1855 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Lytham [13]
1855 — 26 ft (7.9 m) 6 Newcastle Later stationed at Thorpeness.[13]
1856 Mermaid 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Appledore [14]
1856 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 8 Castletown [13]
1856 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Drogheda [13]
1856 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Dungeness [13]
1856 B Wood 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Hornsea [14]
1856 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Padstow [15][13]
1856 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 8 Rye [13]
1857 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Ballycotton [14]
1857 Dolphin 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Appledore Appledore No. 3 boat at Braunton Burrows.[16]
1857 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Arklow [14]
1857 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Cahore [14]
1857 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Kilmore [14]
1857 — 27 ft (8.2 m) 5 Penmon [14]
1857 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Rye [14]
1857 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Seaton Carew [14]
1857 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Walmer [14]
1857 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Youghal [14]
1858 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Aberdovey [17]
1858 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Ardmore [16]
1858 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Bacton [17]
1858 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Brighton [16]
1858 — 34 ft (10 m) 12 Cromer [17]
1858 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Dover [16]
1858 Havelock 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Fraserburgh [17]
1858 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Groomsport [16]
1858 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Hastings [16]
1858 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Holyhead [16]
1858 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Mundesley [17]
1858 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Palling [16]
1858 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Rosslare Fort [16]
1858 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Skerries [18]
1858 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Winterton [17]
1859 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Ayr [18]
1859 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Carmarthen Bay [18]
1859 Gertrude 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Carnsore [17]
1859 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Cullercoats [18]
1859 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Dundalk [17]
1859 Christopher Ludlow 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Dunvargen Unnamed until 1869.[17]
1859 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Exmouth [17]
1859 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Fleetwood [17]
1859 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Fowey [19][18]
1859 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Lizard [18]
1859 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Lossiemouth [17]
1859 Reigate 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Newcastle [17]
1859 Thomas Boys of Brighton 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Rhoscolyn [18]
1859 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Tramore [17]
1859 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Whitburn [18]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Banff [18]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Brighstone Grange [18]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Brooke [18]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Buckie [20]
1860 Lord Murray 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Campbeltown [21][20]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Dungeness [20]
1860 Pringle Kid 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Irvine [20]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Newquay [18]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 North Berwick [18]
1860 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Orme's Head [20]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Penarth [20]
1860 Alexandra 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Penzance [20]
1860 Brave Robert Shedden 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Porthcawl [18]
1860 Laura Countess of Antrim 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Portrush [18]
1860 Polly and Lucy 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 St Andrews [18]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 St Ives [18]
1860 — 35 ft (11 m) 12 Selsey [20]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Silloth [18]
1860 Jessie Knowles 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Southport [20]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Thurso [18]
1860 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Tyrella [18]
1861 Evelyn Wood 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Aberystwyth [22]
1861 Helen Lees 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Kirkcudbright [22]
1861 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Scarborough On station 26 September but wrecked 2 November 1861.[23]
1861 — 37 ft (11 m) 12 Walmer [20]
1861 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Whitby [20]
1861 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 10 Winchelsea [22]
1862 Hope 34 ft (10 m) 12 Appledore [22]
1862 — 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Broughty Ferry [24][22]
1862 Old George Irlam of Liverpool 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Drogheda [22]
1862 Edward Wasey 32 ft (9.8 m) 10 Fleetwood [22]
1862 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Howth [22]
1862 — 34 ft (10 m) 6 Kingstown [22]
1862 Prince Consort 34 ft (10 m) 7 Plymouth [22]
1862 — 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Poolbeg [22]
1862 Louisa Hall 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 St Sampson [22]
1862 Mary 33 ft (10 m) 10 Scarborough [22]
1862 Ipswich 33 ft (10 m) 10 Thorpeness [22]
1862 Constance 33 ft (10 m) 10 Tynemouth [22]
1862 Pelican 34 ft (10 m) 12 Withernsea [22]
1863 — 28 ft (8.5 m) 6 Kingsgate [22]
1863 Agar Robartes 30 ft (9.1 m) 6 Porthleven [22]

Self-righter lifeboats from 1863

At the time of the annual report in 1863, the RNLI had 124 stations of which 99 were operating lifeboats to Peake's design and 6 to Beeching's. The remainder were non-self-righting including 7 Norfolk and Suffolk-class and 2 Richardson tubular lifeboats. After this time the reports no longer listed the class of lifeboat although mention was sometimes made when a non-standard design was provided. The design that had evolved was generally referred to as a 'self-righting' or 'self-righter' lifeboat. The design continued to evolve and new features were tried. Some used water ballast like Beeching's but with lighter construction as used by Peake.[22][25]

George Lennox Watson was appointed the RNLI's naval architectural adviser in 1887. He produced a prototype Watson-class non-self righting boat in 1888, but self-righting boats with many of the features designed by Peake continued to be built until 1916. Most were either 35 ft (11 m) or 37 ft (11 m) long.[26]

References

  1. ^ a b Cameron, Ian (2009). Riders of the Storm. Orion Books. pp. 57–59. ISBN 978-0-7528-8344-1.
  2. ^ "Lifeboat designed by James Peake, Esq" (PDF). The Engineer: 20. 1856. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  3. ^ Cameron 2009, pp. 65–67.
  4. ^ "Cullercoats station history". RNLI. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Statement and condition of the several life-boats, stations, &c". Life-boat. Vol. 1, no. 3. 1852. pp. 40–41.
  6. ^ Leach, Nicholas (2009). Devon's Lifeboat Heritage. Twelveheads Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-906294-72-7.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Statement and condition of the several life-boats, stations, &c". Life-boat. Vol. 1, no. 8. 1853. pp. 8–9.
  8. ^ Robinson, John. "The story of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea lifeboat station". Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Additional stations and new life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 1, no. 9. 1853. pp. 38–39.
  10. ^ Campey, Rachael (2017). Penlee. RNLI. pp. 15–17.
  11. ^ a b c "Statement and condition of the several life-boats, stations, &c". Life-boat. Vol. 1, no. 12. 1854. pp. 102–103.
  12. ^ a b c "Statement of the several life-boats, stations, &c". Life-boat. Vol. 2, no. 16. 1855. pp. 32–33.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Statement of the several life-boats, stations, &c". Life-boat. Vol. 2, no. 20. 1856. pp. 134–135.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Statement of the several life-boats, stations, &c". Life-boat. Vol. 3, no. 24. 1857. pp. 38–39.
  15. ^ Leach, Nicholas (2012). Padstow Lifeboats. The History Press. pp. 15–17. ISBN 978-0-7524-6540-1.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Statement of the several life-boats, stations, &c". Life-boat. Vol. 4, no. 28. 1858. pp. 30–31.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Statement of the several life-boats, stations, &c". Life-boat. Vol. 4, no. 32. 1859. pp. 138–139.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Statement of the several life-boats, stations…". Life-boat. Vol. 4, no. 36. 1860. pp. 246–249.
  19. ^ Leach, Nicholas (2002). Fowey Lifeboats. Tempus Publishing. pp. 14–16, 142. ISBN 0-7524-2378-9.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Statement of the several life-boats, stations…". Life-boat. Vol. 4, no. 40. 1861. pp. 386–389.
  21. ^ "Campbeltown station history". RNLI. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Statement of the several life-boats, stations…". Life-boat. Vol. 5, no. 48. 1863. pp. 208–211.
  23. ^ "The destruction of the Scarborough life-boat". Life-boat. Vol. 5, no. 43. 1862. pp. 1–2.
  24. ^ "Broughty Ferry station history". RNLI. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  25. ^ Ward, John Ross (1862). "Lecture on life-boats". Life-boat. Vol. 5, no. 46. p. 154.
  26. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–29.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peake-class_lifeboat