A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Peake, Henry Frederick
PEAKE. (Commander, 1838. f-p., 19; h-p., 17.)
Henry Frederick Peakeis brother of Capt. Thos. Ladd Peake, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 8 Feb. 1811, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Defiance 74, Capt. Rich. Raggett. In the course of the following month he was placed at the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth, where he remained until 17 June, 1813. He then again embarked, on board the Rivoli 74, Capts. Graham Eden Hamond and Edw. Stirling Dickson; under the latter of whom we find him, 30 April, 1815, assisting as Midshipman at the capture, on the Mediterranean station, after a brave defence of 15 minutes, of the French frigate La Melpomène. Joining next, in 1816, the Madagascar and Maeander frigates, both commanded by Sir Jas. Alex. Gordon, he was present in the latter ship when nearly lost, in Dec. of the same year, off Orfordness. In Feb. 1817 he became Admiralty-Midshipman of the Rosario 10, commanded by his brother, Capt. Thos. Ladd Peake, at Portsmouth; where (with the exception of the following summer, which he passed in the Mediterranean on board the Ganymede 26, Capt. Hon. Robt. Cavendish Spencer, and of a subsequent unemployed interval of a few months) he continued to serve until Aug. 1820, in a similar capacity, in the Camelion 10, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye, and Active 46, Capt. Sir J. A. Gordon. He then sailed for the West Indies in the Sybille 44; of which ship, bearing the flag of Sir Chas. Rowley, he was created a Lieutenant 5 Feb. 1821. He returned home in the following June, and was afterwards appointed – 26 Nov. 1823 and 5 March, 1825, as a Supernumerary-Lieutenant, to the Ramillies and Hyperion Coast-Blockade ships, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch and Hugh Pigot – and, 2 Dec. 1828, as Senior, to the Comet 18, Capt. Alex. Albert Sandilands, fitting for the East Indies, whence he returned at the close of 1832. He has since been on half-pay. His promotion to the rank of Commander took place 28 June, 1838.
With the permission of the Admiralty, Commander Peake was for some time employed under the Spanish and Portuguese Governments.