A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Peake, Thomas Ladd
PEAKE. (Captain, 1822. f-p., 24; h-p., 25.)
Thomas Ladd Peake is son of the late Sir Henry Peake, Kt., who filled the office of Surveyor of the Navy from 27 June, 1806, until 25 Feb. 1822; and brother of Commander Wm. Peake, who was killed, and his ship, the Peacock of 18 guns and 122 men, sunk, in a desperate action with the American sloop Hornet of 20 guns and 165 men, 24 Feb. 1813. Capt. Peake’s youngest brother, James, is married to a sister of the present Commander Henry Eden, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, towards the close of 1798, on board the Redbridge schooner, Lieut.Commander Geo. Hayes. He next, in the course of 1799, joined the Canada 74, Capt Hon. Michael De Courcy, and Renown of similar force, bearing the flag of Sir John Borlase Warren; under whom, in the following year, he accompanied the expedition to Ferrol, and in 1801 that to Egypt. At the former place he served on shore with the army under Sir Jas. Pulteney. On his return to England at the close of 1804, in the Kent 74, with Capt. John Chambers White, who had latterly had command of the Renown, he was received as a Supernumerary on board the Zealand 64, flag-ship at the Nore of Admiral Douglas. He was nominated, 4 Jan. 1805, Sub-Lieutenant of the Bloodhound 12, Lieut.-Commander Henry Richardson; was made a full Lieutenant, 8 May following, into the Majestic 74, flag-ship of Admiral Thos. Macnamara Russell in the North Sea; and was subsequently, in 1807 and 1809, appointed to the Clio 18, Capt. Thos. Folliott Baugh, and Victorious 74, Capts. Graham Eden Hamond and John Talbot. In the latter ship he participated in the Walcheren operations of 1809; and on 21 Feb. 1812, the Victorious being at the time in company with the Weasel 18, he shared as First-Lieutenant in a most gallant conflict of four hours and a half [errata 1], which terminated in the capture, with a loss to the former of 27 men killed and 99 wounded, and to the enemy of 400 killed and wounded, of the French 74 Rivoli, whose consorts, three brigs and two gun-boats, were at the same time defeated.[1] He was in consequence advanced to the rank of Commander by commission bearing date 8 May following, a few weeks after he had been placed in charge of the prize, for the purpose of conducting her to England. His last appointments were – 7 June, 1813, to the Rosario 10, on the Home station, where he served until paid off in Dec. 1818 – and, 31 Aug. 1820, to the post, which he retained for nearly five years, of Inspecting-Commander in the Coast Guard. He attained his present rank 1 March, 1822; and accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
Capt. Peake (who was for four years a Special Magistrate at the Cape of Good Hope) has been twice married; the first time to a daughter of Sir Jas. Brabazon Urmston, Superintendent of Cargoes at Canton. By both marriages he has issue. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.
- ↑ In the early part ot the action Capt. Talbot, being severely wounded, was placed hors de combat. “The exertions, however, of Mr. Peake,” he informs us in his official despatch, “prevented his inability from proving of any detriment to his Majesty’s service,” – Vide Gaz. 1812, p. 852.