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.

Design

Peake produced a self-righting lifeboat similar to Beeching's design, some long and wide. It drew just of water and weighed only , lighter than Beeching's and therefore easier transport on its specially designed carriage to a launch site and get into the water.

A 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.

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 long and designed for 12 oars. 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 12 Prototype Peake-class lifeboat built at Woolwich Dockyard. 1852 Petrel 12 1852 Latimer 10 1852 — 10 1853 — 12 1853 — 8 1853 — 8 Bude Haven 1853 — 8 1853 — 10 Later stationed at . 1853 — 6 1854 — 8 1854 — 8 1854 — 10 1854 — 10 1855 — 10 1855 — 10 1855 — 10 1855 — 10 1855 — 10 1855 — 6 Later stationed at . 1856 Mermaid 6 1856 — 8 1856 — 10 1856 — 6 1856 B Wood 6 Hornsea 1856 — 6 1856 — 8 1857 — 6 1857 Dolphin 6 Appledore No. 3 boat at Braunton Burrows. 1857 — 10 1857 — 10 1857 — 6 1857 — 5 1857 — 6 1857 — 10 1857 — 10 1857 — 10 1858 — 6 1858 — 6 1858 — 10 1858 — 10 1858 — 12 1858 — 6 1858 Havelock 10 1858 — 6 1858 — 10 1858 — 10 1858 — 10 1858 — 10 1858 — 6 1858 — 6 1858 — 10 1859 — 10 1859 — 6 Carmarthen Bay 1859 Gertrude 6 1859 — 10 1859 — 6 Dundalk 1859 Christopher Ludlow 6 Unnamed until 1869. 1859 — 6 1859 — 6 1859 — 6 1859 — 6 Lizard 1859 — 6 1859 Reigate 6 1859 Thomas Boys of Brighton 6 1859 — 6 1859 — 10 1860 — 6 Banff 1860 — 6 1860 — 6 1860 — 6 1860 Lord Murray 6 Reported as 10 oars from 1869. 1860 — 6 1860 Pringle Kid 6 1860 — 6 1860 — 6 1860 — 10 Orme's Head 1860 — 6 1860 Alexandra 6 1860 Brave Robert Shedden 6 1860 Laura Countess of Antrim 6 1860 Polly and Lucy 10 1860 Moses 6 Renamed Covent Garden in 1870 then Exeter in 1878. 1860 — 12 1860 — 6 1860 Jessie Knowles 10 1860 — 6 1860 — 6 1861 Evelyn Wood 10 1861 Helen Lees 6 1861 — 10 On station 26 September but wrecked 2 November 1861. 1861 — 12 1861 — 10 1861 — 10 1862 Hope 12 1862 — 10 1862 6 1862 Edward Wasey 10 1862 — 6 1862 — 6 1862 Prince Consort 7 1862 — 6 1862 Louisa Hall 6 St Sampson 1862 Mary 10 1862 Ipswich 10 1862 Constance 10 1862 Pelican 12 1863 — 6 1863 Agar Robartes 6

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 's. The remainder were non-self-righting including 7 and 2 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.

George Lennox Watson was appointed the RNLI's naval architectural adviser in 1887. He produced a prototype 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 or long.

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