Memorial in St George’s Cathedral, Georgetown, Guyana commemorating Captain William Peake RN d. 1813
Location
St George's Cathedral, Georgetown, Guyana, Rest of the World
Transcript
‘SACRED / TO THE MEMORY OF / CAPTAIN WILLIAM PEAKE / THE BRAVE AND HIGHLY RESPECTED COMMANDER / OF HIS MAJESTY'S BRIG 'PEACOCK' / WHOSE DEATH WAS GLORIOUS AS HIS / LIFE WAS HONOURABLE. / ENGAGED IN UNEQUAL COMBAT WITH THE / AMERICAN SHIP OF WAR 'HORNET' / A CANNON SHOT IN MERCY TERMINATED HIS EXISTENCE / ALMOST AT THE SAME MOMENT THAT HIS / GALLANT VESSEL CONSIGN'D TO THE DEEP / GAVE A WATERY SEPULCHRE TO THE REMAINS OF / HER LAMENTED CHIEF. TO COMMEMORATE / THIS GLORIOUS BUT FATAL ENGAGEMENT / WHICH TOOK PLACE ON THESE SHORES / ON THE 24 DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1813, / AND TO PERPETUATE THE NAME OF A DISTINGUISHED OFFICER / HIS EXCELLENCY GENL. CARMICHAEL, ACTING GOVERNOR / SYMPATHISING WITH THE GENEROUS FEELING OF THE INHABITANTS OF THIS UNITED COLONY IN THE UNIVERSAL EXPRESSION OF SINCERE REGRET / WAS PLEASED TO GRANT ON THEIR BEHALF / THIS MEMORIAL TO HIS FAME/WHERE'ER THRO VARIED CLIMES OLD OCEAN ROLLS / FROM THE EQUATOR TO THE FROST BOUND POLES / IS BRITISH VALOUR SHEWN-THIS DISTANT SHORE / SHALL CLAIM HER PAGE IN BRITISH NAVAL LORE / TO FUTURE TIMES THEN VOTIVE TABLET TELL / HOW BRAVELY PEAKE HERE FOUGHT, LAMENTED FELL / FROM MANLY BREASTS CALL'D FORTH THE DEEP DRAWN SIGH / THE TENDER TEAR BEGUIL'D FROM BEAUTY'S EYE / AND THOUGH HE FLOATS UPON A WATERY BIER / PRESERVE HIS NAME TO BRITONS EVER DEAR / AND WHILE HIS SPIRIT SOARS IN BLISSFUL SKIES / PROCLAIM THAT FAME WITH VIRTUE NEVER DIES'
Details
Position: West of south aisle
Materials: Marble
Vessel: HMS Peacock
Event
War of 1812
Event Category
1803-1815 Napoleonic War
People
Age:
Date of Death: 24/2/1813
Cause of Death: War casualty
Rank / Occupation: Captain RN
Organisation: Royal Navy
Extra
Recorder: Reverend William Henry Donnan 1989