Greathead resolved to construct a lifeboat. Luken had written a pamphlet upon 'insubmergible boats,' and took out a patent in 1785. Wouldhave, parish clerk of South Shields, had also studied the subject. A public subscription was now got up to offer a reward for the best lifeboat. Greathead won it against the competition of Wouldhave and many others. Dr. Hayes in a letter to the Royal Humane Society described Greathead's boat, in minute detail. It was 30 feet long by 10 feet in width, and 3 feet 4 inches deep. The whole construction much resembled a 'Greenland boat, except that it was considerably flatter, and lined inside and out with cork. Greathead's was a ten-oared boat, and although of very light draft, it could carry twenty people. It succeeded admirably. Greathead made his first lifeboat for the Duke of Northumberland, who presented it to North Shields. Numerous learned societies awarded honours to Greathead, and voted him money grants. The Trinity House gave him handsome recognition, as did also the Society of Arts, and eventually government paid him 1,200l. in consideration of the value of his invention to the nation. Dr. Trotter, physician to the fleet, wrote an adulatory ode. Greathead published 'The Report of Evidence and other Proceedings in Parliament respecting the Invention of the Lifeboat. Also other Documents illustrating the Origin of the Lifeboat, with Practical Directions for the Management of Lifeboats,' London, 1804. He died in 1816. There is an inscription to his memory in the parish church of St. Hilda, South Shields.
[Tyne Mercury, 29 Nov. 1803; European Mag. (which gives a fine portrait of Greathead), vols. xliii. xlvi.; Public Characters of 1806 (upon information from Greathead); Romance of Life Preservation.]
GREATHED, WILLIAM WILBERFORCE HARRIS (1826–1878), major-general, C.B., royal engineers, the youngest of the five sons of Edward Greathed of Uddens, Dorsetshire, was born at Paris 21 Dec. 1826. He entered the military college of the East India Company at Addiscombe in February 1843, and received a commission in the Bengal engineers on 9 Dec. 1844. In 1846 he went to India, and was attached to the Bengal sappers and miners at Meerut. The following year he was appointed to the irrigation department of the north-west provinces, but on the outbreak of the second Sikh war in 1848 he joined the field force before Mooltan. He took part in the siege, and at the assault of the town, on 2 Jan. 1849, he was the first officer through the breach. After the capture of Mooltan he joined Lord Gough, and was present at the battle of Guzerat, 21 Feb. 1849. This concluded the campaign, and he at once resumed his work in the irrigation department, taking a furlough in 1852 to England for two years. On his return to India he was appointed executive engineer in the public works department at Barrackpore, and in 1855 he was sent to Allahabad as government consulting engineer in connection with the extension of the East India railway to the upper provinces. He was here when the mutiny broke out at Meerut, followed by the seizure of Delhi in May 1857. As soon as the catastrophe at Delhi was known, John Russell Colvin [q. v.], lieutenant-governor of the northwest provinces, who had formed a very high opinion of Greathed's character and capacity, summoned him to Agra, attached him to his staff, and employed him to carry despatches to the general at Meerut, and to civil officers on the way. In spite of the disorder of the country and the roaming bands of mutineers, Greathed succeeded not only in reaching Meerut, but in returning to Agra. He was then despatched in command of a body of English volunteer cavalry to release some beleaguered Englishmen in the Doab, and a month later was again sent off with despatches from Colvin and Lord Canning to the general commanding the force which was moving against Delhi. A second time he ran the gauntlet and reached Meerut in safety. On his first visit he was the first traveller who had reached Meerut from 'down country' since the mutiny broke out; on this occasion he remained the last European who passed between Alygurh and Meerut for four months. From Meerut he made his way across country and joined Sir H. Barnard beyond the Jumna. Appointed to Sir H. Barnard's staff, Greathed took part in the action of Badlee-ka-Serai (8 June), which gave the Delhi field force the famous position on the ridge it held so long. When the siege was systematically begun, Greathed was appointed director of the left attack. He greatly distinguished himself in a severe engagement on 9 July on the occasion of a sortie in force from Delhi. Towards the end of the day he and Burnside of the 8th regiment were with their party in a 'serai' surrounded by Pandees. They resolved on a sudden rush, and, killing the men immediately in front with their swords, led the way out, saved their little party, and put the enemy to flight. Greathed had two brothers with him at Delhi, Hervey Greathed, the civil commissioner attached to the force, and Edward (now Sir Edward), colonel of the 8th regiment. When the morning of the assault of 14 Sept. came, he found himself senior engineer of the column
