Career
She is commemorated by a statue in the centre of the town. Peel was a fishwife, but was also known as a smuggler and as a protector of local sailors from the press gang. After being discovered, she was given work as a nurse to sick and wounded sailors.
Her work and dedication was respected, and she was allowed to stay on board with her family.
She was rewarded by a pardon for her initial attempts to interfere with naval practice. The incident made her into a local heroine.
Back in South Shields, she worked as a hawker of allegedly contraband goods and became well known for her wit and colourful stories. She also published poetry, most notably verses praising the local liberal Member of Parliament Robert Ingham, of whom she was a strong supporter, during the 1841 general election.
In 1923 South Shields playwright Eva Elwes wrote Dolly Peel, a play based on her life.
lieutenant was revived by the Customs House theatre in 2005. In the 1980s a statue was commissioned by Regional Peel of South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council, who is her great-great-great grandson. lieutenant was intended as a tribute to the strength of local working women.
lieutenant was based on a surviving photograph of Dolly and was designed by Billy Gofton.
lieutenant was unveiled in 1987. The statue is located on River Drive, near the junction with Palatine Street.
She is depicted looking out over the River Tyne. A public house in Commercial Road, South Shields, is named "Dolly Peel" after the legendary character and contains various tributes to her amongst its furnishings and wall decorations.