Born on 20 June 1864 son of Lionel Smith Beale FRS, FRCP, Professor of Medicine at King's College, London, and Frances his wife, daughter of the Rev Peyton Blakiston FRCP, he was educated at Westminster School and King's College, London. He was a house surgeon 1889-90 at King's College Hospital, where his father was consulting physician, was assistant surgeon from 1893, and became surgeon in 1901. He retired in 1910, and was elected a consulting surgeon in 1925. Beale was lecturer in biology at King's College 1891-1900, and demonstrator in physiology and histology 1891-1904; for some years he was lecturer in physiology and artistic anatomy at King's College for Women; he was elected a Fellow of King's College in 1909. From 1906 to 1910 he was Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of King's College, and was thus the first Dean of the present Medical School which came into existence in 1909. Beale was also consulting surgeon to the Royal Northern Hospital. He was an examiner in physiology and surgery to the Society of Apothecaries of London, and also examined in surgery for Glasgow University, and in biology for the English Conjoint Board. Beale left London in 1910 to practise in Southampton, and in 1920 moved to Milford-on-Sea, where he was consulting surgeon to the cottage hospital. He was a keen gardener; and was affectionately known to his friends as "Toddles". He married Gertrude Louisa Attwell in 1892; they celebrated their golden wedding in 1942, and Mrs Beale died on 23 July 1949. His elder brother, Edwin Clifford Beale FRCP, celebrated his 100th birthday on 16 October 1951 (*Brit med J* 1951, 2, 965 with portrait), and lived till 31 January 1953. Peyton Beale died at Lymore End, Milford-on-Sea, Lymington, Hampshire on 24 December 1957, aged 93, survived by his two daughters. He was the senior Fellow of the College, as his brother had been of the Royal College of Physicians. He was among the first of surgeons to leave the arm free after amputation of the breast, thus obviating difficulty in obtaining free movement of the arm after operation. He used to open appendix abscesses retro-peritoneally through an incision in the loin, obtaining drainage by gravity and avoiding the peritoneal cavity. He was a regular donor of specimens to the College Museum and of books to the Library. Publications: *Practical lessons in elementary biology for junior students*. London 1894. *Aids to physiology*. London 1903; New York 1906.