The information on this page is reproduced here by courtesy, and with the permission, of the Public Records Office, 'DocumentsOnLine', and I thank them for their generosity.

NB: the Public Records Office documents are now listed as 'National Archives' and available at Kew (please check addresses, etc., as there may be re-organisation) - 2006.

Date = date of probate, NOT date of death; several years may have elapsed between the two.

 
WILLS OF SOME SAILORS WHO SERVED ON BOARD HMSTILBURY

Only a few of the titles give the sailor's domicile; only one mentions 'volunteer by order', but many may have been sent to sea by the press-gangs. Of the thousands who died serving in the great wooden sailing ships, to date I have only found these names for sailors attributed to HMS Tilbury
_________________________

Name, quality, domicile
Date of probate  -  PRO reference
_________________________

Additions - February 2006

Nicholas SHEPPARD of Stepney, Middlesex, but Master of HMS Tilbury
3 July 1703 - PROB 4/25364

Thomas COTTON of HMS Tilbury
1708 - PROB 5/282 (+ Administration act: PROB 6/84)

Samuel DEAL alias DALZELL of HMS Tilbury
1708 - PROB 5/882 (+ Administration act: PROB 6/84)

Morrell ENGLISH of HMS Tilbury, died on HMS Edgar
1711 - PROB 5/6009

John DENY, HMS Tilbury
1740 - PROB 20/733 (Supplementary Wills series)
_________________________

Prerogative Court of Canterbury, UK - June 2004

Will of [name] belonging to Her/His Majesty's Ship Tilbury
Every line began "Will of"; the three dots (...) replace the rest of the phrase above; variations are left in place
_________________________

Her Majesty's Ship Tilbury

John CAMEL, Mariner now ...
 2 October 1704  -  11/478

Richard LOUGHTON, Volunteer by order on board ...
 3 October 1704  -  11/478

John MATTENLY, Mariner now belonging to His Majesty's Ship Tilbury
 6 October 1704  -  11/478

Thomas JENKINS, Mariner now ... of Stepney, Middlesex
31 October 1705  -  11/484

James GREGORY, Mariner now ...
 4 February 1706  -  11/486

John SMITH, Surgeon of ...
17 March 1707  -  11/493

Robert FULLER, Mariner ...
18 August 1707  -  11/495

Thomas EDWARDS, Mariner ...
 6 December 1707  -  11/497

John SPARK, Mariner ...
22 January 1708  -  11/499

Benjamin SHAW, ...
10 April 1708  -  11/501

Samuel BANKES, now Mariner on board ... of St. Giles without Cripplegate
 7 May 1708  -  11/501

Andrew ADAMS, Mariner ...
 8 May 1708  -  11/501

John GARVEN alias GARVEY, Mariner now ... of Angus, Dundee
19 June 1708  -  11/502

William BURDEN, Mariner ...
23 June 1708  -  11/501

James PETAGOE, now ..., Mariner
22 December 1708  -  11/505

John HODGE, now ...
26 March 1709  -  11/507

Hugh HAY, Mariner now on Board ...
 1 June 1709  -  11/509

John RICHMORE, Mariner now ...
 1 September 1709  -  11/511

Richard HEATON, Mariner now ...the Tilbury
27 January 1710  -  11/513

John BRYANT, now ... Mariner
27 March 1710  -  11/514

Charles SYMONDS, now ...
24 May 1710  -  11/515

Henry MORGAN, Mariner now ...
15 November 1710  -  11/518

Thomas RICHARDSON, Mariner ... of St. Mary Magdalen, City of London
 1 March 1711  -  11/520

Richard DROVER, Mariner ...
24 March 1711  -  11/520

John SAXTON, Mariner ... of Thorn, Yorkshire
 7 June 1711  -  11/521

William MOFFETT, Mariner now ...
13 October 1711  -  11/523

John MOUNTFORTT, Mariner now ...
25 October 1711  -  11/523

John ELLIOTT, ...
25 October 1711  -  11/523

James HUMPHREYS, Mariner now ...
 3 November 1711  -  11/524

Thomas MEADS, Mariner now ...
 6 November 1711  -  11/524

James GREENWATER, Mariner now ...the Tilbury
 1 April 1712  -  11/526

Thomas BICKHAM, Shipwright and Master Carpenter of His Majesty's Ship Tilbury of Rochester, Kent
23 January 1713  -  11/531

James GOODWILLY, late belonging to Her Majesty's Ship Suffolk and now to Her Majesty's Ship Tilbury, Mariner
27 June 1713  -  11/533

John SMITH, Mariner ...
17 October 1713  -  11/536

Thomas HOLMES, Mariner ...
 3 October 1715  -  11/548

John BURCH, Mariner ...
14 January 1719  -  11/567

Thomas BOULTON, now ..., Mariner
19 October 1720  -  11/576

John TUNMER or TUNMUR, Mariner belonging to His Majesty's Ship Tilbury of St. Giles in the Fields, Middlesex
22 October 1723  -  11/593

James CHAMBERS otherwise CHALMERS, Mariner ...
13 June 1724  -  11/597
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His Majesty's Ship Tilbury

Charles COLLETT, Mariner now belonging unto His Majesty's Ship the Tilbury of St. Olave Southwark, Surrey
25 May 1727  -  11/615
----

John CURTIS of Gillingham, co. Kent; belonging to the King's Ship the Tilbury
 3 [?January] 1729  -  VH.99/5/49 (Caveat book Jan.1715-Jan.1739)
Archbishops of Canterbury Archives, Lambeth Palace Library
----

Mathew CRUMBIE or CRUMBY, now ...
15 November 1738  -  11/692

Richard EBBS, Mariner being bound on a voyage to Sea on board the King's Ship the Tilbury of St. John the Evangelist, Middlesex
22 February 1740  -  11/700

Jonathan BARTON, Mariner now ...
 5 July 1740  -  11/703

Edward PILES, Mariner now ...
14 July 1740  -  11/704

Jacob HERRINGSHAW or HERRINSHAW, now ...
18 July 1740  -  11/703

Edward POWELL, Shipwright and now Carpenter's Mate of His Majesty's Ship Tilbury of St. Paul Deptford, Kent
30 August 1740  -  11/704

Thomas PETTETT, Master at Arms now of His Majesty's Ship Tilbury of Christ Church, Surrey
16 September 1740  -  11/705

Phillip BICKERSTAFFE, Mariner now ... of St. Dunstan Stepney, Middlesex
27 October 1740  -  11/705

Thomas ADAMS, Mariner ...
 7 January 1741  -  11/715

John DAVISON, Quarter Master on board the Tilbury Man of War
18 January 1741  -  11/715

Thomas GIBBONS, Mariner now ...
21 January 1741  -  11/707

Thomas ALLISON, Mariner now ...
20 April 1741  -  11/708

Peter MEDSON, now ... of Castle Street in Canterbury, Kent
11 September 1741  -  11/713

William FERGUSON, Mariner at present ...
29 October 1741  -  11/712

Thomas WATSON, Mariner now ...
29 October 1741  -  11/713

John HILLS, Mariner ...
12 November 1741  -  11/713

Edmund PAVETT, Mariner now ...
 2 March 1742  -  11/717

James IRWIN, Mariner ...
 3 March 1742  -  11/716

John SWANN, Mariner now ...
11 March 1742  -  11/717

William JEMMETT, Mariner ...
 4 May 1742  -  11/718

Henry KEMP, now ... now lying at Spithead
17 May 1742  -  11/718

William BINGLEY, Mariner ...
25 May 1742  -  11/718

David HERN, ..., Batchelor
31 July 1742  -  11/719

John JACKSON, Purser of His Majesty's Ship Tilbury
 3 July 1742  -  11/719

John ARMSTRONG, Mariner now ...
13 December 1742  -  11/722

Thomas WINNARD, Mariner now ... of St. George, Middlesex
21 February 1743  -  11/724

William LAMB, Mariner now ...
30 March 1743  -  11/724

Stephen WHITING, now ...
 9 March 1743  -  11/724

Edward STEWARD, Mariner ...
 8 April 1743  -  11/725

John MEDLEY, Mariner now ...
11 April 1743  -  11/725

Thomas STEDMAN, ...
29 April 1743  -  11/725

Thomas OWEN, Mariner now ...
 3 May 1743  -  11/726

Daniel CRANE, Mariner ...
 5 May 1743  -  11/726

Peter TOOTH, Mariner ...
18 June 1743  -  11/727

Charles DOWD, Mariner ...
27 June 1743  -  11/727

George WILSON, Mariner ...
 6 July 1743  -  11/728

William TURNER, Armourer of ...of St. Olave Hart Street, City of London
19 July 1743  -  11/728

William JONES, Mariner ...
19 October 1743  -  11/729

Richard SLY, Master Cook on Board ...
21 October 1743  -  11/729

William MARTIN, Joiner now ...
 3 April 1744  -  11/733

Sentence of Francis SCOTT, Late ..., Batchelor
22 May 1744  -  11/736

Henry PAGE, Mariner now ...
26 July 1744  -  11/734

Edward LEE, Mariner now ...
 5 April 1745  -  11/739

John LENNETT, ...
 3 September 1745  -  11/742

Thomas MURPHY, Mariner ...
 3 September 1746  -  11/749

John KNOX, ...
 8 September 1746  -  11/749

Thomas MACHALL, Mariner ...
22 April 1747  -  11/754

James NIMMO, ...
27 June 1747  -  11/755

Arthur BLEACHMAN, Mariner belonging Ship Tilbury
 1 December 1747  -  11/758

Edmond BROMWICK, Gentleman ...
 6 December 1748  -  11/766

Joseph GRANT, Mariner ...
10 February 1749  -  11/767

Robert HARRISS, Marine belonging to Sir Andrew AGNEW's Regiment and now on Board ...
27 February 1749  -  11/767

Joseph BANISTER, Mariner of ...
27 February 1749  -  11/767

John CLUES otherwise CLEWS, Marine of Lieutenant General CHURCHILL's Regiment under the Command of Captain William MARKET and now on board ...
 1 March 1749  -  11/768

William MOORE, Marine belonging to Sir Andrew AGNEW's Regiment and now on board the Tilbury, Batchelor
 1 March 1749  -  11/768

Thomas GAINS otherwise GAINES otherwise GANES, of ..., Mariner
 4 March 1749  -  11/768

William MAY, Mariner ...
21 March 1749  -  11/768

William MORSE, ...
30 March 1749  -  11/768

Edward HOLDHAM or OLDHAM otherwise HOLDEM, Mariner ...
 1 April 1749  -  11/769

Francis SKILLIN, Mariner of His Majesty's Ship Tilbury
15 April 1749  -  11/769

John BESREED, Mariner late belonging to His Majesty's Ship Prince George Elizabeth and Stafford and now to ...
 5 May 1749  -  11/769

Owen DOWNES, Mariner ..., now Boyne Supernumerary on Board His Majesty's ship Prince George
30 June 1749  -  11/770

Elias WARBURN, ...
10 January 1750  -  11/776

Samuel SHAPTON, Mariner late ...
11 October 1750  -  11/783

Richard BARWICK, ...
29 December 1750  -  11/784

John KEY, Marine in the Honourable Serageant Andrew AGNEW's Regiment and in Captain LUCAS's Company and now on board ...
 3 May 1751  -  11/787

William HICKMAN, of ...Mariner
29 February 1752  -  11/792

Ephraim JOHNS otherwise JONES, Mariner now ...
 9 March 1753  -  11/800

Daniel CARTWRIGHT, Mariner of ...
24 July 1754  -  11/809

Jonas WYARD otherwise WYATT, Mariner late of His Majesty's Ships Sunderland Princess Mary Elizabeth and Tilbury now on board Blenheim
23 July 1755  -  11/817

Henry YORK, now of ...of St. Bartholomew the Great, City of London
 7 January 1756  -  11/820

Thomas JONES, Steward of ...
11 March 1756  -  11/821

William ROFE, Mariner now ...
16 February 1756  -  11/820

Henry MCKENSEY, Mariner ...the Tilbury
26 August 1756  -  11/824

James DUFF, ...
30 June 1756  -  11/823

Charles BARHAM, Cook of ...
26 January 1757  -  11/827

Edward HOYLE, Marine on board ...
 4 January 1758  -  11/835

James WALKER, Purser of ...
 7 February 1758  -  11/836

William COOPER, Mariner but now ... of Scarborough, Yorkshire
 1 March 1758  -  11/836

William SHORT,...the Tilbury
 7 March 1758  -  11/836

George HERSON otherwise Hearson otherwise Hewson, ...
13 March 1758  -  11/836

Thomas AtkInson, Tailor but now...the Tilbury of St. Sepulchre, Middlesex
15 March 1758  -  11/836

Edmund PARKER, ...
17 March 1758  -  11/836

John HAY, ...
29 March 1758  -  11/836

James MACKINTOSH, Gunner of ...
30 March 1758  -  11/836

John BAKER, ...
30 March 1758  -  11/836

William COWEN otherwise COWAN, ...
 1 April 1758  -  11/837

Joseph TILL, on Board ...
 3 April 1758  -  11/837

John CRAWFORD or CRAUFORD otherwise CRAWFURD, ...
18 April 1758  -  11/837

Walter MCNUITT or MCNAUGHT otherwise MCNEAL otherwise MCNEIL, ...
11 May 1758  -  11/838

Christopher FITZ GERALD, ...
12 June 1758  -  11/838

William HARPLEY, ...
11 July 1758  -  11/839

Michael JONES, Surgeon of His Majesty's Ships Saltash and Tilbury of New Town, Montgomeryshire
22 August 1758  -  11/839

John LAPPIDGE, ...
27 September 1758  -  11/840

John OWEN, ...
21 October 1758  -  11/841

William TUBB, Mariner late ... now to His Majesty's Ship Nassau
12 December 1758  -  11/842

Andrew WATSON, Mariner late belonging to His Majesty's Ships Marlborough, Terrible, Barfleur and Tilbury
 2 March 1759  -  11/845

George KESSICK or KESICK otherwise CHISACK, ...
20 June 1759  -  11/847

John CALLAGHAN or CALLAHAN, of His Majesty's Ship Nottingham, Mariner, but now on Board ...
14 January 1760  -  11/852

John FELL, Mariner late ... now to His Majesty's Ship Bedford
 4 March 1760  -  11/854

Richard BRADLEY, ...
16 April 1760  -  11/854

Jeremiah DRISCOLL, ...
 2 May 1760  -  11/855

Patrick SAVAGE, of ...
18 June 1760  -  11/857

William STAPLES otherwise STAPLAS, Mariner now ...
 1 August 1760  -  11/858

Bartholomew MCCARTHY, ...
 9 December 1760  -  11/861

John OLIVER, Marine late ..., Seaman in the Pay of His Majesty's Navy, Batchelor
 3 February 1761  -  11/863

John LUNDY, since belonging to ..., Mariner of Guernsey
18 February 1761  -  11/863

John BEDLAND otherwise BEADLIN, Seaman late of ...
 1 September 1761  -  11/868

Ezekiel COSENTINE, late Lieutenant of His Majesty's Ship Tilbury of Fowey, Cornwall
 9 July 1783  -  11/1105

 
Western Deaneries of the Archdeaconry of Richmond
An unidentified document, perhaps a Will, is held by the Lancashire Record Office

H.M.S. Tilbury, COPELAND, 'x'
14 March 1759  -  WR/R.258a/104

 
Consistory Court of Canterbury Will Index
Index of Ships c.1557�1857, Canterbury Cathedral Archives (DCb/PRC32 Vol.27�72)

1733: Thomas BOYS of H.M.S. Tilbury made his Will at Deal
Probate: 1740 (CCC)61/1164

1733: Jeremy Johnson DELL of H.M.S. Tilbury made his Will at Deal
Probate: 1741 (CCC)62/66a

1735: Joseph HORTON of H.M.S. Tilbury made his Will at Folkestone
Probate: 1738 (CCC)61/1035

1735: John CLAYTON of H.M.S. Tilbury made his Will at Deal
Probate: 1739 (CCC)61/1159a

_________________________

 
Listed in two books by Peter Wilson Coldham:
[North] "American Wills Proved in London, 1611-1775" (published 1992)
"English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1700-1799" (published 1980)

19 May 1749: Peter SMYTH of Brentford Butts, (Mddx.), clerk, (chaplain of H.M. ship Tilbury, who died in America, widower) made his Will
- To Mary CHILCOTT, daughter of Rev. William CHILCOTT, minister of New Brentford, £200 when she is 21 or married, with remainder to her ........
Probate December 1757 to Rev. William CHILCOTT

_________________________

 
The following information is quoted from the PRO DocumentsOnLine website (well worth a visit):

"The Prerogative Court of Canterbury (based in London) was the most senior church court, but it would be overly broad to suggest that only those wills of sufficient wealth were proved there. In the early years of its jurisdiction the minimum �5 bequest for a will to be proved in the PCC was difficult for most to meet. But over the years, this set value did not increase, but the relative wealth of ordinary individuals did, so the PCC was more open to all ranks of society. It has been estimated that by the 1830s, a third of all wills made in England and Wales were proved by PCC.

During the interregnum (1553-1560) all wills were proved in London. If your ancestor left property in both courts, their will would be held in PCC.

If your ancestor was out of the country (for instance a sailor, soldier, migrant) and bequeathed property held anywhere in England or Wales, their will would have been proved in the PCC."

http://www.documentsonline.pro.gov.uk/wills.asp