William Boys (Royal Navy officer)

Royal Navy officer (1700–1774)

William Boys

Boys by an unknown artist

Born| 25 June 1700 (1700-06-25)
Died| 4 March 1774 (1774-03-05)
Allegiance| Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch| Royal Navy
Rank| Captain
Commands held|

* HMS Greyhound
* HMS Princess Louisa
* HMS Pearl
* HMS Royal Sovereign
* HMS Preston
* Nore Command

Battles/wars| Seven Years' War

Captain William Boys (25 June 1700 – 4 March 1774) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.

## History

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Promoted to captain, Boys joined the Royal Navy in 1717 and became a midshipman in the third-rate HMS Prince Frederick.[1] In June 1725 he was on board the South Sea Company slaver Luxborough Galley when the ship sunk following a fire and the six survivors only survived by cannibalism.[1] Promoted to captain he became commanding officer of the sixth-rate HMS Greyhound in June 1743, commanding officer of the fourth-rate HMS Princess Louisa in 1744 and commanding officer of the fifth-rate HMS Pearl on the East Indies Station in 1745.[1] He went on to be flag captain to Vice-Admiral Thomas Smith in the first-rate HMS Royal Sovereign in 1755 and commanding officer of the fourth-rate HMS Preston in 1759 and saw action during the Seven Years' War.[1] After that he became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1760 and lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hospital in July 1761.[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "William Boys". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/64849. Retrieved 3 January 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
2. ^ "William Boys". Historical Autographs. Retrieved 3 January 2015.

Authority control databases

International|

* FAST
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States