Wills of Royal Naval Seamen (1786 - 1882)

You can search and download the wills of around 35,000 men who joined the Royal Navy between 1786 and 1882 (catalogue reference ADM 48). Use the links below to jump to the topics you are interested in.

Introduction

How do I search?

How to interpret a record

Why can't I find an entry?

Further Research

Introduction

Admiral Howe's Fleet, 1794 (Cat ref: MPI 1/536)

Accident, disease and war were risks for seamen and many of them made wills to provide for their families in the event of death. As far back as 1698 the Admiralty had to deal with individuals impersonating deceased seamen or their executors, creditors or next of kin. They were trying to claim unpaid wages by forging wills and letters of attorney.

Various Acts of Parliament were passed to try to stop these criminal practices and in 1716 and 1720 there were proposals to set up an office for registering seamen's wills. However these proposals were turned down by the Admiralty and it was not until 1786 that the office of Inspector of Wills was established.

The records in this online collection are original wills of Warrant officers and seamen. Most of them are written on printed forms. These forms were accepted as valid by the Admiralty and they were deposited in the Navy Office, with orders to issue cheques to the executors.

How do I search?

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You can search on details from the records by entering any or all of the following:

Name
Rank or rating
Name of ship
Other keyword, for example the pay book number

The date of the will is shown in the search results. Where no date was recorded in the original document, a date range appears instead.

How to interpret a record

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The wills are usually a printed form with details filled in by hand, although some have been written out in full. There might also be correspondence, such as the "Application of the Executor/Executrix" and notes. These wills hold details such as the name, address and occupation of the executor and the names of beneficiaries.

As a rule each man's will begins with the printed words "In the Name of God, Amen". The wills usually give the testator's name, rank and ship, together with details of his effects and the name (and sometimes the address) of the person who was to receive them in the event of his death (in most cases, his next of kin). As well as being signed and dated by the testator, wills were usually signed by the master and captain of the ship that the seaman or warrant officer was serving on when the will was made.

Click on the images below to see typical examples.

The first image is an early example and it shows the will of William Abrams, dated 1796 (the year he made his will). The will reveals that he had served in the Portsmouth Division of the Marines before joining HMS Pallas. He left everything to his mother, Mary Abrams. The will also reveals details about his mother; she was from the Wiltshire parish of Milksham (Melksham) but subsequently she was living with Thomas Stansell, a saddler, in Truebridge (Trowbridge), also in Wiltshire. William Abrams signed his will but there was widespread illiteracy in England and Wales at this time so it's not unusual to find "the mark of..._X" or "his ^X mark" instead of a signature.


Will of William Abrams, 1796 (Catalogue reference ADM 48/1)		Will of Henry Walker Thorp, 1880 (Catalogue reference ADM 48/107)

The second image is typical of later wills in this collection, the will of Henry Walker Thorp, chief engine room artificer on HMS Invincible. He made his will in 1880 leaving everything to his wife, Emily Thorp who was living in Portsmouth, Hampshire. He appointed his brother-in-law, Richard Green, as Executor. Richard Green was living in Fratton, Hampshire at that time. This will also has a signature.

Why can't I find an entry?

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It's also possible that information is recorded elsewhere:

There are registers of probates and administrations (1836-1915) in the series PMG 50
Royal Marine wills and administrations are in ADM 96/524 (1740-1764). Wills deposited in the Navy pay office by Royal Marines other ranks (1786-1909) are indexed in ADM 142.
There might be a copy will in the series PROB 11. The Prerogative Court of Canterbury was responsible for proving the wills of naval officers and ratings who died with more than £20 of wages due to them. You can search the PROB 11 wills in DocumentsOnline.
If they joined after 1882 check The National Probate Index
Officers' effects papers can be found in the series ADM 45 and Seamen's effects papers in ADM 44. There is a register of probates affecting the payment of pensions in PMG 50 (1836-1915).