William Boys (Royal Navy officer)
Captain William Boys (25 June 1700 – 4 March 1774) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore. He joined the Navy in 1717 as a midshipman on HMS Prince Frederick. In 1725 he was aboard the Luxborough Galley, a slave ship that burned and sank; six survivors were saved only after cannibalism.
As a captain, he commanded HMS Greyhound (1743), HMS Princess Louisa (1744), and HMS Pearl (1745, East Indies Station). In 1755 he served as flag captain to Vice-Admiral Thomas Smith on HMS Royal Sovereign. He later commanded HMS Preston in 1759 and fought in the Seven Years' War. He became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1760 and was lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hospital from July 1761.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:51 (CET).