Frenches on HMS Victory at Trafalgar

Francis French AB served on HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Whether the great man conversed with Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe we shall never know. Francis was born in Lyme (Regis), so he could be related to the “Thorncombe” Frenches. He was born around 1778 and pressed, as an Able Seaman – indicating that he might well have been a merchant sailor – into the Navy in 1803. He served on The Victory from 21 May 1803 to 15 January 1806, HMS Ocean from 18 January to 25 June 1809 and HMS Milford from 26 June 1809 until he was invalided out on the 30 July 1814. The only other detail of his life we have managed to glean is that he married Honour WILLING in either 1792 or 1794.

Comments: From: prest
HMS Victory
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 632)
21 May 1803 to 15 January 1806 (Was at Trafalgar)
Rank/rating: Able Seaman
Comments: prest
HMS Ocean
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 350)
18 January 1806 to 25 June 1809
Rank/rating: Able Seaman
HMS Milford
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 50)
26 June 1809 to 30 July 1814
Rank/rating: Able Seaman
Comments: Discharged 30 July 1814 invalided per survey.

Aged 27, Ordinary Seaman, born in Stratford Essex and died 16th December 1862. George French ADM 29/14 p430 POB Stratford; volr Terrible (SB 1254) 27 Nov 1799-25 Oct 1801 LM Hercule (SB 463) 26 Oct 1801-29 April 1802 LM Victory (SB 254) aged 25; 11 April 1803-15 Jan 1806 Ord Ocean (SB 500) 16 Jan 1806-30 June 1808 Ord 1 July 1808-28 Feb 1809 AB 1 March 1809-14 April 1809 Quartergunner Ville De Paris (SB 1433) 15 April 1809-24 March 1813 Quartermaster’s Mate Boyne (SB 814 and 1009) 25 March 1813-3 Sept 1814 A 17 May 1837 [HMS Ocean (SB 500) Ord; mother; 15 Jan 1806; paid Treasurer; D 19 April 1807 Ville De Paris ADM 27/14 p106] ADM 73/47 folio 29 records that George French, number 5632, entered Greenwich Hospital in 1837; aged 60; served 13 years and 11 months in Royal Navy; born Stratford, Essex; married; wife’s residence – Greenwich; two children under age of 20; last ship served on HMS Boyne as a Midshipman; occupation, shoemaker; died 16 December 1862.

Comments: From: HM Brig Constant
HMS Utrecht
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 259)
16 April 1803 to 11 May 1803
Rank/rating: Ordinary Seaman
Comments: Volunteer
HMS Victory
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 254)
11 May 1803 to 15 January 1806 (Was at Trafalgar)
Rank/rating: Ordinary Seaman
Comments: Volunteer
HMS Gelykheid
Ship’s pay book number: (SLWV 81)
18 January 1806 to 25 January 1806
HMS Zealand
HMS Ocean
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 500)
27 January 1806 to 31 May 1808
Rank/rating: Ordinary Seaman

1 July 1808 to 28 February 1809
Rank/rating: Able Seaman

1 March 1809 to 14 April 1809
Rank/rating: Quartergunner
HMS Ville De Paris

Comments: From: Ramsgate Rendesvous
HMS Utrecht
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 348)
23 April 1803 to 11 May 1803
Rank/rating: Ordinary Seaman
Comments: Volunteer
HMS Victory
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 329)
11 May 1803 to 31 July 1804
Rank/rating: Ordinary Seaman
Comments: Volunteer

1 August 1804 to 15 January 1806 (Was at Trafalgar)
Rank/rating: Able Seaman
HMS Ocean
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 210)
17 January 1806 to 17 January 1806
Rank/rating: Able Seaman
HMS Fame
Ship’s pay book number: (SB 91)
18 January 1806 to 1 August 1811
Rank/rating: Able Seaman
Comments: Run 1 Aug 1811 Malta from a boat on duty.