By John D Ellis
Thomas Stanley was born on the Island of Barbados c.1757. Nothing is known of his life before he enlisted on HMS Lowestoffe in Jamaica in July 1777. Stanley served as a Landsman on the Lowstoffe until 1782, including the Capture of Omoa (1779). In July 1782 he joined HMS Royal William, on which he served as a Landsman, including service at the Battle of Cape Spartel (1782), until the crew was paid off in December 1783. Stanley served as an Able-Seaman on HMS Hawke between 1793 and 1801, and then briefly as one of the “Carpenter’s Crew” on HMS Ampitrite between May and June 1801. He then served as an Ordinary Seaman on HMS Southampton between June 1801 and January 1802, including time spent in the Leeward Islands and Portsmouth. His last ship was HMS Leviathan, on whom he served as an Ordinary Seaman between January 1801 and December 1805, including the Battle of Trafalgar (October 1805).
At Trafalgar, Leviathan was commanded by Captain Henry Bayntun, (Later Admiral, Sir Henry William Bayntun, 1766-1840). The ship was fourth in line in the “Weather Column” led by Nelson in HMS Victory. Leviathan captured the Spanish ship San Agustin, although at some cost: of the 609 Officers and Ratings onboard the ship, 4 were killed and 22 wounded. It is known that other Black Royal Navy sailors were also present at Trafalgar and on the Leviathan approximately 5% of the crew were from Asia and countries of the African Diaspora.(1)
Although uninjured at Trafalgar, Stanley was suffering from the effects of his long service at sea. He was invalided from the Leviathan in December 1805 and was awarded an out-pension at Greenwich Hospital in April 1806. On examination it was noted that he was “a blk” (i.e. Black), 56 years of age, (Royal Navy records were rarely exact about age) and 5/3” tall. He had served for a total of 18 years, 10 months, 3 weeks and 6 days, and his last ship was the Leviathan. His place of birth was given as Barbados, and it was also noted that he was married to Margaret and that they had two children.
Margaret Stanley, aged 60 years, died in June 1819, and was interred in the Greenwich Hospital Burial Ground (probably out of respect for Thomas and an acknowledgment of her status as a Royal Navy wife). Thomas Stanley was admitted to Greenwich as an in-pensioner the following year.
The 1841 England Census reveals that Thomas Stanley, aged 90 years, a Pensioner born in Foreign Parts, living in Greenwich Hospital.(2)
Thomas Stanley died in Greenwich Hospital on the 8th of January 1847, (the record of his death noted he was “a black”) and was interred in the Greenwich Hospital Burial Ground on the 12th of January. He narrowly missed his service at Trafalgar being recognised by the “Trafalgar” clasp to the “Naval General Service Medal 1793-1814” when it was retrospectively awarded in late 1847.
HMS Leviathan was sold and broken up in 1848.
The Union Flag (better known as the “Union Jack”), flown by HMS Leviathan was sold at auction by Holt’s Auctioneers in 2015. It is one of only three such flags known to exist, one is held by the Maritime Museum at Greenwich (H.M.S. Minotaur) and the other is in private hands (H.M.S. Spartiate).
References and Sources:
1)www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors facilitates the identification of thirty-three Ratings whose place of birth was given as either India or from countries of the African Diaspora, including Bermuda, Haiti, St Domingo, Curacao, St Kitts, Madeira, Barbados, Grenada, Canada and the USA (seventeen of the thirty three). Thomas Stanley’s place of birth was given as Jamaica, although that was the place he initially enlisted on HMS Lowesoffe, whilst his pension records twice identify him as being born in Barbados.
2)1841 England Census. Greenwich Royal Hospital for Seamen. Greenwich East, Kent. HO 107/489/18. ancestry.co.uk
3)Copyright Holt’s Auctioneers. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-35038494
For the service of Thomas Stanley see: The National Archives (TNA) ADM 73/26/193. TNA ADM 73/42. TNA ADM 73/66.
The service of Thomas Stanley has been augmented by information from threedecks.org
For the wider presence of Black sailors in the Napoleonic Royal Navy see: Ellis, JD. “Black sailors in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815”. Historycalroots.com
Burial: Margaret Stanley, aged 60 years, Greenwich Hospital Burial Ground. TNA/RG/4/1672. findmypast.co.uk
For the death and burial of Thomas Stanley see: TNA ADM 73/38. Also Burial: Thomas Stanley, aged 97 years, Greenwich Hospital, 12th January 1847. TNA/RG/4/1675.