English Captain: Thomas Adams

Thomas Adams definitely served in the Commonwealth navy, and it may have been him who served in the Restoration navy, as well. It turns out that Thomas Adams had served with Robert Blake, in the Parliamentarian army, at Taunton. In May 1652, he was Blake's lieutenant. From 1652 to 1653, he commanded the Dutch prize Paul (30 guns). He took part in the operation into the Sound under the command of Andrew Ball in September 1652. From 1654 to 1657, he commanded the Maidstone. He apparently behaved very badly at Teneriffe, in 1657, when many of the men were greedy for prizes. Blake finally had to order the ships burnt. In 1665, the King appointed Thomas Adams as lieutenant on the King Ferdinando. In 1666, he was promoted to First Lieutenant of the 2nd Rate Unicorn. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964.
2. Michael Baumber, General-at-Sea, 1989.
3. J.R. Tanner, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Vol.I, 1903.