Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet

Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Allin, painted by Sir Peter Lely in 1665, part of the Flagmen of Lowestoft series
Born	1612
Died	1685
Allegiance	Kingdom of England
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1617 – 1685
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	HMS Dover HMS Plymouth HMS Foresight HMS Lion HMS Rainbow HMS St Andrew
Battles/wars	Battle of Lowestoft Four Days Battle St. James's Day Battle

Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet (1612–1685) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service in the English Civil War, and the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars. A Royalist during the Civil War, he returned to service after the Restoration and eventually rose to the rank of Admiral after serving under some of the most distinguished military figures of the era, including Prince Rupert of the Rhine.

Thomas Allin was born in 1612, the son of Robert Allin. He lived in Lowestoft for the first part of his life, where he was a merchant and shipowner. On the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, Allin sided with the Royalists, in common with most of the town. He played a significant part in the subsequent privateering operations against Lowestoft's Parliamentarian rivals at Great Yarmouth, and eventually transferred his operations to the Netherlands for greater security. He remained in the service of Prince Rupert of the Rhine in the exiled royalist fleet after the Civil War, as evidenced by the issuing of Prince Rupert's Further Instructions for Captain Thomas Allen [sic]. He commanded the Royalists' Charles in 1648 until her capture in 1649, and subsequently commanded the Convertine in 1650. Allin was rewarded for his loyalty to the monarchy after the English Restoration by being given command of HMS Dover on 24 June 1660. He went on to command HMS Plymouth and HMS Foresight during 1661, HMS Lion during 1662 and HMS Rainbow during 1663. During 1663 he was made commander in chief in the Downs with the rank of commodore, flying his pennant aboard HMS St Andrew from 15 April 1664.