During the English Civil War, Thomas Allin served in the King's naval forces. From 1644-1647, commanding ships from those fitted out for the Royalists by Sir Nicholas Crisp. In 1648, he served with the Royalists. From 1648-1649, he commanded the Royalist warship Charles, which was captured. In 1650, he was captain of the Royalist Convertine (the ship built as the Destiny by Sir Walter Raleigh, and eventually sold in Portugal). He was with Prince Rupert on his voyage to inflict damage on the Commonwealth trade. At this time, he was flag captain to the Vice Admiral. Later in 1650, he commanded the Charles Prize with the Royalists.
In 1660, he was appointed a captain in the Restoration navy of King Charles II. In 1660, he commanded the Dover. In 1661, he commanded the Plymouth. Later in 1661, he commanded the Foresight. In 1662, he commanded the 3rd Rate Lion. In 1663, he commanded the 2nd Rate Rainbow. Later in 1663, he was in the St. Andrew. He was commander-in-chief in the Downs, as he was in early 1664. In 1664, he commanded the Plymouth. He was Vice-Admiral of a fleet in the Channel under the command of the Earl of Sandwich. In December 1664, while he commanded the Mediterranean squadron, he caught the Dutch Smyrna convoy off Cadiz, and fought a sharp action with them. He commanded the Plymouth. At various times during this period, he was given an independent fleet to command on special operations. On 26 March 1678, the King appointed him to fly his flag on the 1st Rate Royal James. He died in the fall of 1685 at the age of 74.
Sources:- R. C. Anderson, The Journals of Sir Thomas Allin, Vol.I 1660-1666, 1939.
- R. C. Anderson, The Journals of Sir Thomas Allin, Vol.II 1667-1678, 1940.
- R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964.
- Frank Fox, A Distant Storm: the Four Days' Battle of 1666, 1996.
- J.R. Tanner, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Vol.I, 1903.
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