HMS Tilbury was a 58-gun fourth rate ship of the line

Ship of the line

A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...

 of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, ordered from Portsmouth Dockyard on 17 December 1742 to be built to the dimensions laid down in the 1741 proposals of the 1719 Establishment

1719 Establishment

The 1719 Establishment was the first formal 'Establishment' laid down to govern the construction of all ships built or rebuilt down to those of 20 carriage guns, whether in the Royal Dockyards or by commercial contractors...

. She was launched on 20 July 1745.

In 1757 Tilbury was under the command of Captain Henry Barnsley, and formed part of Vice Admiral Francis Holburne

Francis Holburne

Admiral Sir Francis Holburne was a Royal Navy officer who also served as a Member of Parliament.-Naval career:Francis entered the Navy in 1720 as a volunteer aboard , passing his examinations in 1725...

's expedition to capture Louisbourg. The squadron was dispersed by a storm on 27 September, and Tilbury was driven onto the rocks. Captain Barnsley and 120 of his crew were drowned, and the survivors became French prisoners, though they were treated well by their captors.