Lt. Colonel Thomas Cockayne

A son of Francis Cockayne who was four times Mayor of Derby and younger brother of Francis Cockayne who was Lord Mayor of London, 1750-51.
He was baptised at St. Peter's Derby, in 1697.
Appointed Lieutenant in Colonel Cotton's (13th) Foot 1720.
Appointed Captain in Colonel Middleton's (13th) Foot July 1735.
Made Secretary to the Order of Bath, August 1735.
Deputy Judge Advocate of the Forces ordered to Flanders in April 1742.
Appointed Lieutenant Colonel of Pulteney's (13th) Foot, 29thMay, 1744, and commanded it at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
He was married to Mary, sister of Sir William Mildmay, by whom he had one son, Thomas Mildmay Cokayne. He died in London, 2nd October 1749 and was buried at St Peter's in Derby.

Last Will and Testament
Public Record Office/The National Archives, Cat. Ref:Prob/11/773 

I Thomas Cokayne Esq. Lieutenant Colonel of Major General Pulteney's Regiment of Foot of the Parish of St James in the Liberty of the City of Westminster do hereby make, declare and publish this my last will and testament and first I give, (devise?) and bequeath all my interest, Estate, Right either shared, property, claim and demand of and in the several messuages, tenements, warehouses and buildings situated in his Majesty's Town or Garrison of Gibraltar from the East side next to the Old Barrier Gate by the Old Line of the Town from the said Gate to the Wall that goes to the yard of the warehouses belonging to Lieutenant General (Seagrave?) and also of and in the corner house beginning from the said gate to the house now or formerly belonging to Alexander Montgomery all of which said messuages, warehouses and buildings and their appointments were heretofore the property of (Mairos?) Casola inhabitant of the said town and garrison and were confirmed to him by the Earl of Portmore Governor of the said place in the year 1721, also I give, devise and bequeath all my estate, right, either shared interest property in claim and demand of and in the messuage, tenement or dwelling house situated, lying and being in a (Bar?), Lane or Street near the Governors Garden formerly in the possession of Captain Richard (Lon_b_nd?) and later Mary Knight. I say I give devise and bequeath all my estate share and property in the several premises aforesaid and in all the yard, gardens and appointments thereunto respectively belonging or anyways appertaining together with all the Rents, arrears of rents, (fines?) and profits thereof due to me unto my Dear and Loving Wife Mary Cokayne and her heirs and assigns for ever and whereas by articles of agreement made and executed the 20th day of June in the year of our Lord 1726 the marriage portion of my said dear wife was thereby settled to the uses and upon the (trust?) as therein declared now I do hereby confirm the same and lastly I give devise and bequeath unto my said dear wife all the rest and residue of my real estates where forever and all sum and sums of money in Old or New South Sea annuities or other Publick securities which I now own or shall at the time of my decease be possessed of and all my Goods, chattels, furniture, books, plate, ready money, (debts?) and personal estate whatsoever upon this (confidence?) that she doth allow there out a sufficient an suitable maintenance unto my dear son Thomas Mildmay Cokayne for his education, support and future advancement and I do hereby ( ______ ___?) and appoint her my said dear wife as Executive of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former will or wills by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this Thirtieth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and forty four according to the computation of the Church of England and in the Eighteenth year of His Majesty’s Reign

Thomas Cokayne

Signed sealed and published in the presence of us who in the presence of the testator have hereto set our names as witnesses.

George Johnston Alexander Wilson George Darnaley


NB In law, the term messuage equates to a dwelling-house and includes outbuildings, orchard, curtilage or court-yard and garden.

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