William Gonson

William Gonson (died 1544), was the English Vice-Admiral of Norfolk and Suffolk serving under King Henry VIII in 1536. He was the father of Benjamin Gonson, who would go on to hold a career in the English navy as well. William ran the navy almost single handedly for twenty years and was referred to as the keeper of the storehouses at Erith and Deptford. William eventually fell from grace and died in 1544 leaving the navy disorganized. It took two years for Henry to reorganise control and develop what became known as 'The Navy Board'.

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References

• Bennell, John (2004). "Gonson, William (d. 1544)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/47400.  (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)