Lancelot Thirkill

Lancelot Thirkill was an explorer and ship-owner, who, in 1498, sailed with John Cabot, the famous explorer whose 1497 discovery of parts of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England is commonly held to have been the first European exploration of the mainland of North America since the Norse Vikings' visits to Vinland in the eleventh century.

Thirkill was probably a London merchant, as he is described as “of London,” and as receiving payments for the victualling of his ship. The payments were made by King Henry VII (r. 1485 – 1509), the sponsor of the voyage; between 22 and 27 March 1498, £20 were advanced “to Lanslot Thirkill of London . . . for his Shipp going towardes the new Ilande,” a further £20 on 31 March “to Launcelot Thirkill going towardes the new Ile”; a third payment of £30, between 1 and 3 April, was made to “Launce” Thirkill and Thomas Bradley described as “going to the new Isle,” and a fourth, of £43 0s. 8d. between 4 and 6 April, to them jointly.

Little is known about the voyage, but that Thirkill returned from the voyage may be presumed from a bond which he made on 6 June 1501, referred to in a royal document of 1505.