Sir Thomas John Cochrane

Royal Navy officer and colonial administrator, claimed unsuccessfully as mortgagee for the compensation for Good Hope estate in Trinidad, which had belonged to his father.

1. Governor of Newfoundland, 1825-1834 and played an important, if controversial role, in the establishment of representative government, though assessments vary as to his qualities. Subsequently, variously second in command and commander-in-chief of the China Station (1842-47) and commander-in-chief for Portsmouth (1852-55). Became Admiral of the Fleet in 1865.

2. Son of Admiral Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane (q.v.) and Maria Wheate (nee Shaw). Naval career then Conservative MP for Ipswich 1839-41, second-in-command (1842-45) then commander-in-chief in China (1844[sic]-1846). Married: (1) Matilda Ross, later Wishart, and had two sons, including Alexander Cochrane-Wishart-Baillie, first Baron Lamington (1816-1890), in the ODNB as 'politican and author', and a leading member of Disraeli's 'Young England'. Alexander was also MP for Honiton, 1859-1868 and for the Isle of Wight 1874-1880. There were also two daughters. (2) Rosetta Wheeler-Cuffe. Died at Quarr Abbey House Ryde 19/10/1872. Charles Cochrane-Baillie, second baron Lamington (1860-1940), Sir Thomas John Cochrane's grandson, is also in the ODNB as 'colonial governor.'

T71/894 Trinidad claim no. 1632.

1. See entry in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online by Frederic F. Thompson: http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=4903 [accessed 28/10/2012].

2. J. K. Laughton, ‘Cochrane, Sir Thomas John (1789–1872)’, rev. Roger T. Stearn, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2004); online edn, Jan 2012 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/5758 [accessed 29/10/2012].