Thomas John Cochrane
| Sir Thomas Cochrane | |
|---|---|
 Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane |
|
| Born | 5 February 1789 London, United Kingdom |
| Died | 19 October 1872 |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  Royal Navy |
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Commands held | HMS Jason HMS Forte Governor of Newfoundland East Indies and China Station Portsmouth Command |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thomas John Cochrane GCB (5 February 1789 – 19 October 1872) was an English naval officer and colonial governor.
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Cochrane began his naval career in 1796 at the age of seven and was made lieutenant at the age of 16.[1] His rise quickly in the ranks was considered by many to be blatant patronage because of his father's influence.[1] Cochrane commanded HMS Forte.[1]
When Newfoundland became an official colony in 1825, Cochrane was appointed the first governor.[1] Cochrane was responsible for the construction of Government House, which is located between Fort William and Fort Townshend[1] and is now a National Historic Site of Canada.[2] Although Cochrane had opposed the introduction of representative government, a new constitution was granted in 1832 and Cochrane became the first civil governor.[1] Cochrane had many conflicts while governor, especially with the Roman Catholic bishop, Michael Fleming.[1] The colonial office recalled Cochrane in 1834; when he left he and his daughter were pelted with filth on their way down Cochrane Street to the wharf.[1]
He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Ipswich from 1839 to 1841.[3]
In 1842 he became Second in Command of the East Indies and China Station before being appointed Commander-in-chief of that Station in his Flagship, HMS Agincourt in 1844.[4] He took part in anti-piracy operations around North West Borneo, including destroying the forts at Brunei, in 1845 and 1846.[5][6] Finally in 1852 he was made Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.[4] He was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet in 1865.[4]
Cochrane Street in St. John's is so named for Thomas John Cochrane.
Family [edit]
In 1812 he married Matilda Lockhart-Ross,[4] and had one daughter and one son:
- Maria Theresa Cochrane
- Alexander Dundas Ross Cochrane (1816-1890), who was a politician and MP and was created Baron Lamington in 1880.
Sir Thomas married secondly, in 1853, Rosetta Wheler-Cuffe (1816- 1901), daughter of Sir Jonah Denny Wheler-Cuffe, 1st Baronet. They had one son and one daughter:
- Ann Annette "Minna" Cochrane (1855-1943), a courtier
- Thomas Belhaven Henry Cochrane (1856-1925), who was a Deputy Governor of the Isle of Wight
He lived at Hanover Lodge, Regent's Park which had previously been owned by General Sir Robert Arbuthnot, KCB and was later owned by Admiral David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, and latter lived at Quarr Abbey House where he and his wife entertained Queen Victoria.
Death [edit]
Thomas John Cochrane died on the Isle of Wight at Quarr Abbey House, Binstead, 19 October 1872 aged 83; he is buried in the family mausoleum, plot 21777 Kensal Green Cemetery London.
Lady Cochrane died at Quarr Abbey House, Isle of Wight 27 May 1901.[7] Her body was transported to Kensal Green Cemetery and interned in the mausoleum alongside her husband. Present at her funeral was her brother Major Cuffe, her son, Lieutenant Thomas Belhaven Henry, then deputy governor of the Isle of Wight and his two daughters, her daughter Minna Cochrane, and also present were the servants from Quarr Abbey House
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Biography at Government House The Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador
- ^ Government House. Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- ^ Leigh Rayment
- ^ a b c d Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- ^ Keppel, H. Expedition to Borneo in HMS Dido (1846)
- ^ Mundy,R Narrative of Events in Borneo & the Celebes (1848)
- ^ "Obituary" The Times (London). Wednesday, 29 May 1901. Issue 36467, p. 4.
- Records of Kensal Green Cemetery
- George Edward Cokayne, editor, The Complete Baronetage, 5 volumes (no date (c. 1900); reprint, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 1983), volume IV, page 304. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Baronetage
External links [edit]
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir Thomas Cochrane
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Charles Hamilton |
Governor of Newfoundland 1825–1834 |
Succeeded by Sir Henry Prescott |
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by Thomas Milner Gibson and Fitzroy Kelly |
Member of Parliament for Ipswich 1839–1841 With: Fitzroy Kelly |
Succeeded by Rigby Wason and George Rennie |
| Preceded by Sir William Parker |
Commander-in-Chief, East Indies and China Station 1844–1846 |
Succeeded by Samuel Inglefield |
| Preceded by Sir Thomas Briggs |
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth 1852–1856 |
Succeeded by Sir George Seymour |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by Sir Francis Austen |
Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom 1863–1865 |
Succeeded by Sir George Seymour |
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