Earl of Dundonald
Encyclopedia
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
.
The Earldom was created in 1669 for the Scottish soldier and politician William Cochrane, 1st Earl of Dundonald, along with the subsidiary title of Lord Cochrane of Paisley and Ochiltree, with remainder to his heirs male, failing which to his heirs female without division who should bear or assume the name of Cochrane, and in failure thereof to his heirs general. In 1647, he had already been created Lord Cochrane of Dundonald in the Peerage of Scotland, with remainder to the heirs male of his body.
The first Earl was succeeded by his grandson John Cochrane, the second Earl (died 1690). He was the son of William Cochrane, Lord Cochrane (died 1679), eldest son of the 1st Earl. The 2nd Earl was a member of the Scottish Privy Council. On his death the titles passed to his eldest son William Cochrane, the third Earl (died 1705). He died unmarried at an early age and was succeeded by his younger brother John Cochrane, the fourth Earl (died 1720). He sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as a Scottish Representative Peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
from 1713 to 1715. When he died the titles passed to his son William Cochrane, the fifth Earl (died 1725). He died unmarried at the age of sixteen.
On his death the line of the 2nd Earl failed and the titles passed to his first cousin once removed, Thomas Cochrane, the sixth Earl (died 1737). He was the son of William Cochrane (died 1717), second son of the aforementioned William Cochrane, Lord Cochrane (died 1679), eldest son of the 1st Earl. He was succeeded by his son William Cochrane, the seventh Earl (died 1758). He fought in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
and was killed at the Battle of Louisburg in 1758.
On the death of the 7th Earl this line of the family also failed and the titles were inherited by his second cousin once removed, Thomas Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald
Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald was a nobleman, army officer and politician.Thomas was born in 1691, the seventh son of William Cochrane of Ochiltree, and his wife Lady Mary Bruce, eldest daughter of Alexander Bruce, 2nd Earl of Kincardine...
, the eighth Earl (died 1778). He was the grandson of Colonel Sir John Cochrane (died 1707), second son of the 1st Earl. Before he became the 8th Earl, he sat as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(Whig) for Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Renfrewshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 until 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885....
between 1722 and 1727. After his death, the titles passed to his son Archibald Cochrane
Archibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of Dundonald
Archibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of Dundonald was a Scottish nobleman and inventor. The son of Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald, he joined the British Army as a youth and also served time in the Royal Navy before returning to Culross in 1778 after inheriting the Earldom of Dundonald from his...
, the ninth Earl (died 1831). The 9th Earl was a scientist and inventor. When he died the titles passed to his son Thomas Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
, the tenth Earl (died 1860). He was a noted naval commander and fought in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. Before inheriting the peerage titles, he also sat as a Member of Parliament. However, he was later imprisoned on a false charge of fraud and expelled from the navy and Parliament. After release he went abroad and commanded the Chilean, Peruvian, Brazilian and Greek navies with distinction.
In 1824, he was created Marquess of Maranhão (Marquês do Maranhão) in the Brazilian nobility
Brazilian nobility
Brazilian nobility refers to the titled nobles and fidalgo families of Brazil, which began in the early 19th century during Colonial Brazil and lasted until the end of the Empire of Brazil in 1889.-History:...
, by Emperor Pedro I. He was also awarded the accompanying coat of arms. There are many works which indicate that the Brazilian title and coat of arms was not hereditary, especially considering the fact that in Brazilian nobilary system many titles used not to be so (although not exclusively). Nonetheless, the descendants of the 10th Earl preserved the title among themselves.
In 1832 he was reinstated in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and received a royal pardon.
He was succeeded by his son Thomas Cochrane, the eleventh Earl (died 1885). He sat in the House of Lords as a Scottish Representative Peer from 1879 to 1885. On his death the titles passed to his eldest son Douglas Cochrane
Douglas Cochrane, 12th Earl of Dundonald
Lieutenant-General Douglas Mackinnon Baillie Hamilton Cochrane, 12th Earl of Dundonald was a Scottish representative peer and a British Army general.-Military career:...
, the twelfth Earl (died 1935). He was a Lieutenant-General in the Royal Army and a Scottish Representative Peer from 1886 to 1922. He married Winifred Bamford-Hesketh. When he died the titles passed to his son Thomas Hesketh Cochrane, the thirteenth Earl (died 1958). He was a Scottish Representative Peer in the House of Lords from 1941 to 1955. He never married and was succeeded by his nephew Ian Douglas Cochrane, the fourteenth Earl (died 1986). He was the son of Douglas Robert Hesketh Roger Cochrane, second son of the twelfth Earl. The 14th Earl was a Major in the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
. As of 2009 the titles are held by his only son Ian Alexander Cochrane, the fifteenth Earl, who succeeded in 1986. The 15th Earl is Chief of Clan Cochrane
Clan Cochrane
Clan Cochrane is a Lowland Scottish clan.-Origins:Traditionally the original ancestor of the Clan Cochrane in Scotland was a Scandinavian Viking who settled in what is now known as Renfrewshire. It is evident that the name is of territorial origin and that the Cochranes took the name of the lands...
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Several other members of the Cochrane family have also gained distinction: Sir Alexander Cochrane
Alexander Cochrane
Admiral Sir Alexander Forrester Inglis Cochrane GCB RN was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars.-Naval career:...
, sixth son of the 8th Earl, was an Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in the Royal Navy. His son Sir Thomas John Cochrane
Thomas John Cochrane
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thomas John Cochrane GCB was an English naval officer and colonial governor.-Naval career:...
was also a naval commander and served as Governor of Newfoundland. His son Alexander Cochrane-Baillie was a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and was created Baron Lamington
Baron Lamington
Baron Lamington, of Lamington in the County of Lanark, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1880 for Alexander Baillie-Cochrane, a long-standing Conservative Member of Parliament and old friend of Benjamin Disraeli. He was the son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thomas...
in 1880 (see this title for more information). William Francis Dundonald Cochrane (1847–1927), a Brigadier-General in the Army, was the son of William Marshall Cochrane, a Colonel in the Army, son of Major the William Erskine Cochrane, third son of the ninth Earl. Archibald Cochrane, fourth son of the 9th Earl, was a Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in the Royal Navy. His grandson Basil Edward Cochrane was a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy. He was the father of Archibald Cochrane (1847–1952) and Sir Edward Owen Cochrane (1881–1972), both Rear-Admirals in the Royal Navy. John Dundas Cochrane
John Dundas Cochrane
Capt. John Dundas Cochrane R. N. , nicknamed the voyageur pédestre in France, was a Scottish traveller and explorer. A nephew of Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, he crossed, on foot, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Russia and Asia to Kamchatka.When back in England, John Dundas...
, another younger son of the ninth Earl, was a traveller and explorer. Thomas Cochrane, second son of the 11th Earl, was a politician and was created Baron Cochrane of Cults
Baron Cochrane of Cults
Baron Cochrane of Cults, of Crawford Priory in the County of Fife, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1919 for the Liberal Unionist politician and former Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Hon. Thomas Cochrane. He was the second and youngest son of...
in 1919 (see this title for more information).
The earldom is named after Dundonald
Dundonald, South Ayrshire
Dundonald is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland.-The village:The village is mostly known for Dundonald Castle, which was built in the 14th century by king Robert II, on the ruins of a castle built earlier Dundonald (Gaelic: Dùn Dhòmhnaill) is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland.-The...
, South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway....
(see Dundonald Castle
Dundonald Castle
Dundonald Castle is situated on a hill overlooking the village of Dundonald, between Kilmarnock and Troon in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Dundonald Castle is a fortified tower house built for Robert II on his accession to the throne of Scotland in 1371 and it was used as a royal residence by the early...
). The family seat
Family seat
A seat or family seat is the principal residence of a family. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families took their dynasty name from their family seat , or named their family seat after their own dynasty...
s are Lochnell Castle, near Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
, Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
, and Beacon Hall, near Cranbrook, Kent
Cranbrook, Kent
Cranbrook is a small town in Kent in South East England which was granted a charter in 1290 by Archbishop Peckham, allowing it to hold a market in the High Street. Located on the Maidstone to Hastings road, it is five miles north of Hawkhurst. The smaller settlements of Swattenden, Colliers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The Earl of Dundonald is the Scottish clan chief
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
of Clan Cochrane
Clan Cochrane
Clan Cochrane is a Lowland Scottish clan.-Origins:Traditionally the original ancestor of the Clan Cochrane in Scotland was a Scandinavian Viking who settled in what is now known as Renfrewshire. It is evident that the name is of territorial origin and that the Cochranes took the name of the lands...
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Earls of Dundonald (1669); Marquess of Maranhão (1824)
- William Cochrane, 1st Earl of DundonaldWilliam Cochrane, 1st Earl of DundonaldWilliam Cochrane, 1st Earl of Dundonald supported the Royalist cause during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.-Biography:William Cochrane of Coldoun, who was knighted by Charles I, acquired the estate of Dundonald in 1638. He was created Baron Cochrane of Dundonald in 1647...
(d. 1685) - John Cochrane, 2nd Earl of Dundonald (c. 1660–1690)
- William Cochrane, 3rd Earl of Dundonald (1686–1705)
- John Cochrane, 4th Earl of Dundonald (1687–1720)
- William Cochrane, 5th Earl of Dundonald (1708–1725)
- Thomas Cochrane, 6th Earl of Dundonald (1702–1737)
- William Cochrane, 7th Earl of Dundonald (1729–1758)
- Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of DundonaldThomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of DundonaldThomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald was a nobleman, army officer and politician.Thomas was born in 1691, the seventh son of William Cochrane of Ochiltree, and his wife Lady Mary Bruce, eldest daughter of Alexander Bruce, 2nd Earl of Kincardine...
(1691–1778) - Archibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of DundonaldArchibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of DundonaldArchibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of Dundonald was a Scottish nobleman and inventor. The son of Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald, he joined the British Army as a youth and also served time in the Royal Navy before returning to Culross in 1778 after inheriting the Earldom of Dundonald from his...
(1749–1831) - Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, Marquess of MaranhãoThomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of DundonaldAdmiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
(1775–1860) - Thomas Barnes Cochrane, 11th Earl of DundonaldThomas Barnes Cochrane, 11th Earl of DundonaldThomas Barnes Cochrane, 11th Earl of Dundonald was a Scottish nobleman. He was son of the radical politician and sailor Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald. Cochrane joined the British Army and eventually gained the rank of Captain. On 31 October 1860, he succeeded his father as the 11th Earl...
(1814–1885) - Douglas Cochrane, 12th Earl of DundonaldDouglas Cochrane, 12th Earl of DundonaldLieutenant-General Douglas Mackinnon Baillie Hamilton Cochrane, 12th Earl of Dundonald was a Scottish representative peer and a British Army general.-Military career:...
(1852–1935) - Thomas Cochrane, 13th Earl of Dundonald (1886–1958)
- Iain Douglas Leonard Cochrane, 14th Earl of Dundonald (1918–1986)
- Iain Alexander Douglas Blair Cochrane, 15th Earl of Dundonald (born 1961).
The Heir Apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
is the present holder's eldest son Archibald Iain Thomas Blair Cochrane, Lord Cochrane (born 1991).
The next in line is the present holder's second son Hon. James Douglas Richard Cochrane (born 1995)
See also
- Clan CochraneClan CochraneClan Cochrane is a Lowland Scottish clan.-Origins:Traditionally the original ancestor of the Clan Cochrane in Scotland was a Scandinavian Viking who settled in what is now known as Renfrewshire. It is evident that the name is of territorial origin and that the Cochranes took the name of the lands...
- Baron LamingtonBaron LamingtonBaron Lamington, of Lamington in the County of Lanark, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1880 for Alexander Baillie-Cochrane, a long-standing Conservative Member of Parliament and old friend of Benjamin Disraeli. He was the son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thomas...
- Baron Cochrane of CultsBaron Cochrane of CultsBaron Cochrane of Cults, of Crawford Priory in the County of Fife, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1919 for the Liberal Unionist politician and former Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Hon. Thomas Cochrane. He was the second and youngest son of...
- Cochrane (surname)
- Auchans, Ayrshire