About Blair Cochrane
Lived 1853 – 1928 (aged 75). Blair Cochrane was a British skipper.
Captain Blair Onslow Cochrane (11 September 1853 –7 December 1928) was a British sailor who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was helmsman of the British boat Cobweb, which won the gold medal in the 8-metre class.
Cochrane was born near Darlington, County Durham, the son of a wealthy land and coal mine owner. His great-grandfather was Archibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of Dundonald. He was educated at King's College School and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He joined the Royal Horse Artillery and rose to the rank of captain.
In 1896, Cochrane, Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Henry Macdonald Moreton, and Captain Ernest du Boulay instigated the Bembridge Redwing class, the earliest one design keelboat class with a One Design hull and restricted development rig.
In the 1908 Olympic Games, Cochrane and his brothers-in-law, Henry Sutton and John Rhodes, raced in Cochrane's yacht, Cobweb, that won the 8-metre class.
He later served as County Director, Auxiliary Hospitals and Voluntary Aid Detachments on the Isle of Wight. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1919 New Year Honours for his service during the First World War.
He married Mary Sutton, daughter of Sir Richard Sutton, 4th Baronet. Their daughter, Jean Cochrane, was also a top yachtswoman. She died unexpectedly on her yacht in 1946.
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Important facts
People in Blair Cochrane's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Blair Cochrane's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Blair Cochrane?
sailor (1853–1928)
When was Blair Cochrane born?
Blair Cochrane was born on 11 September 1853 in Darlington.
When did Blair Cochrane die?
Blair Cochrane died on 7 December 1928.
What was Blair Cochrane's occupation?
Blair Cochrane was a skipper.
What nationality was Blair Cochrane?
Blair Cochrane was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Blair Cochrane. https://biography.guide/blair-cochrane/
MLA: "Blair Cochrane." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/blair-cochrane/.
Chicago: "Blair Cochrane." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/blair-cochrane/.
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