Thomas Cochrane, 13th Earl of Dundonald

Thomas Hesketh Douglas Blair Cochrane, 13th Earl of Dundonald (21 February, 1886 – 23 May, 1958) was a British Army officer who served in World War I. He was also a Scottish representative peer from 1941 to 1955 and chairman of the Anglo-Chilean Society.

Personal life Thomas Hesketh Douglas Blair Cochrane (nicknamed 'Cocky' by his friends) was born on 21 February, 1886, the son of Douglas Cochrane, 12th Earl of Dundonald and Winifred Bamford-Hesketh (died 1924), he was educated at Eton.

He succeeded to the Earldom of Dundonald and its subsidiary titles of 13th Lord Cochrane of Paseley and Ochiltrie on the death of his father, 12 April 1935.

In November 1914, Thomas was 'invalided' home after having been wounded while fighting with his regiment at the front line.

Gwrych Castle The family seat was located at Gwrych Castle. The estate was acquired by the 12th Earl of Dundonald in 1878, through his marriage to Winifred Bamford-Hesketh, sole heiress of Robert Bamford-Hesketh.

In 1919, Cochrane's mother sold portions of the family estate, including surrounding land and mines. When she died in 1924, she left the remainder of the estate to King George V. The King, unable to accept the gift, turned the property over to the Order of St John of Jerusalem. In 1928, the estate was eventually sold back to the 12th Earl of Dundonald for £78,000. During World War II, the estate was used to house 200 Jewish refugee children from the Kindertransport. In 1946, following the war, the 13th Earl of Dundonald, resold the entire estate to Robert Rennie of Chester for £12,000.