Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald

Major Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald (1691 – 31 October 1778) was a British Army officer and politician. He was Member of Parliament for Renfrewshire, 1722–1727. He served as Commissioner of the Excise for Scotland from 1730 until 1764. He acceded to the title of Earl of Dundonald in 1758 on the death of his cousin, William Cochrane, 7th Earl of Dundonald.

Early life and education 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.

As a younger son, he would not inherit his father's property, so he entered the army. He became a cornet in the Royal Regiment of Dragoons in 1713, and a captain in the 27th Regiment of Foot in 1716.

He became Member of Parliament for Renfrewshire in 1722, and represented the constituency until 1727. He was appointed as Commissioner of the Excise for Scotland from 1730 until 1764.

Thomas Cochrane acceded to the title of Earl of Dundonald on the death of his distant cousin, William Cochrane, the seventh earl, on 9 July 1758. William, an army officer, had been killed at the Siege of Louisbourg, and died without issue. Elizabeth died in 1743.

On 6 September 1744, Cochrane married Jane Stuart. They had a number of children, firstly Archibald, born in 1748, who became an inventor and succeeded his father in the earldom, and secondly Charles, born in 1749. He had an army career. Their fifth son Basil was born in 1753. He made a fortune supplying the Royal Navy in India. Their sixth son Alexander Forrester (later Alexander Inglis) was born in 1758, and entered the Royal Navy. He rose to be admiral of the white, an MP, and a Knight Grand Cross of the Bath. Their eighth and youngest son Andrew James was born in 1767. He also served in the army, reaching the rank of brigadier, sat as MP for several constituencies, and was Governor of Dominica. Less honourably, he was indicted for his role in the Great Stock Exchange Fraud of 1814. Andrew's nephew, the prominent naval officer Thomas Cochrane, Lord Cochrane, was also convicted in this case, but years later received a royal pardon.

Thomas Cochrane died on 31 October 1778. He was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son Archibald, who became the 9th Earl of Dundonald.