A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Trench, William Le Poer
TRENCH. (Rear-Admiral of the Red, 1840. f-p., 15; h-p., 47.)
William Le Poer Trench was born in July, 1771, and died 16 Aug. 1846 at Ballinasloe. He was third son of William, first Earl of Clancarty, by Anne, eldest daughter of the Right Hon. Chas. Gardiner, and sister of Luke, first Lord Mountjoy. He was brother of the second Earl of Clancarty, the late Archbishop of Tuam, and the late gallant Colonel Hon. Sir Robt. Le Poer Trench, K.C.B., K.T.S.; brother-in-law of the first Lord Castlemaine and the present Earl of Rathdowne; and uncle of Lieut. Hon. Robt. Le Poer Trench, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 April, 1785, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Trusty 50, Capt. Wm. Wolseley, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore, subsequently Rear-Admiral, Philip Cosby, in the Mediterranean, whence he returned to England in 1790. After further serving, on the coast of Ireland and in the Channel, as Midshipman, in the Porcupine 24, Capt. Geo. Martin, Impregnable 98, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Cosby, and Vengeance 74, Capt. Chas. Thompson, he joined, in April, 1793, the Ulysses 44; of which ship, stationed in the West Indies, he was created a Lieutenant 16 June following. Invaliding in Nov. of the same year, he was next, 27 Jan. 1794 and 9 Feb. 1796, appointed to the Crescent 36, Capts. Sir Jas. Saumarez and Edw. Buller, and Ramillies 74, Capts. Sir Rich. Bickerton, Bartholomew Rowley, and Rich. Grindall; in which ships he continued employed in the Channel and North Sea until promoted to the rank of Commander, 19 Nov. 1799. The Crescent was in action, 8 June, 1794, with an enemy’s squadron of very superior force, from whom she escaped by a series of the most bold and masterly manoeuvres. After he left the Ramillies, Capt. Trench, it appears, did not go afloat. He attained Post rank 29 April, 1802; became a Rear-Admiral on the Retired list 10 Jan. 1837; and was placed on the Active list 17 Aug. 1840.
Rear-Admiral Trench was appointed, in 1819, Secretary to the Board of Customs and Port Duties in Ireland; and on 27 Sept. 1823 he was nominated an Assistant Commissioner. He married, first, in 1800, Sarah, daughter of John Loftus Cuppage, Esq.; and secondly, in Jan. 1837, Margaret, daughter of Dawson Downing, Esq., of Rosegift, co. Londonderry, and widow of Arthur Handcock, Esq., son of Richard, second Lord Castlemaine. By the former lady he had issue three sons and one daughter; and by the latter one son and one daughter.