Mr Robert Cochrane was born at St John’s Point in Killough, Co Down, Ireland on 11 November 1867. Hailing from a Presbyterian family, he was the son of Robert Cochrane, a labourer, and Sarah Hines. He had at least two younger siblings, Margaret and William. 

Described as a seaman and giving his address as 19 Lecky Street, Cochrane was married in Belfast on 15 November 1900 to Margaret Anne McMurdock (b. 18 February 1882), a mill worker who was the daughter of a Manx-born sailor John McMurdock and an Irish mother, Elizabeth Chapman. 

He appears on the 1901 census as a married steamship fireman residing at York Dock, listed with dozens of other mariners. 

He later joined the Royal Naval Reserve whilst he served in the merchant fleet during WWI. His whereabouts following that remain obscure.