Thomas Trenchard, 2nd Viscount Trenchard

Thomas Trenchard, 2nd Viscount Trenchard, MC (15 December 1923 – 29 April 1987), was a British hereditary peer and junior minister in Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government from 1979 to 1983.

The Right Honourable The Viscount Trenchard MC
Trenchard in 1932
Minister of State for Defence Procurement
In office 5 January 1981 – 6 January 1983
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	The Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Pattie
Minister of State for Industry
In office 6 May 1979 – 5 January 1981
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Eric Heffer
Succeeded by	Kenneth Baker
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
In office 10 February 1956 – 29 April 1987
Preceded by	The 1st Viscount Trenchard
Succeeded by	The 3rd Viscount Trenchard
Personal details
Born	Thomas Trenchard (1923-12-15)15 December 1923
Died	29 April 1987(1987-04-29) (aged 63)
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Patricia Bailey ​ (m. 1948)​
Children	3
Parent	Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard
Education	Eton College

Thomas Trenchard was born in 1923, the son of Katherine and Hugh Trenchard, whom many regard as the father of the Royal Air Force. He was educated at Eton College and served in the King's Royal Rifle Corps in World War II being awarded the MC in 1945.

On 19 June 1948, Thomas Trenchard married Patricia Bailey, the daughter of Admiral Sir Sidney Bailey.^[1]

They had three children:

• Hon. Hugh Trenchard (b. 12 March 1951), later 3rd Viscount Trenchard;
• Hon. John Trenchard (b. 13 March 1953) who married Clare Marsh (youngest daughter of Edward Chandos de Burgh Marsh, of The Old Rectory, Salcott, Essex) in 1983, and has issue (one son and one daughter); and
• Hon. Thomas Henry Trenchard (16 July 1966 – 23 February 2003) who married Sarah Saunders in 1997, and had one daughter.

He succeeded his father as Viscount Trenchard on 10 February 1956, and took his seat in the House of Lords on 28 February 1957.^[2] He was subsequently a Director of Unilever Ltd and Unilever NV from 1967 to 1977, and served as a Minister of State, Department of Industry from 1979 to 1981 and as Minister for Defence Procurement from 1981 to 1983.^[3] After this, he became president of Women and Families for Defence, an anti-CND group.^[4][5]

Lord Trenchard died on 29 April 1987 and was succeeded by his eldest son Hugh. Lady Trenchard died in 2016 at the age of 90.^[6] They are buried together in the churchyard at North Mymms, Hertfordshire.

Coat of arms of Thomas Trenchard, 2nd Viscount Trenchard

Crest A cubit arm erect vested Azure cuffed Argent holding in the hand a cinquedea sword both Proper. Escutcheon Per pale Argent and Azure in the first three pallets Sable all within a bordure of the last. Supporters On either side an eagle Gules the dexter charged with a thistle leaved and slipped and the sinister with a truncheon Or. Motto Nosce Teipsum[7]