There had been suggestions that this connection with France may have been at
a later date than first thought and was possibly a Huguenot name. The exodus of
these families to all parts of the world was after the St Bartholomew massacre of
24th August 1572 in which 8,000 Huguenots were murdered this was nearly four
hundred years after the first possible reference was found.

Early references are for Alan TRENCHEMER who was given land at Paddington
-Bray, Surrey by King Henry in 1174, Alan also returns Richard the Third to England
after his crusade and captivity in his favourite galley, “Trench-le-Mer in 1194.

“Richard’s admiral Stephen of Turnham received the travellers on the famous ship
TRENCHEMER, they made their way among the islands by day and by night for
greater comfort and security lay upon a great galley that came out from Rye.
On March 12th the ships bore into the harbour of Sandwich”.

From the Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by E. Cobham Brewer of 1898 it refers
to Trench-the-Mer as:-
“The galley of Richard Coeur de Lion; so called from its fleetness, those who sailed
in it were called by the same name.”

In 1208 Alan (junior) TRENCHMERE is steersman and master, appointed to
command the Kings galleys at Shoreham, Sussex, and in 1228 Alan gives land in
Shoreham to the Knight Templars were they erected a chapel.

The fact that Alan built ships for the King it may be inferred that he was a shipwright
of high reputation, possibly well known for constructing fast ships for cross-channel
purposes, it seems clear that his bye-name was originally a nickname arising from his
activities as a shipbuilder and seaman.

In 1330 a mention of a tenement in New Shoreham has the property of Simon
TRENCHMERE in it.

The family also appear in the village of Cowfold Sussex, in 1370 Richard
TRENCHMORE is mentioned in the Manor of Cowfold records, between 1460-85
TRANCHMERE is a Churchwarden there.

The family tradition of shipbuilding appears to continue as Robert TRANCKMORE
is still constructing ships at Shoreham and is a member of the Shipwrights company
of London in 1605.

Use of the name TRENCHEMER appears in a number of references made to ships
and boats from the earliest time right up to the modern day, another example is found
in some BETTENCOURT Family History notes again its origins in France:-

“It was resolved that BETHENCOURT should go to Spain to get together what was
necessary to complete the enterprise. GADIFER remained as lieutenant and while
absent at the Isle of Lobos, BERTIN excited disaffection against him, drew together
a faction of his own with which he pillaged the castle of Rubicon and took a number
of natives prisoner on 25 Nov 1402, including GUARDARIFA, the King of Lanzarote,
who had already made friendly submission to BETHENCOURT. Two Spanish ships
had arrived meanwhile, and BERTIN, having gained over Ferdinand ORDONEZ,
captain of the TRANCHEMAR, took his spoils and prisoners on board, abandoned
his followers to perish miserably in Africa, and went himself to Spain”.

A vessel by the name TRENCHEMER was designed by Olin J STEPHENS, and
build by HALL, RUSSELL & Co Ltd shipbuilders of Aberdeen, launched in November
1934, she was a seventy-two foot Yawl and was entered in the transatlantic race
between Newport, U.S.A. and Bergen, Norway in 1935 in which she came second.

In a result sheet of 1999 for what appears to be a series of yacht races one of the
competitors Pierre GUIHARD is taking part in a boat named TRANCHEMAR.

References found that relate to family history on the internet appear to concentrate in
and around the St Malo area of France, Perrine TRANCHEMER was the wife of
Toussaint LORRE, their daughter also named Perrine married Jean GORGE in 1746,
a Joseph TRANCHEMER appears on the 1914-18 War memorial at Plouer-sur-Rance.