Joseph Cotton (mariner)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Cotton FRS
(7 March 1745 or 1746 – 26 January 1825), was an English mariner and merchant, a director of the East India Company
and deputy-master of Trinity House
.
Cotton was born at St. Albans, Hertfordshire
, England
, the third son of Dr. Nathaniel Cotton
. He entered the Royal Navy
in 1760 and passed the examination for lieutenant, but left the navy and joined the East India Company
.
He made a fortune from two voyages as captain of the Queen Charlotte, an East Indiaman ship. He then retired and lived the rest of his life in Leyton, Essex, living at Leyton House from 1789 to 1803, and in Walnut Tree House (today Essex Hall) beginning in 1813.
In 1788, he was elected an "elder brother" of Trinity House
, and in 1803 became deputy-master, holding the latter post for about twenty years. He published a memoir about the origin of Trinity House in 1818.
He was a director of the East India Company from 1795 to 1823; he was also a director of the East India
Docks Company (chairman in 1803), and a governor of the London Assurance Corporation.
He attempted to introduce ramie
, a fibre
plant, for use in manufacturing, and was awarded a silver medal for this in 1814 by the Society for the Encouragement of Arts and Manufactures; however, the fibre found little commercial usage.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1810.
He died in Leyton
in 1825 and was buried at the local parish church.
He was the father of William Cotton
(a governor of the Bank of England); grandfather of Henry Cotton
(appeals court judge), William Charles Cotton
(apiarist) and William Cotton Oswell
(explorer); and the great-grandfather of Henry John Stedman Cotton
(civil servant in India).
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(7 March 1745 or 1746 – 26 January 1825), was an English mariner and merchant, a director of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and deputy-master of Trinity House
Trinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
.
Cotton was born at St. Albans, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the third son of Dr. Nathaniel Cotton
Nathaniel Cotton
Nathaniel Cotton was an English physician and poet.Cotton is thought to have studied at Leiden University, possibly under Herman Boerhaave. Cotton specialised in the care of patients with mental health issues, maintaining an asylum known as the Collegium Insanorum, at St Albans...
. He entered the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1760 and passed the examination for lieutenant, but left the navy and joined the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
.
He made a fortune from two voyages as captain of the Queen Charlotte, an East Indiaman ship. He then retired and lived the rest of his life in Leyton, Essex, living at Leyton House from 1789 to 1803, and in Walnut Tree House (today Essex Hall) beginning in 1813.
In 1788, he was elected an "elder brother" of Trinity House
Trinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
, and in 1803 became deputy-master, holding the latter post for about twenty years. He published a memoir about the origin of Trinity House in 1818.
He was a director of the East India Company from 1795 to 1823; he was also a director of the East India
Docks Company (chairman in 1803), and a governor of the London Assurance Corporation.
He attempted to introduce ramie
Ramie
Ramie is a flowering plant in the nettle family Urticaceae, native to eastern Asia. It is a herbaceous perennial growing to 1–2.5 m tall; the leaves are heart-shaped, 7–15 cm long and 6–12 cm broad, and white on the underside with dense small hairs—this gives it a silvery appearance;...
, a fibre
Bast fibre
Bast fibre or skin fibre is plant fibre collected from the phloem or bast surrounding the stem of certain, mainly dicotyledonous, plants. They support the conductive cells of the phloem and provide strength to the stem...
plant, for use in manufacturing, and was awarded a silver medal for this in 1814 by the Society for the Encouragement of Arts and Manufactures; however, the fibre found little commercial usage.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1810.
He died in Leyton
Leyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....
in 1825 and was buried at the local parish church.
Family
He married Sarah Harrison in 1779.He was the father of William Cotton
William Cotton (banker)
William Cotton FRS was an English inventor, merchant, philanthropist, and Governor of the Bank of England from 1842 to 1845....
(a governor of the Bank of England); grandfather of Henry Cotton
Henry Cotton (judge)
Sir Henry Cotton was a British judge. He was a Lord Justice of Appeal from 1877, when he was made a Privy Counsellor, until his retirement in 1890.-Early life:...
(appeals court judge), William Charles Cotton
William Charles Cotton
Rev William Charles Cotton MA was an Anglican priest, a missionary and an apiarist. After education at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford he was ordained and travelled to New Zealand as chaplain to George Augustus Selwyn, its first bishop. He introduced the skills of beekeeping to North...
(apiarist) and William Cotton Oswell
William Cotton Oswell
William Cotton Oswell was an English explorer in Africa and other areas.He was born in Leytonstone, Essex and attended Rugby School. In 1837 he secured a position with the East India Company in Madras through his uncle John Cotton, who was a director of the company...
(explorer); and the great-grandfather of Henry John Stedman Cotton
Henry John Stedman Cotton
Sir Henry John Stedman Cotton, KCSI had a long career in the Indian Civil Service, during which he was sympathetic to Indian nationalism...
(civil servant in India).