William James Richmond Cotton
Encyclopedia
Sir William James Richmond Cotton (13 November 1822 - 4 June 1902) was an English merchant and Conservative Party
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1885.
Cotton was born at Stratford, London
, the son of William Cotton and his wife Caroline Richmond. He became a London merchant and owned iron mines in Norway as well as the Sun and Topping wharves at London Bridge. He was a commissioner of the Inland Revenue and a director of the Liverpool and London Globe Fire and Life Assurance Co. He was a J.P.
for Middlesex, Hertfordshire and the City of London. Cotton was a member of the Haberdashers Company
, the Saddlers Company
the Turners Company
and the Fan Makers Company. He was a trustee of St Andrew Undershaft, chairman of the Mary Datchelors Middle Class Girl's School, a governor of Queen Anne's Bounty
, a governor off the Royal Hospitals, a member of the committee of Aske's Charity and president of the City of London Rifle Corps.
Cotton was elected an alderman for the city in 1866. In 1868, he stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Southwark
. He was Sheriff of London and Middlesex from 1868 to 1869. At the 1874 general election
he was elected Member of Parliament
for City of London
. He was Lord Mayor of London
from 1875 to 1876. He lost his seat in parliament in the 1885 UK general election after representation was reduced from four to two under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
.
Cotton was a member of the London School Board
for nine years and became its chairman, and was also chairman of the Police Committee for seventeen years. He became Chamberlain of the City of London
in 1892, and was knight
ed in July 1892.
Richmond-Cotton died at the age of 79.
Cotton married Caroline Richmond Pottinger in 1848.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1885.
Cotton was born at Stratford, London
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
, the son of William Cotton and his wife Caroline Richmond. He became a London merchant and owned iron mines in Norway as well as the Sun and Topping wharves at London Bridge. He was a commissioner of the Inland Revenue and a director of the Liverpool and London Globe Fire and Life Assurance Co. He was a J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Middlesex, Hertfordshire and the City of London. Cotton was a member of the Haberdashers Company
Worshipful Company of Haberdashers
The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers is one of the senior Livery Companies of the City of London. The organisation, following on from the Mercers' Company, another Livery Company connected with clothing and haberdashery, received a Royal Charter in 1448...
, the Saddlers Company
Worshipful Company of Saddlers
The Worshipful Company of Saddlers is one of the most ancient of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Guild of Saddlers, the Company's predecessor, is thought to have been an Anglo-Saxon Craft Guild – it certainly existed at some point in the eleventh century. The Guild became a Company...
the Turners Company
Worshipful Company of Turners
The Worshipful Company of Turners is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Guild of Turners, or operators of the lathe, the predecessor of the Company, existed in 1310. In 1435, it received the power to oversee and regulate turners in the City of London; it retained the power until...
and the Fan Makers Company. He was a trustee of St Andrew Undershaft, chairman of the Mary Datchelors Middle Class Girl's School, a governor of Queen Anne's Bounty
Queen Anne's Bounty
Queen Anne's Bounty was a fund established in 1704 to augment the incomes of the poorer clergy of the Church of England. The bounty was funded by the tax on the incomes of all Church of England clergy, which was paid to the Pope until the Reformation, and thereafter to the Crown.In 1890, the total...
, a governor off the Royal Hospitals, a member of the committee of Aske's Charity and president of the City of London Rifle Corps.
Cotton was elected an alderman for the city in 1866. In 1868, he stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Southwark
Southwark (UK Parliament constituency)
Southwark was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Southwark district of South London. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the English Parliament from 1295 to 1707, to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
. He was Sheriff of London and Middlesex from 1868 to 1869. At the 1874 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
he was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for City of London
City of London (UK Parliament constituency)
The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.-Boundaries and boundary...
. He was Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
from 1875 to 1876. He lost his seat in parliament in the 1885 UK general election after representation was reduced from four to two under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
.
Cotton was a member of the London School Board
London School Board
The School Board for London was an institution of local government and the first directly elected body covering the whole of London....
for nine years and became its chairman, and was also chairman of the Police Committee for seventeen years. He became Chamberlain of the City of London
Chamberlain of London
The Chamberlain of London is an ancient office, responsible for collection and distribution of revenues within the City of London. Nominally appointed by The Crown, the office-holder's term traditionally begins on Midsummer Day and cannot be removed "unless some great cause of complaint appear...
in 1892, and was knight
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
ed in July 1892.
Richmond-Cotton died at the age of 79.
Cotton married Caroline Richmond Pottinger in 1848.