Background
Cotts was born at Sanquhar in Scotland, the son of William Cotts.
Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom
Cotts was born at Sanquhar in Scotland, the son of William Cotts.
He was educated privately and at Wallace Hall Academy.
Cotts obtained his early business training in Dumfries and London and went in 1895 to South Africa, where he developed important business interests, realising the potential of the Natal coalfields and the transport and other infrastructure that was needed to support the coal and gold mining industries. He also had business interests in Britain and was sometime head of Mitchell, Cotts& Company of London. The company traded as general merchants, owned collieries and steamships.
Cotts fought Murray for the seat again in 1922 standing as a National Liberal, id est (that is) a supporter of the David Lloyd George.
He served as Member of Parliament until 1923 but did contest any further Parliamentary elections. Cotts was a Justice of the Peace for the County of London and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1919 for services to recruiting.
He served on the Council of Westfield College, University of London Homes for Little Boys. He was created a baronet in 1921.
Cotts died suddenly at the age of 60 while travelling to Wales for medical treatment.
Sir William Campbell Mitchell-Cotts (1902–1964), a barrister contested the Forest of Dean constituency at the 1929 general election as a Conservative. Mitchell-Cotts was in 1928 unpaid private secretary to Tory politician Duff Cooper.
32nd United Kingdom Parliament.