Background
Cotton was born in Leyton, the son of Joseph Cotton, who made his fortune as a Captain with the East India Company and was later Deputy Master of Trinity House in 1803, and a director of the East India Company.
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William Cotton
Edit Profileclergyman general manager inventor merchant sheriff
Education
He was educated at the nearby Chigwell Grammar School.
Career
In 1807 Cotton became a partner in the cordage manufacturers Huddart & Company, in Limehouse. He was later general manager, until 1838. He became governor of the Bank of England in 1842, with the usual term of two years being extended to three in recognition of his securing a new charter for the bank with the passage of the 1844 Bank Charter Acting.
During his time at the bank, he developed a machine for the weighing of gold sovereigns, which was capable of weighing twenty-three coins every minute to an accuracy of one ten-thousandth of a grain.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Society from 1821. He served as High Sheriff of Essex in 1838.
In his lifetime Cotton was active in the funding Canon Nathaniel Woodard"s national network of Woodard Schools, and passive in the funding and establishment of new churches throughout the East End of London. Their son William Charles Cotton was a clergyman and apiarist.
Another son was the eminent jurist Henry Cotton.
Membership
Royal Society.
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Born
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Died
December 1, 1866 (aged 80) -
Nationality
United Kingdom