Person    | Male  Born 12/9/1786  Died 1/12/1866

William Cotton

William Cotton

William Cotton FRS was an inventor, merchant, philanthropist, and governor of the Bank of England 1842-5.

He helped build St John's Church Leytonstone in 1833, and 75 other churches in London. He worked to strengthen the world church through 3 volunteer societies.

He helped found King's College, London, and also the National Society (Church of England and Church in Wales) for the Promotion of Education, often just referred to as the National Society, and since 2016 also as The Church of England Education Office (CEEO).

He supported 4 London hospitals. While at the Bank he invented an automatic weighing machine for gold sovereigns. Fellow of the Royal Society from 1821.

Born Leytonstone, the son of Joseph Cotton. He lived and died at Walwood House in Leytonstone. Brother to Benjamin Cotton. Father to Agnes.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Cotton

Commemorated ati

Cotton family grave

Collecting gravestones is not part of our mission, but we have transcribed th...

Read More

Other Subjects

Agnes Cotton

Agnes Cotton

Social reformer and philanthropist. Youngest daughter of William Cotton, remained unmarried. Opened a Home for Friendless Girls in 1865, at Forest Glade, in Whipp's Cross Road.  Then 1876, she boug...

Person, Philanthropy, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Percy Lane Oliver

Percy Lane Oliver

Founder of the first voluntary blood donor service. Born in Fish Street, St Ives, Cornwall. In 1921, he helped found the Camberwell division of the British Red Cross Society, and conceived the idea...

Person, Medicine, Philanthropy

1 memorial
Andrew Gibb

Andrew Gibb

Ship-repairer and philanthropist. Born in Glasgow. After serving his apprenticeship in shipbuilding, he came to London to ply his trade. He was deacon of St Mark's Presbyterian Church in Greenwich,...

Person, Commerce, Philanthropy, Scotland

1 memorial
William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount

William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount

Born New York City into an extremely wealthy family.  Lived in Rome in his mid-thirties where he developed a life-long taste for the arts.  On his father’s death in 1890 he built the luxury Waldorf...

Person, Journalism / Publishing, Philanthropy, Property, Italy, USA

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Dr Owen Lankester

Dr Owen Lankester

Chairman of the East End Maternity Hospital, 1902 - 1933.  His obituary in Medical News 6 January 1934 tells us:  Born Alfred Owen Lankester, brother to (the later) Sir Ray Lankester.  Died at home...

Person, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
A. Dyke
War dead, WW1
1 memorial