Joseph Cotton

Joseph Cotton was an English mariner and merchant, a director of the East India Company and deputy-master of Trinity House.

He was born at St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, as the third son of Dr. Nathaniel Cotton. When he was 15 years old, Cotton joined the Royal Navy but in the end he left it to join the East India Company. He became rich through two voyages as captain of the Royal Charlotte and East Indiaman, and spent the rest of his life in Leyton, Essex at his properties.

Cotton was engaged in the work of Trinity House, concerned with welfare of seafarers, first as the “elder brother” (1788) and later as deputy-master (1803). He was also a director of the East India Company (1795-1823), the East India Docks Company and a governor of the London Assurance Corporation, and the English Copper Company.

For his efforts to introduce ramie, a fibre plant, in manufacture Cotton was rewarded with the silver medal in 1814 by the Society for the Encouragement of Arts and Manufactures.

From 1779 he was in marriage with Sarah Harrison with whom he had 10 children.

He died in Leyton in 1825 and was buried at the local parish church.