William Cotton

Sir William James Richmond Cotton (1822-1902) was an English merchant and Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1885.

He 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 general election of 1885 after his borough's representation was reduced from four to two seats under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. He was knighted in July 1892.

Photographed by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company.