James Sutherland Cotton
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(17.07.1847 – 09.07.1918), younger brother of Sir Henry Cotton. He was was the secretary of the South Kensington Liberal Club at London where Benoybhusan and Aurobindo occupied a room during Sept.1887 - Apr.1889. Benoy was an assistant of James Cotton and got 5 shilling at week. James Cotton payed attention to brothers. It is he who organized meeting of Sri Aurobindo and Gaekvar of Baroda.
Chesterton described him (Dudley Barker, G. K. Chesterton [1973], 68) as "a little bristly, bohemian man, as fidgety as a kitten, who runs round the table while he talks to you".
His father, Joseph John Cotton (30.08.1813, Tranquebar, Madras, India – 20.12.1867, Clifton, Gloucestershire, England), who worked at Madras Civil Service from 1831 to 1863, and his mother, Susan Jessie Minchin (13.12.1823, Madras, Tamil Nadu, India – 23.02.1888, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England), being a daughter of James Minchin, Master in Equity of the Supreme Court at Madras, maried on 29.03.1842 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.
James Cotton was born at Coonoor, Nilgiri, Madras, India.
According to census of 30.03.1851, in age of 3 years he lived in Hamslade, Oakford, Devonshire, England with grandparents James and Susan M Minchin, aunts Rosa Georgiana (born at sea), Manan S (born India) and Frances C (born India) Minchin, brother Henry J S Cotton, visitor William Gordon Davidson, 3 servants and governess.
In 1856-1859 (9-12 years old) — in Magdalen College School (Oxford, Oxfordshire); in 1859-1860 — in Brighton College (Brighton, Sussex).
According to census of 07.04.1861, he was living at College Villa, Brighton, with parents Joseph John Cotton [of Madras Civil Service] and Susan J Cotton, brother Henry J Cotton, sisters Jessie E, Mary R P, Phoebe L M and Susan C Cotton, aunt Frances C Minchin, 5 servants.
In 1860-1867 — Winchester College (Winchester, Hampshire); In 1867-1870 — Trinity College, Oxford University (B.A. 1870, M.A. 1877).
From 02.04.1871 census: Cotton, James Sutherland, 3s. Joseph, of Coonoor, Madras, arm. LINCOLN COLL., matric. 22 Jan., 1867, aged 19, scholar TRINITY COLL. 1867, B.A. 1870; fellow QUEEN'S COLL., 1871-4, M.A. 1877, bar.-at-law, Lincoln's Inn, 26 Jan., 1874. See Foster's Men at the Bar. From Foster, Joseph. Alumni Oxonienses: The Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886 and Alumni Oxonienses: The Members of the University of Oxford, 1500-1714. Oxford: Parker and Co., 1888-1892 (ancestry.com). Unmarried / age 23 / occupation B.A. Student at Oxford / birthplace East Indies Madras / living at Lasswade, 6 Royal Park, Clifton, Bristol, with mother Susan J Cotton, sisters Jessie E, Phoebe L M and Susie C Cotton, 4 servants + governess.
In 1871-1874 — fellow and lecturer Queen`s College, Oxford., Oxon, lecturer to Bradford Law Students' Society
On 19.03.1873, Clifton, Gloucestershire, England, James married Isabella Carter, 4th dauter of John Carter, Esq., of Clifton, Bristol. Living at 107, Abingdon Road, Kensington, W.; Lonsdale Chambers, 27, Chancery Lane, W.C.; Savile Club. They had four children: Jessie Isabella Cotton (17.06.1873 – 18.08.1875, London, Hampstead); Marion Louisa Cotton (06.02.1875, London, Hampstead – 10.11.1934, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England); James Baxter Cotton (1877, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland – 23.03.1893, London, Islington); Henry Sutherland Cotton (30.12.1877, London, Hampstead – 11.10.1946, Surrey Mid Eastern District, Surrey, England).
From densus of 3 Apr 1881: Editor of the "Academy" and Barrister at Law; living at 107 Abingdon Road, Kensington St Mary Abbott, with wife Isabella Cotton, daughter Marion Louisa Cotton, sons James Baxter and Henry Sutherland Cotton, 2 servants.
From densus of 31 Mar 1901: occupation Retired Barrister; living at 107 Abingdon Road, Kensington, with wife Isabella Cotton, son Henry S Cotton, visitor Edith Wethers.
In 1880-1910 he published various works on Indian subjects and was English editor of revised edition of the Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908). He was also an editor of The Academy (1881-1896).
At April 1911 he sailed from Bombay, India, to Plymouth, England, on S.S. Arcadia. He was accompanied by wife Mrs Cotton, daughter Mrs Keatinge, granddaughter Miss Keatinge.
He died 9 July 1918 at the Goldens Teffont near Salisbury.
Bibliography
In English
Cotton, James Sutherland; Payne E.J.
Colonies and Dependencies
• In 2 Parts.- London: Macmillan and Co., 1883.- 164 p.- Contets: Part I. India / by Cotton, James Sutherland.- Part II. The Colonies / By E.J. Payne
Cotton, James Sutherland
Mountstuart Elphinstone and the making of South-Western India
• Oxford: Clarendon Press.- 222 p. [serial?] Rulers of India / Ed. by Sir William Wilson Hunter