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Richard William Cotton [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc. vol. XXXII, (1900), pp. 37-38.

by

Rev. W. Harpley, M.A.

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s August 1900 Totnes meeting. Mr Cotton was member of a respected Barnstaple merchant family, with predecessors who were Mayors of the ancient borough: in 1839 (Richard Knill Cotton) and 1841 (Gilbert Knill Cotton). His extensive literary interests led him to actively promote Barnstaple’s Literary and Scientific Institution, precursor of the North Devon Athenaeum. He is perhaps best remembered for his seminal book “Barnstaple and the Northern Part of Devonshire during the Great Civil War”. His book may be downloaded and read free of charge from Google Books. He was for some years a major contributor to the Association’s Transactions. Mr Cotton spent his later years at Newton Abbot and was interred in the Wolborough churchyard.  The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Richard William Cotton was born at Barnstaple, December 21st, 1823, his father (who once filled the civic chair) carrying on an extensive business as a wine and spirit merchant in Cross Street. He succeeded his father in the business, but retired in 1882. On giving up business he removed to Newton Abbot, where he resided up to the time of his death. Mr. Cotton was a man of great literary attainments, and during his residence at Barnstaple he closely identified himself with educational movements tending to benefit the community. He warmly co-operated with the late Mr. W. F. Rock in promoting the success of the Literary and Scientific Institution (the precursor of the North Devon Athenaeum), acting for many years as Hon. Secretary of the Institute. He frequently lectured on historical and literary subjects, and he made several valuable additions to the library. Mr. Cotton took a keen interest in the affairs of the town, while he was closely identified with the various charitable movements associated with the borough. He was appointed a feoffee of the Bridge Trust in 1885, and he remained a member of the Trust to the time of his death.

Mr. Cotton became a member of the Association in 1865, and rendered efficient service as Hon. Local Secretary at the Annual Meeting held that year at Barnstaple. He subsequently contributed many valuable papers, was a member of the Council, and served on several special committees. Among his contributions to the Transactions were "The North Devon Fleet in 1588, “read at Ilfracombe in 1879; “Steven Borough, the Navigator, born at Northam in 1525," read at Totnes in 1880; "The Oxenham Omen,” read at Crediton in 1882; "Some Ancient Roads in South Devon," read at Newton Abbot in 1884; and "An Expedition Against Pirates, Fitted out at Barnstaple in the year 1612," read at St. Mary Church in 1886. Mr. Cotton was also a member of the Teign Naturalist Field Club, and frequently attended its meetings, at which from time to time he read papers of much local interest. Among these may be mentioned "The Earthworks of Milber Down," "Fortifications in Devonshire in the Time of the Great Civil War in the Seventeenth Century," "Canonteign and the Great Civil War," "Buckland Barton," "Haccombe Church," "A Sea Adventurer in the Time of Queen Elizabeth - a Chudleigh of Ashton," "Fowlescombe and the Fowells," and “Geology of Milber Down."

Mr. Cotton's magnum opus, and that which will procure for him most enduring fame, was Barnstaple and the Northern Part of Devonshire during the Great Civil War, published in 1889. On this work he expended an immense amount of time and a great deal of money. Being the most painstaking of historians, he availed himself (during the years he devoted himself to the work) of the resources of the British Museum Library, the Public Record Boom, the diurnals of the day, local parish registers, private documents, and The Barnstaple Records, the publication of which in the local newspapers actually suggested to Mr. Cotton the writing of his great history. Mr. Cotton's History of Barnstaple during the Civil War is by far the most interesting and valuable contribution to the history of Barnstaple that has yet been made. The volume extends to six hundred pages, with elaborate footnotes and references, and it is written in a most fascinating style. As illustrating the extent of his labours in producing the work, the following, Mr. Cotton's own words, may be quoted: — "Although the extent of original research for Barnstaple during the Civil War may speak for itself, I have examined, in preparing it, more than three thousand distinct articles (tracts, manuscripts, etc.) in the British Museum alone, and I have explored every battlefield and the scene of every skirmish described in the work."

Early in the present year he was stricken with paralysis, and after some suffering passed away on March 7th at his residence. The Red House, Newton Abbot, leaving a widow and two daughters to mourn his loss. His remains were interred in the Wolborough churchyard, a large number of friends and representatives of learned societies attending the funeral.