Sir Robert Cotton (2 May 1644 – 17 September 1717) was an English politician. He sat as a Member of Parliament from 1679 to 1701 and briefly in 1702.

Life edit

He was the third son of Sir Thomas Cotton, 2nd Baronet, the second by Sir Thomas's second wife Alice. He was granted the manor of Hatley, Cambridgeshire by his half-brother in 1662, the year of his father's death.

He sat as a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire from 1679 to 1695, for Newport, Isle of Wight from 1695 to 1701 and briefly for Truro in 1702.[1] He was selected as High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire for Jan–Nov 1688.

A Tory, he was one of the joint holders of the Postmaster General position from 1691 after the dismissal of John Wildman.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ "COTTON, Sir Robert I (1644-1717), of Hatley St. George, Cambs". The History of Parliament. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  2. ^ The House of Commons 1690-1715, Volume 2, edited by David Hayton, Eveline Cruickshanks, Stuart Handley, pp. 744-5.
Parliament of England
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire
1679–1695
With: Sir Levinus Bennet, Bt 1679–1693
The Lord Cutts 1693–1695
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Newport (Isle of Wight)
1695–1701
With: The Lord Cutts 1695 & 1698–1699
Sir Henry Dutton Colt, Bt 1695–1698
Henry Greenhill 1699–1701
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Truro
1702
With: Henry Vincent
Succeeded by