Early Life
Cotton was born at Madingley Hall near Cambridge, and was the eldest surviving son of Sir Charles Cotton, 5th Baronet and Philadelphia Cotton (the daughter of Admiral Sir Joshua Rowley). Cotton's father was an admiral who saw active service during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars and was unable to spend much time with his family at Madingley Hall. Cotton was named after his godfather, the Earl of St Vincent (who had taken his title from the Battle of Cape St Vincent). Cotton had an elder brother who had died in infancy, two elder sisters, Philadelphia and Maria, and a younger brother, Charles. In 1812 Cotton's father, who was by then commander-in-chief of the Channel Fleet, collapsed and died at Plymouth, and 10-year-old Cotton inherited the baronetcy. Cotton was educated at Westminster School and in 1820 enrolled at Christ Church, Oxford although he didn't graduate. In the summer of 1820 he toured Scotland on horseback with a cousin and a friend; the highlight of the tour was a visit to Fingal's Cave. Cotton's coming of age in October 1822 was celebrated by three day's of festivities at Madingley. The following year he was appointed deputy lieutenant of Cambridgeshire and a captain in the Cambridgeshire Militia.
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