Early Life
William Charles Cotton was born in Leytonstone, Essex, England, the eldest child of William Cotton and his wife Sarah. His father was a businessman who became Governor of the Bank of England. His younger brother was the jurist Henry Cotton.
He was initially educated at home by tutors, until at the age of 14 he was sent to Eton College. There he became an accomplished rower and had a fine scholastic record, winning the Newcastle Prize for excellence in divinity and the classics in his final year. In 1832 he matriculated to Christ Church, Oxford, and graduated BA in 1836, with first class honours in Classics and second class honours in Mathematics. He decided on a career in the church and was appointed as a curate at Baston, Lincolnshire. However he soon returned to Oxford to work towards his MA. He was ordained as a deacon in 1837 and as a priest in 1839. He had gained his MA in 1838 and in 1839 he was appointed curate at St Edward's Church, Romford, Essex. Even at this stage of his life concerns were being felt about his mental health. He then moved to a curacy at the parish church of St John, Windsor. Here he became a good friend of George Augustus Selwyn, a fellow curate five years his senior.
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