William Francis Cotton MP 1911
Cotton Family of Hollywood, Roebuck
William Francis Cotton married Teresa Long
born circa 1829 Jan 1855 born circa 1833
Francis Street
died 1917 died 07.09.1905
Hollywood Hollywood
William Francis Cotton born circa 1822, eldest son of John Cotton, Iron founder of Ringsend,
specialising in the manufacture and sale of gas burners to the gas companies. William and
his two brothers became engineers. His brother Thomas Joseph was superintendent of Gas
for Dublin Corporation and his younger brother was appointed by the Russian Government
- Engineer to the Imperial Gas works of Moscow.
William attended the Polytechnic Institute of Dublin (later known as the College of Science).
He married Teresa Long in January 1855 at Francis Street in the parish of St Nicholas
Without. He was appointed Gas examiner of Dublin in 1861 resigning in 1873 to become
acting secretary to the Alliance Consumers Gas company (a merger of Alliance Gas and
Consumers Gas and the forerunner of Dublin Gas), of which he became Secretary and
Manager by 1880. While working for the Corporation he was tasked with illuminating the
King's Room in the Mansion House. Finding nothing suitable in Ireland or England he
designed a gas light 'a sunlight' twelve foot in diameter with 400 gas jets arranged in the
shape of a star, which he had manufactured by Messrs Gregg and sons in Brunswick Street.
As secretary of the Gas Alliance, he purchased their new Head office at D'Olier in 1882 for 5K.
The Cottons were a very sociable family and held many parties at Hollywood House and on
board William's Yacht the White Rose, a 50 ton yawl. William was elected Alderman of Dublin
Corporation in 1899, High Sherriff in 1901, and MP for South Dublin in 1911. He was a Director
of The Dublin United Tramways company, and the Hibernian Bank. He was also onene of the
founders of the Hibernian Insurance Company and governor of The Richmond Lunatic Asylum
as well as acting as chairman to Alex Findlater & Co and the Parnell Monument Committee.
He married again circa 1907 and left his property at Richmond Avenue to his second wife. His
funeral Mass in Dundrum was followed by burial at Glasnevin in the O'Connell circle. He left
nearly 30k in personal estate. He was survived by his sons William and Thomas and Margaret
his daughter.
1 John Cotton born 2.02.1855 died an infant.
2 Margaret Mary Cotton baptised 01.12.1856 at St Andrew's Church, Dublin died an infant.
3 William Francis, Cotton born 24.04.1857 educated at the University on Leeson Street and
the French College, Belgium and the College of Science in Dublin was a Civil engineer. He
married Mary Connolly, daughter of William Connolly at St Mary's Haddington Road on
01.06.1895. William lived on Sir John Rogerson's Quay but moved to 60 Gardiner Street
after his marriage. He took over as chief Engineer of The Alliance Consumers Gas
Company in 1904, on the resignation of his father. He resigned this role in 1917 and
moved to England. He died 19 June 1923.
5 Edwin J Cotton born circa 1858 became a doctor. He attended his younger brother
John's funeral in 1896.
4 John Cotton, third son born Duke Street baptised 09.05.1859 at St Andrews Westland
Row. He was an assistant secretary of the Alliance Consumers Gas Company when he
married Mary Josephine Small, daughter of Henry Walt Small of Leven, Fifeshire on
18.09.1893 at Manchester. John died at Rydel Mount, Milltown on 08.10.1896.
5 Margaret Cotton born 19.01,1865 at 5 Beggars Bush Road, baptised at St Mary's
Church Haddington Road married George Stanislaus Rooney on 12.08.1914 at
Holy Cross Church Dundrum. The couple lived at Drummartin Hill House. George
died 28.11.1916 at Drummartin Hill House. Margaret died 19.04.1954 aged 89 at
Drummartin Hill House.
6 Thomas Francis Cotton, youngest son born 30.03,1867 at 5 Beggars Bush Road
married Maria Josephine Skivington, eldest surviving daughter of Arthur
Skivington of Greenock on 27.07.1893 at St Mary's Greenock. In 1917 was living
at 17 Kenyon Mansions, London.
1 John Henry Cotton
2 William Vivian Cotton
3 Edwin Cotton
© June Bow & Karen Poff – September 2019
William Francis Cotton married Teresa Long
born circa 1829 Jan 1855 born circa 1833
Francis Street
died 1917 died 07.09.1905
Hollywood Hollywood
William Francis Cotton born circa 1822, eldest son of John Cotton, Iron founder of Ringsend,
specialising in the manufacture and sale of gas burners to the gas companies. William and
his two brothers became engineers. His brother Thomas Joseph was superintendent of Gas
for Dublin Corporation and his younger brother was appointed by the Russian Government
- Engineer to the Imperial Gas works of Moscow.
William attended the Polytechnic Institute of Dublin (later known as the College of Science).
He married Teresa Long in January 1855 at Francis Street in the parish of St Nicholas
Without. He was appointed Gas examiner of Dublin in 1861 resigning in 1873 to become
acting secretary to the Alliance Consumers Gas company (a merger of Alliance Gas and
Consumers Gas and the forerunner of Dublin Gas), of which he became Secretary and
Manager by 1880. While working for the Corporation he was tasked with illuminating the
King's Room in the Mansion House. Finding nothing suitable in Ireland or England he
designed a gas light 'a sunlight' twelve foot in diameter with 400 gas jets arranged in the
shape of a star, which he had manufactured by Messrs Gregg and sons in Brunswick Street.
As secretary of the Gas Alliance, he purchased their new Head office at D'Olier in 1882 for 5K.
The Cottons were a very sociable family and held many parties at Hollywood House and on
board William's Yacht the White Rose, a 50 ton yawl. William was elected Alderman of Dublin
Corporation in 1899, High Sherriff in 1901, and MP for South Dublin in 1911. He was a Director
of The Dublin United Tramways company, and the Hibernian Bank. He was also onene of the
founders of the Hibernian Insurance Company and governor of The Richmond Lunatic Asylum
as well as acting as chairman to Alex Findlater & Co and the Parnell Monument Committee.
He married again circa 1907 and left his property at Richmond Avenue to his second wife. His
funeral Mass in Dundrum was followed by burial at Glasnevin in the O'Connell circle. He left
nearly 30k in personal estate. He was survived by his sons William and Thomas and Margaret
his daughter.
1 John Cotton born 2.02.1855 died an infant.
2 Margaret Mary Cotton baptised 01.12.1856 at St Andrew's Church, Dublin died an infant.
3 William Francis, Cotton born 24.04.1857 educated at the University on Leeson Street and
the French College, Belgium and the College of Science in Dublin was a Civil engineer. He
married Mary Connolly, daughter of William Connolly at St Mary's Haddington Road on
01.06.1895. William lived on Sir John Rogerson's Quay but moved to 60 Gardiner Street
after his marriage. He took over as chief Engineer of The Alliance Consumers Gas
Company in 1904, on the resignation of his father. He resigned this role in 1917 and
moved to England. He died 19 June 1923.
5 Edwin J Cotton born circa 1858 became a doctor. He attended his younger brother
John's funeral in 1896.
4 John Cotton, third son born Duke Street baptised 09.05.1859 at St Andrews Westland
Row. He was an assistant secretary of the Alliance Consumers Gas Company when he
married Mary Josephine Small, daughter of Henry Walt Small of Leven, Fifeshire on
18.09.1893 at Manchester. John died at Rydel Mount, Milltown on 08.10.1896.
5 Margaret Cotton born 19.01,1865 at 5 Beggars Bush Road, baptised at St Mary's
Church Haddington Road married George Stanislaus Rooney on 12.08.1914 at
Holy Cross Church Dundrum. The couple lived at Drummartin Hill House. George
died 28.11.1916 at Drummartin Hill House. Margaret died 19.04.1954 aged 89 at
Drummartin Hill House.
6 Thomas Francis Cotton, youngest son born 30.03,1867 at 5 Beggars Bush Road
married Maria Josephine Skivington, eldest surviving daughter of Arthur
Skivington of Greenock on 27.07.1893 at St Mary's Greenock. In 1917 was living
at 17 Kenyon Mansions, London.
1 John Henry Cotton
2 William Vivian Cotton
3 Edwin Cotton
© June Bow & Karen Poff – September 2019