Cotton Family of Hollywood, Roebuck
William Francis Cotton married Teresa Long
born circa 1829 Jan 1855 born circa 1833
Dublin Francis Street Dublin
08.06.1917 died 07.09.1905
Hollywood, Roebuck Hollywood, Roebuck
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 Street 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 one 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.
William secondly married Frances Angel at St George's Church, Hanover Square in 1907.
William died 07.06.1917 at Hollywood. His funeral Mass in Dundrum was followed by burial at
Glasnevin in the O'Connell circle. He left nearly 30k in personal estate and his property at
Richmond Avenue, he left to his wife. He was survived by his wife, sons William and Thomas
and his daughter Margaret. Frances died at Richmond Avenue on 20.10.1918 aged 88.
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 E 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 1914 and
moved to England. Mary died in 1918 and William, a widower died 19 June 1923 at
Gardiners Row, Dublin. No issue found.
4 Edwin J Cotton born circa 1858 became a doctor. He attended his younger brother John's
funeral in 1896. He married and had children.
5 John Cotton born 09.05.1859 at Duke Street and baptised 13.05.1859 at St Andrews,
Westland Row.
6 John Joseph Cotton, third son born 19.02.1863 at Portrane, Donabate. A forward, he
played for Wanderers Rugby Club and was capped for Ireland on the 2 Mar 1889 in a test
match again Wales, played at Swansea, in which he scored a try. This cap fetched £1500
when it was sold at auction in Chester in 2009. 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 was a member of
the Pembroke Rowing Club and the Dundrum Cricket Club. He died at Rydal Mount,
Milltown on 08.10.1896 aged 33 and was buried at Glasnevin cemetery.
1 William Arthur Cotton born 01.01.1895 at Rydal Mount , Milltown.
2 John Henry Cotton born 18.02.1896 at Rydal Mount, Milltown.
7 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.
No issue was found.
8 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. During his working life he was known as Francis T
Cotton. He was secretary of the Alliance & Dublin Consumers Gas Company in 1898 and was
made manager in 1903. In 1901 they were living at Kingstown and in 1911 on the night of the
census they were staying at the Hotel Russell (a temperance hotel on Dublin's Stephen's
Green) and are listed as having no children. He resigned in 1914 and by 1917 Francis was
living at 17 Kenyon Mansions, London. He was still in residence in 1928 and was working as a
commercial traveller. Francis died 12 April 1931 at Kenyon Mansions, probate to Marcia
Josephine Cotton, widow.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – September 2019, updated October 2021
William Francis Cotton married Teresa Long
born circa 1829 Jan 1855 born circa 1833
Dublin Francis Street Dublin
08.06.1917 died 07.09.1905
Hollywood, Roebuck Hollywood, Roebuck
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 Street 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 one 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.
William secondly married Frances Angel at St George's Church, Hanover Square in 1907.
William died 07.06.1917 at Hollywood. His funeral Mass in Dundrum was followed by burial at
Glasnevin in the O'Connell circle. He left nearly 30k in personal estate and his property at
Richmond Avenue, he left to his wife. He was survived by his wife, sons William and Thomas
and his daughter Margaret. Frances died at Richmond Avenue on 20.10.1918 aged 88.
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 E 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 1914 and
moved to England. Mary died in 1918 and William, a widower died 19 June 1923 at
Gardiners Row, Dublin. No issue found.
4 Edwin J Cotton born circa 1858 became a doctor. He attended his younger brother John's
funeral in 1896. He married and had children.
5 John Cotton born 09.05.1859 at Duke Street and baptised 13.05.1859 at St Andrews,
Westland Row.
6 John Joseph Cotton, third son born 19.02.1863 at Portrane, Donabate. A forward, he
played for Wanderers Rugby Club and was capped for Ireland on the 2 Mar 1889 in a test
match again Wales, played at Swansea, in which he scored a try. This cap fetched £1500
when it was sold at auction in Chester in 2009. 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 was a member of
the Pembroke Rowing Club and the Dundrum Cricket Club. He died at Rydal Mount,
Milltown on 08.10.1896 aged 33 and was buried at Glasnevin cemetery.
1 William Arthur Cotton born 01.01.1895 at Rydal Mount , Milltown.
2 John Henry Cotton born 18.02.1896 at Rydal Mount, Milltown.
7 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.
No issue was found.
8 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. During his working life he was known as Francis T
Cotton. He was secretary of the Alliance & Dublin Consumers Gas Company in 1898 and was
made manager in 1903. In 1901 they were living at Kingstown and in 1911 on the night of the
census they were staying at the Hotel Russell (a temperance hotel on Dublin's Stephen's
Green) and are listed as having no children. He resigned in 1914 and by 1917 Francis was
living at 17 Kenyon Mansions, London. He was still in residence in 1928 and was working as a
commercial traveller. Francis died 12 April 1931 at Kenyon Mansions, probate to Marcia
Josephine Cotton, widow.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – September 2019, updated October 2021