George Edward Lynch Cotton
Encyclopedia
George Edward Lynch Cotton (October 29, 1813 – October 6, 1866) was an English
educator and clergyman, known for his connections with British India and the public school
system.
, and at Trinity College, Cambridge
. Here he joined the Low Church
party, and was a close friend of several disciples of Thomas Arnold
, including CJ Vaughan
and WJ Conybeare
. Arnold's influence determined the character and course of Cotton's life.
He graduated B.A.
in 1836, and became an assistant master at Rugby School
. He became master of the fifth form in about 1840. In 1852 he accepted the appointment of headmaster at Marlborough College
.
, which, after much hesitation, he accepted. The government of India
had just been transferred from the British East India Company
to the crown, and questions of education were eagerly discussed, following Macaulay's famous minute.
Cotton established schools for British and Eurasian children. The Bishop Cotton Schools in Bangalore
and Shimla bear his name; he founded many other schools in India, including St. James' School in Calcutta and Cathedral and John Connon in Bombay.
On October 6, 1866, he had consecrated a cemetery at Kushtea on the Ganges, and was crossing a plank leading from the bank to the steamer when he slipped and fell into the river. He was carried away by the current and never seen again.
Cotton married Sophia Ann Tomkinson, daughter of Reverend Henry Tomkinson, on 26 June 1845. Their son Edward Cotton-Jodrell
was later MP for Wirral.
A memoir of his life with selections from his journals and correspondence, edited by his widow, was published in 1871.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
educator and clergyman, known for his connections with British India and the public school
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
system.
Life in England
He was born at Chester. He received his education at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, and at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. Here he joined the Low Church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
party, and was a close friend of several disciples of Thomas Arnold
Thomas Arnold
Dr Thomas Arnold was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement...
, including CJ Vaughan
Charles John Vaughan
Charles John Vaughan , was an English scholar and churchman.He was educated at Rugby School and Cambridge, where he was bracketed senior classic with Lord Lyttelton in 1838. In 1839 he was elected fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and for a short time studied law. He took orders in 1841, and...
and WJ Conybeare
William John Conybeare
William John Conybeare was an English vicar, essayist and novelist.He was the son of Dean WD Conybeare, and was educated at Westminster and at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was elected fellow in 1837....
. Arnold's influence determined the character and course of Cotton's life.
He graduated B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1836, and became an assistant master at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
. He became master of the fifth form in about 1840. In 1852 he accepted the appointment of headmaster at Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
.
India
In 1858 Cotton was offered the office of the Bishop of CalcuttaBishop of Calcutta
The Bishop of Calcutta exercises episcopal leadership over the Diocese of Calcutta of the Church of North India. The diocese was established in 1813 as part of the Church of England and the first bishop was Thomas Fanshawe Middleton and the second Reginald Heber...
, which, after much hesitation, he accepted. The government of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
had just been transferred from the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
to the crown, and questions of education were eagerly discussed, following Macaulay's famous minute.
Cotton established schools for British and Eurasian children. The Bishop Cotton Schools in Bangalore
Bishop Cotton Boys School
Bishop Cotton Boys' School, also referred to as the Eton of the East is an all-boys school for boarders and day scholars in Bangalore, Karnataka, India....
and Shimla bear his name; he founded many other schools in India, including St. James' School in Calcutta and Cathedral and John Connon in Bombay.
On October 6, 1866, he had consecrated a cemetery at Kushtea on the Ganges, and was crossing a plank leading from the bank to the steamer when he slipped and fell into the river. He was carried away by the current and never seen again.
Cotton married Sophia Ann Tomkinson, daughter of Reverend Henry Tomkinson, on 26 June 1845. Their son Edward Cotton-Jodrell
Edward Cotton-Jodrell
Sir Edward Thomas Davenant Cotton-Jodrell K.C.B. , known until 1890 as Edward Thomas Davenant Cotton, was a British army officer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1900....
was later MP for Wirral.
A memoir of his life with selections from his journals and correspondence, edited by his widow, was published in 1871.