Rev. Richard Lynch Cotton (14 August 1794 – 8 December 1880) was a British vicar and academic administrator at the University of Oxford.[1]
Cotton was born in Whitchurch, Oxfordshire,[2] the son of Henry Calveley Cotton and Matilda Lockwood, one of 11 children (eight sons and three daughters).[3] He was educated at Charterhouse School and Worcester College, Oxford, where he attained a BA degree in 1815. He was a Fellow of the College from 1816 to 1838 and Provost from 1839 to 1880.[4] He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity in 1839. While Provost at Worcester, Cotton also became Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University in 1852.
Cotton was Vicar of Denchworth, north of Wantage in Berkshire, from 1823 to 1838. He published his lectures and sermons.[5] On 25 June 1839, he married Charlotte Bouverie Pusey, daughter of Hon. Philip Pusey and Lady Lucy Sherard.[3] She lived at 38 St Giles' in Oxford, now part of St Benet's Hall, after Cotton's death during 1881–82.[6]
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Whittington Landon |
Provost of Worcester College, Oxford 1839–1880 |
Succeeded by William Inge |
| Preceded by Frederick Charles Plumptre |
Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University 1852–1856 |
Succeeded by David Williams |