Robert Cotton was another gentleman who mixed a military career with playing cricket for a variety of teams, including the South Wales Cricket Club. Sadly, Robert died prematurely a few months after his 36th birthday.
He was the youngest son of Benjamin Cotton of Afton Huose in Freshwater on the Isle of Wight and was educated at Cheltenham College. Indeed, his appearance for the South Wales Cricket Club came at the end of May 1864 when he was still a pupil at the school, playing initially against the eleven raised by Cheltenham CC and augmented by some friends from Gloucester CC, with the young scholar making 2. He fared much better the following day when he played for the College against the Club and scored 35.
Photo Credit – Glamorgan Cricket Archives.
It proved to be his only appearance for the Club as, after leaving Cheltenham, he became an Ensign in the 95th Regiment and served in the Bombay. Whilst in India, he played for Bombay against Poona during August 1870, scoring 4 and 12, besides taking part in the North-South matches at the same ground which were organised shortly afterwards by the Bombay Presidency. He scored 12 and 6 in the first game, followed by 14 in the second, besides claiming eight wickets.
He returned to the UK shortly afterwards and whilst based at the Barracks at Aldershot he was chosen to play in 1871 for the Gentlemen of South Hampshire and their counterparts from the north of the county. However, he failed to arrive on the first day at Winchester and was substituted in the contest. The following year, he played for the Gentlemen of Cheshire against the Gentlemen of Shropshire, before playing again for them in 1874 against a team of amateurs representing Staffordshire and claimed five wickets in the contest.
Robert was also a member of the Prince’s Club and in 1876 he featured in their side against the South Wales Cricket Club, scoring 4 and 4. His last match of note came in June 1882 when he played for an eleven assembled by Henry Fitzroy Somerset, The Duke of Beaufort, which met Shropshire at Shrewsbury. Robert made 8 and 0 but tragically was taken ill a few months later and died at his home, Hill House in Cosheston on 8 September.
COTTON, Robert Oakman
Born – Freshwater, Isle of Wight, 4 June 1846.
Died – Cosheston, Pembs., 8 September 1882.