"Birth Abt 1846 Madras, India
Gender Male
Census 7 Apr 1861 Rugby, Warwickshire, England
UK
as Robert B Cotton / Pupil / age 15 / occupation Student / birthplace East Indies Madras / living at Rugby School with school staff and other boarding pupils.
Education 1861-1863 Rugby, Warwickshire, England
Rugby School
From UK 1861 census.
Military Service 18 Oct 1864 England
as Ensign, 99th Foot
List of promotions and appointments from the War Office, dated 18 October 1864, in The United Service Magazine, November 1864, p. 472, reads: 99th Foot---Robert Benjamin Cotton, gent., to be ens., by purchase, vice Edwin Giles Franklen who retires.
Military Service 4 Jun 1896 Taunton, Somerset, England
as Colonel, Wiltshire Regiment
Notice in The Times, 26 May 1896, p. 3, reads: Col. Robert B. Cotton, late of the Wiltshire Regiment, has been directed to take up on the 4th prox. the command of the 13th Regimental District at Taunton.
Died 29 Jul 1909 Taunton, Somerset, England
Death notice in The Times, 2 August 1909, p. 1, and on 4 August 1909, p. 1, reads: COTTON.--On the 29th July, at Highlands, Taunton, COLONEL ROBERT BENJAMIN COTTON, late Commanding 13th Regimental District and Wilts Regiment, eldest son of the late R. R. Cotton, Madras Civil Service, in his 64th year.
Note that date is given as 20 July 1909 in probate record. See Will Proved Event notes.
Will proved 22 Sep 1909 London, Middlesex, England
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1861-1941 (ancestry.com) gives: 1909. / COTTON Robert Benjamin of Highlands Taunton Somersetshire retired colonel His Majesty's army died 20 July 1909 Probate London 22 September to Charles Oswell Cotton civil engineer and Francis Charles Bostock bank manager Effects £10462 18s".