John Cotton was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England in October 1844. He obtained his training as an architect working in the office of his father who was a land agent and building surveyor. He was then an improver with John Daymond Ellis (1833-1884) of Austin Friars and in other offices in 1862-63, before working as an assistant to George Bidlake (1829?-1892) in 1865, and to William Jeffrey Hopkins (1820?-1901) in 1866. After travelling in France in 1867, he was employed as an assistant by James Tait (1834?-1915) in 1868, by Alfred Waterhouse (1830-1905), and by William Eden Nesfield (1835-1888) in 1869-70. In 1869 he was awarded the Pugin studentship
Cotton commenced independent practice as an architect in Birmingham in 1870 and was in partnership with William Henry Bidlake (1862-1938) from 1887 to 1891.
Cotton was elected a Fellow of the Royal institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1889. He was President of the Midland Arts Club, 1909 He died in Birmingham on 8 April 1934.
Weatheroak Hall, near Alvechurch, Worcs; houses at Bromsgrove, Towyn; Brine Baths, Droltwlch: schools at Rashwood, Lickey-end, Flnstall, Bromsgrove, Fillongly, Salwarpe, and elsewhere ; churches: St. Chrysostom's, Soho, Birmingham; All Saints, Bromsgrove; All Saints', Luddington, Stratford-on-Avon; St. Thomas's, Longford, Coventry, and Atherstone-on-Stour; St. Thomas's, Hockley Heath; St. Godwald's, Finstall; restoration of Clifford Chambers Church, Stratford-on-Avon; chapels at Walsall and Blackwell, Bromsgrove; Cottage Hosp., School of Art and Institute, Bromsgrove; Public Hall, Redditch; and numerous shops, offices, farm buildings, &c, in Midlands. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1914]
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001