Cotton was born in
Sheffield, Yorkshire, where he was educated at
Abbeyfield House. He immigrated, with his parents, to
South Australia in 1923. Within a few months of his arrival he joined the staff of the
South Australian Museum in
Adelaide as a
cadet to assist the museum's honorary
conchologist, Sir
Joseph Verco. In 1928 he was appointed Assistant Conchologist and in 1934 became Curator of Molluscs. He retired from the museum in 1962 because of ill health. He died in 1966. ==Honours and awards==