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{On the information panel:}
The Cotton Family Grave
William Cotton is buried here in a family grave. He was one of the great Christian leaders of the nineteenth century. He was born in 1786 and died in 1866.

He helped build St John's Church in 1833, and 75 other churches in London. He worked for education, helping to establish the National Society and King's College, London. He worked for health, supporting four London hospitals. He worked to strengthen the world church through three volunteer societies. He was a governor of the Bank of England and invented an automatic weighting machine for gold sovereigns.

When he died, his friends said they saw in him "Unwearied energy, patient endurance of opposition and steady determination to conquer all difficulties." He lived at the Wallwood Estate in Leytonstone. His daughter Agnes founded a religious community in Leytonstone at 'The Pastures' on Davies Lane. This is now a Youth and Community Centre.

{On the gravestone itself:}
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.
Joseph Edward Cotton: born May 18, 1825, died Feb 6, 1842.
Phoebe Cotton: born May 8, 1817, died May 7, 1857.
Charles Cotton: born and died Dec 13, 1862.
William Cotton: born Sep 12, 1780, died Dec 1, 1866.
Sarah, wife of William Cotton: born May 31, 17??, died Dec ?2, 1872.
William Charles Cotton: born Jan 30, 1813, died Jun 22, 1873.
Agnes Cotton: born Feb 27, 1828, died May 20, 1889.