Calling all Cottams and Friends of Cottams

[Cottam67 12]

For cottam research about notts cottams, Mrs C recommends trying the following:

 

Bassetlaw Museum website, which now includes the Welchman Collection of photos. There are cottam photos there, including Thomas Cottam and more recent cottams. You need to click on people and then scroll down to cottam. (http://www.bassetlawmuseum.org.uk)

 

IGI at Retford's Denman Library, which includes records of many of north notts cottams. The index includes cottams that go back to seventeenth century from Retford and surrounding villages.

 

Examples of Cottam family members follow on the next post. Use these as a guide, but check the records yourself if the person you are looking for is not there - or drop a line on this thread and see if someone will check for you.

[Cottam67 12]

These are examples only: use these as a guide, but check the records yourself if the person you are looking for is not there - or drop a line on this thread and see if someone will check for you. These are all from the IGI.

 

Joshua and Mary Cottam are recorded as having the following children:

 

Thomas (christened 26.02.1808 in East Retford)

John (christened 31.05.1806 in East Retford)

Beaumont (christened 28.08.1813 in East Retford)

Henry (christened 09.08.1815 in East Retford)

Lucy (christened 15.12.1817 in East Retford)

Emma (christened 15.07.1819 in East Retford)

Anne (christened 22.05.1821 in East Retford)

 

It is possible that Thomas and John were the shopkeepers mentioned in the local directories, but not certain (?).

 

Marmaduke Cottam (wife Hellen) is recorded as having the following children:

 

Hellen (christened 18.11.1675 in East Retford)

George (christened 23.01.1680 in East Retford)

Margaret (christened 08.09.1672 in East Retford)

 

Joshua Cottam has the following children:

John (christened 16.06.1689 in East Retford)

George (christened 18.05.1691 in East Retford)

[Cottam67 12]

"Living in Old Retford" by BJ Biggs (1973)

 

Three cottams are mentioned: John, Joshua and William (pp50-60)

 

"On 5 January 1818 at a meeting at the Moot Hall, about byelaws and fines, Joshua and William Cottam JB were present."

 

"September 1818, Alderman Cottam appointed Collector."

 

"2 March 1821 Borough business about School etc, Alderman Cottam was present."

 

"Early Polic force. 31 August 1835 there was a meeting at the Moot Hall about Night Watch in town. Present were Ald Jos Cottam, Snr Bailiff, and Ald John Cottam."

 

Retformed Council 1835 - Councillor Joshua Cottam, 3 years."

[Cottam67 12]

Ref: Card index LSL Retford

 

"Jonathan Cottam, gardener, 1788."

 

 

Conveyance 1850 from Rev Hutchinson and his trustee to Thomas Cottam. Cottam was a draper. The price was £2,500. The first building was the second one into the market place from grove street and was already occupied by cottam; the other was the grove street corner property, formerly tenanted and now empty.

 

Mortgage 1837 by Thomas Cottam to Rev WC Mee for £2,000.

 

Reconveyance 1893 from Mee to Thomas Cottam - mortgage cleared.

[Cottam67 12]

There is lots of info in the trade directories about cottams in north notts - I'll summarise this in a later post. Hope this is helpful!

 

cottam67

[HughW 10]

Cottam67,

Sorry I've taken so long to respond to your message.

 

Yes, many, many people moved to Sheffield from Nottinghamshire, and also Lincolnshire as the town grew.

 

There are 55 Cottams in the 1901 census index for Sheffield. Here are the male heads of household, with their birthplaces, to give some idea of the origins of these families.

 

(some may be not be heads, but in households where the head is not a Cottam)

 

James COTTAM 37 Steel Teamer Yorks Sheffield

Robert COTTAM 24 Gas House Labourer Lincs Stow Park

John COTTAM 42 Joiner Journey Man Notts Southwell

Michael COTTAM 66 Carting Contractor Lincoln Scotton

John COTTAM 35 Mineral Water Manufacturer Yorks Sheffield

Joseph COTTAM 24 Gas Pipe Fitters Labourer Worksop Yorks [Notts!]

William COTTAM 29 Boiler Maker Lincoln Gainsboro

William COTTAM 23 Saw Maker Yorks Sheffield

George COTTAM 33 Labourer General Yorks Sheffield

Vincent COTTAM 31 Carting Contractor Brightside Yorks

William COTTAM 20 Journeyman Tailor Notts Stoke

Geo COTTAM 22 Gas Labourer Notts Farndon

Chas COTTAM 46 Brewers Drayman Lincolns Gerton

 

Quite a few born in Sheffield, which suggests some families had been in Sheffield some time.

 

Hugh

[Cottam67 12]

Hi guys

As promised some info from Trade Directories. Hugh, we'll have to see if any of our stuff matches up! A lot of the entries are for the same people it seems, but shows some longevity of their businesses...

 

Kelly's Directory (1900)

 

p364 Glass in St Swithun's church was gifted - some by Thomas Cottam.

p366 Thomas Cottam is a borough magistrate

p368 Thomas Cottam listed as living 22 Carolgate

p370 Thomas Cottam's trades: linen, woollen and fancy draper, silk mercer, hosier, glover, haberdasher, dress and mantle making, carper warehouseman and complete funeral furnisher (shop in the Market Place)

 

Morris Directory (1869)

 

p405 Alfred Cottam, grocer and baker of Grove Street; Thomas Cottam, linen and woollen draper of Market Place

p410 Henry Cottam esq - country magistrate; Thomas Cottam - grammar school and charity trustee

p412 Henry Cottam esq JP of The Cottage West Retford

 

White's Directory (1894)

p616 T Cottam esg Borough magistrate and governor of the Grammar School

p621 John Cottam left £200 - the interest for the poor of Retford

 

Kelly's Directory (1912)

p648 Mrs Fanny Cottam, Railway Station Inn, 46 London Road

 

Lascelles and Hagans Commercial Directory of Notts (1848)

p448 John Cottam, Market Place - grocer, tea dealer and tallow chandler

p451 John Cottam, Market Place - spirit merchant

 

White's Directory (1844)

p680 Mrs Mary Cottam - Carolgate

p685 John Cottam, Market Place (Grocer)

p686 Thomas Cottam - Market Place (linen and woollen draper)

p689 John Cottam - Market Place (tallow chandler)

 

Pigot and Co's Directory (1841)

p55 Mr Joshua Cottam, Carolgate

p56 John Cottam, Market Place - grocer, tallow chandler; Thomas Cottam - linen and woollen draper

p57 John Cottam, Market Place - spirit merchant

 

Pigot and Co's Directory (1835)

p327 Joshua Cottam, Carolgate (butcher); John Cottam, Market Place - grocer, tallow chandler

p328 Thomas Cottam, Market Place - linen and woollen draper

 

Pigot (1832)

p154 Joshua Cottam, Carolgate (butcher)

P155 John Cottam, Market Place - Grocer, tallow chandler

 

Pigot (1829)

p659 Joshua Cottam, Clumber Street (butcher)

p660 John Cottam, Market Place (grocer)

 

Post Office Directory (1876)

Thomas Cottam - alderman

Thomas Cottam esq - borough magistrate

p866 Thomas Cottam, hosier, glover, linen and woollen draper, 10 Market Place

 

Wright's Directory (1879)

10 Market Square - Thomas Cottam, draper (h. 22 Carolgate)

p515 T Cottam (magistrate)

p516 T Cottam trustee of grammar school and charities

p517 T Cottam Church Missionary Society Committee Member

 

Worksop and Retford Brewery Co Directory 1898

 

p72 T Cottam esq borough magistrate

p75 Thomas Cottam esq JP and governor of grammar school

[RaineHardman 10]

I agree with the statement by peppermint Theresa, I know this as a fact cause I am peppermint's twin Raine. I saw your father last year about this time and he looked the same all those years ago at Ecclesall Road.

[Cottam67 12]

Hi! Good to know you've joined the network as well. We're planning a little cottam-fisher get together in Sheff - would be great if you could come along too!

cottam67

[RaineHardman 10]

Hi! Good to know you've joined the network as well. We're planning a little cottam-fisher get together in Sheff - would be great if you could come along too!

cottam67

Sounds good to me Theresa, hopefully it will be after May 10th then sis will be able to join us in the fun. Unfortunately she is having some health worries at the moment. Would be great to catch up and see how your dad has aged (giggles).

[Arfer Mo 10]

This is a thread for Cottams, descendents of Cottams and friends of Cottams. All welcome to join in.

 

As noted by other forum members there are a fair number of Cottams on this site. So you can use this thread to leave messages here for lost Cottam friends and family. Anyone doing family history research involving Cottams? Well here is a place to leave requests for information. Also a place for Cottams to stay in touch or meet others. And to celebrate all things Cottam.

 

There aren't all that many of us - Cottam is one of the rarer English family names - but there is a whole clutch of us in and around Sheffield, particularly South Yorks, Notts and Lancs.

 

Did you know that most Cottams originate from one of a small number of villages in the north and midlands of England? There is a Cottam village in Notts, one in Lancs and one in the East Riding of Yorks.

 

Bit of history now: Cottam is an Anglo-Saxon name, so we have been around for a while, and roughly translated means settlement of cottagers - ie cott + ham. 'Ham' is seen in a lot of English placenames (eg Nottingham) and is related to the modern English word 'home', but is probably better translated as 'dwelling' or 'settlement'. There is also a Cotham in Notts, which is of similar derivation.

 

Cottam is NOT a derivation of Cotton. And those of us with the name have probably all tired of people not listening properly and spelling our name like that...

 

Any Cottams out there feel free to check in and say hi!

 

Cottam67

used to be a soft drinks firm of this name i believe

[casey6941 10]

Hi, I just bought an old table water bottle on eBay that says "Cottam and Son" and Sheffield. Does anyone know anything about this firm? Also, I'm curious - Vincent seems to be a common name with Cottam. How many of you have a Vincent?