Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton, 5th Baronet (c. 1739 – 24 August 1809) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1780 to 1796. Early life Cotton was the eldest son of Sir Lynch Cotton. He was educated at Westminster School, Shrewsbury School, and then entered Trinity Hall, Cambridge, in 1756. He was one of the founders of the Tarporley Hunt Club in 1762. Domestic life Cotton married Frances Stapleton, daughter and co-heiress of James Russel-Stapleton Esq in 1767. In 1774 they were visited at Llewenli Hall by Sir Robert's cousin, Hester Thrale, who was accompanied by the noted writer, Samuel Johnson; Frances "found Johnson, despite his rudeness, at times delightful, having a manner peculiar to himself in relating anecdotes that could not fail to attract old and young. Her impression was that Mrs. Thrale was very vexatious in wishing to engross all his attention, which annoyed him much". The Cottons later broke off relations with Hester following her 1784 marriage to an Italian music teacher. In 1774 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. On the death of his father on 14 August 1775 he succeeded to the baronetcy and inherited the old Salusbury family seat at Lleweni Hall. Soon after the birth of his second son, he moved from Lleweni Hall to Combermere Abbey, the traditional seat of the heir apparent to the Baronetcy. He had to lease the family's former estate to the Hon Thomas FitzMaurice, a brother of Lord Shelburne's, because of the profligacy of his uncle, Sir Thomas. Nevertheless, Sir Robert kept a large hunting establishment and was known as a generous host. Parliamentary career Cotton was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament (MP) for Cheshire at a by-election on 1 March 1780 and at the succeeding 1780 general election. In 1784 he was a member of the St. Alban's Tavern group who tried to bring Fox and Pitt together. He was returned again unopposed in 1784 and 1790. Towards the end of that parliament, he applied three times to Pitt for the position of collectorship of salt duties at Nantwich and was ignored. It was unexpected when he decided not to stand in 1796. His brother writing later said it was through ill health and that he had declined a peerage, but contemporary accounts claimed it was in annoyance at not being given the post. Later life and legacy