[2] The son of Henry Cotton,[3] who presided over the 1904 session of the Indian National Congress, and the Irish-born Mary Ryan, he was born at Midnapore, where his father was then posted.

In March 1913 he was re-elected to the LCC;[citation needed] In July 1918, when a vacancy occurred due to the death of a Liberal MP, for the parliamentary seat of Finsbury East.

The Coalition Government chose to publicly endorse the Unionist candidate who was the sitting MP for the old Central seat.

This endorsement made Evan's prospects difficult and after only 5 months as an MP he was defeated;[citation needed] In 1919 he did not defend his Finsbury East seat on the London County Council as after the election he was appointed as an Alderman.

[citation needed] He provided strong support to the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms and served on an advisory committee at the India Office in connection with the 1919 Act.