Frederick Dutton (Australian politician)
Frederick Hansborough Dutton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Colne, Lancashire, England |
| Died | April 22, 1890 (aged 78) London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Pastoralist, politician |
| Years active | 1830–1870s |
| Known for | Pastoralism in South Australia; member of South Australian Legislative Council; philanthropy |
Frederick Hansborough Dutton (2 April 1812 – 22 April 1890) was a prominent pastoralist and political figure in the South Australian colony.
Early life
Born on 2 April 1812 in Colne, Lancashire, Frederick Hansborough (occasionally recorded as Hansbrow) Dutton was baptized at St. Bartholomew's Church, Colne on 25 May 1813.
Career
Frederick Dutton arrived in Australia on 4 March 1830 aboard the Lady Blackwood, accompanied by his brother, William Hampden Dutton. From 1830 until 1838, the brothers were involved in livestock enterprises across the Yass Plains, the Monaro region, and areas near Albury by Lake Hume.
In early 1841, Frederick relocated from New South Wales to South Australia. There, he collaborated with Captain John Finnis to drive approximately 12,000 sheep overland for sale. They also engaged in maritime importation of goods such as brandy, cigars, and tobacco.
Around 1840, together with Charles Hervey Bagot, he purchased 1,500 acres along the River Light at Koonunga for sheep grazing purposes. After ending this partnership in 1843, Dutton leased land near Kapunda, establishing the property known as Anlaby, named after a village in Yorkshire. He appointed his brother Francis as manager and Alexander Buchanan J.P. as overseer. Additionally, alongside Alexander Lang Elder, he conducted a special survey at Mount Remarkable. Beyond pastoral activities, Dutton held substantial stakes in copper mining operations at Burra, Kapunda, and Montacute, and was a director of the Bank of Australasia.
His political career included serving as a Non-Elective Member of the South Australian Legislative Council from 25 August 1852 to 14 July 1853, appointed by Governor Sir Henry Edward Fox Young. After resigning his seat, he returned to England but made brief visits back to Australia in 1858 and again in 1868. Ultimately, due to cataracts impairing his ability to manage his enterprises, he settled permanently abroad. In 1872, he became a member of the Royal Colonial Institute.
Dutton remained a bachelor throughout his life and passed away in London possessing assets worth £800,000 (equivalent to around AUD150 million today). He left Anlaby Station to his nephew Henry Dutton. In his later years, he experienced both blindness and deafness. At the time of his death, he resided at the Buckingham Palace Hotel opposite Buckingham Palace and was interred at Paddington Cemetery in London.
Philanthropy
Contrary to many of his peers who retired overseas as absentee landowners, Frederick Dutton actively contributed to South Australia's progress. His philanthropy included a donation of £2,500 towards establishing Kapunda Hospital, providing land and financial support for the creation of Dutton Park recreational grounds, and backing organizations such as the Kapunda and Light Agricultural Society and Kapunda Institute. He was also a major benefactor for construction projects at St. Peter's Cathedral and St Peter's College.
Family
Frederick Hugh Hampden Dutton wed Mary Ann Pollock in 1804; they resided in England and Germany and had five sons:
- William Hampden Dutton (1805–1849), who married Charlotte Cameron; father of Henry Dutton (1848–1914), heir to Anlaby
- Frederick Hansborough Dutton (1812 – 22 Apr 1890), subject of this article; remained unmarried
- Pelham John Dutton (c. 1813 – 1847), married Elizabeth Wilson; lived in Sydney and Adelaide
- Francis Stacker Dutton C.M.G. (1818–1877), served twice as Premier of South Australia; married Caroline MacDermott
- Sir Frederick Dutton (1855 – c.1932), knighted in 1921 for contributions during wartime
Additional resources
Frederick Hansborough Dutton – Entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- South Australian Legislative Council members
- Pastoralists in Australia
- Sheep breeders in Australia
- Born in 1812
- Deceased in 1890
- Politicians from South Australian Colony
- Australian business figures of the 19th century
- Australian pastoralists