Obituaries Australia

Frederick Dutton, c1875

State Library of South Australia, B 14653

A cablegram was received by us on Wednesday morning, April 23, announcing the death of Mr. Frederick Hansborough Dutton, the owner of Anlaby Station, and brother of the late Mr. Francis S. Dutton, who was for a number of years Agent-General for South Australia. Mr. Dutton ranks with the pioneers of South Australia, belonging to the order of 'Overlanders,' as he came from Sydney with stock in the latter end of 1838, at that time an enterprise demanding exceptional qualities of pluck and endurance. He was one of the first to bring sheep to South Australia from New South Wales, and when he reached this colony he embarked in pastoral pursuits with energy and determination, becoming in course of time one of our most successful squatters. He took up country on Waterloo Plains and stocked it with sheep, and in 1843 was a large freeholder of property on Julia Creek, where he established the fine station of Anlaby, which has such a widespread reputation in the colonies and abroad. In its early existence the station was managed by the late Mr. Buchanan, who came overland from Sydney with Mr. Dutton, and to whom Mr. Dutton previous to his departure for England behaved with singular liberality in recognition of his able management of the estate under difficulties. The Anlaby property, which had been for some years managed by Mr. H. T. Morris, has remained in the possession of the original founder ever since its establishment. Mr. Dutton was a typical squatter, devoting all his energies to the work of raising stock of the highest quality, and he found little time for public life. He was for years a Director of the Bank of Australasia, and interested himself in a general way in commercial questions here, but most of his life has been spent in England, where he resided for many years. The town of Kapuada has benefited largely by his liberality at various times, as he gave freely to the public institutions in that important northern town, and especially to its hospital. Dutton Park was named after him. He was always ready to assist in any charitable movement in his neighbourhood, and the people have a kindly recollection of the fine-looking, gentlemanly owner of Anlaby Station. Mr. Dutton was a man of exceptionally fine physique, and lived to about eighty years. Although so much of his time was spent in the old country his interest in South Australia never seems to have abated.