William Hampden Dutton (1805-1849) - Born in Cuxhaven, Hanover, where his father held a diplomatic post, WH Dutton was one of a family of five sons, others being Frederick Hansborough Dutton (1812-1890), and Francis Stacker Dutton (1818-1877).  WH Dutton had studied agricultural science in Germany at Moglin, near Berlin, from around 1822 to 1824, specialising in wool classing and sheep breeding.

WH Dutton first arrived in Sydney, Australia in March 1826, and after an unsuccessful sheep venture returned to England the following year.  Arriving back in Sydney in March 1830 with his brother Frederick, he took up a land grant in the Goodradigbee Valley, but the property proved to be unsuitable for sheep.  In partnership with his brother, he next settled on a property near Yass, however, the highly infectious disease catarrh broke out and they were forced once again to relocate.  Frederick moved to Mullengandra near Albury, while William moved to the Loddon Valley in Victoria.  Later they ran sheep together in the Monaro region of New South Wales.

William Hampden Dutton married Charlotte Da Silva Cameron (1813-1885), daughter of Lieutenant-ColonelCharles Cameron of the 3rd Regiment on 2 July 1831 in Sydney.  Charlotte became the step-daughter of Captain John Finnis when in March 1832 he married Luduvina Rosa Da Silva (1798-1854), the widow of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Cameron (1779-1827).

Dutton, his wife and two children arrived in South Australia on 26th December 1838 from Sydney aboard the ship 'Parland'.  Dutton together with Captain John Finnis and Duncan Macfarlane bought the 4000-acre (1619 ha) Special Survey at Mount Barker in January 1839, the first in the colony.  It was on portions of this survey property that the townships of Hahndorf and Mount Barker were founded.

He returned to Melbourne in 1840 due to financial problems.  Too many business interests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney to exercise sufficient financial control and the loss of 7000 sheep contributed to his insolvency problems in December 1840.  A Certificate of Insolvency was finally issued in 1846 by the Court with his Liabilities then being £74,772 (approx $15m-$20m in today's money).

Sometime later, using his father's influence, Dutton again applied for public office without success.  He had been a Justice of the Peace in Sydney for a time prior to coming to South Australia.  In 1847, in association with George Thomas, he opened a wool warehouse in which he carried out the business of wool sorting, pressing, purchasing, and selling wool on commission.

Family

William Hampden DUTTON 25 bachelor married 2 June 1831 Charlotte da Silva CAMERON 18 spinster St James, Sydney, NSW by the Rev’d Richard Hill, Chaplain.

  • Mary Ann Elizabeth DUTTON  -  born 25 April 1832, Cobbitty, NSW.  Baptised in the parish of Narellan.
  • Luduvina Charlotte Jane DUTTON  -  born 28 November 1833, Sydney, NSW.  Baptised St Philip’s.  Died 14 May 1868, Adelaide, South Australia.
  • Frederick Henry DUTTON  -  born 8 February 1835.  Died February 1836, and buried in the churchyard of St James’s, Sydney.
  • Mary Broughton Rebecca Emma DUTTON  -  born 27 July 1836, Yass.  Baptised at St Philip’s, Sydney.
  • William Broughton DUTTON  -  born 5 May 1838 in the parish of St Philip’s, Sydney.  Baptised 30 May 1838 at St Philip’s, Sydney.  Died 27 June 1863 North Adelaide, South Australia of 'phthisis'.
  • Charles George Cameron DUTTON  -  born 1842, Merri Creek, Victoria,   Died 14 Jul 1887, Adelaide, South Australia.
  • Henry DUTTON  -  born 1844, Melbourne, Victoria.  Died 25 Aug 1914, Anlaby, South Australia.
  • Zelie Adelaide DUTTON born  -  1846, Melbourne, Victoria.  Died 12 Nov 1909, North Adelaide, South Australia.
  • Ewen Wallace Cameron DUTTON  -  born 1848, Collingwood, Victoria.  Died 20 Dec 1864, Adelaide, South Australia.

William Hampden DUTTON  -  died 21 November 1849 in Melbourne, Victoria, after which his widow and the family returned to live in North Adelaide, South Australia.

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