Henry Dutton (pastoralist)

Henry Dutton (1844 – 25 August 1914) was a pastoralist in South Australia, known as the "Squire of Anlaby". He was the father of Henry Hampden Dutton and a grandfather of writer Geoffrey Dutton.

Henry was born in Melbourne, Victoria, a son of (William) Hampden Dutton (1805 – 21 November 1849) and his wife Charlotte da Silva Dutton, née Cameron (1813 – 11 May 1885), a stepdaughter of Capt. John Finnis (1802–1872). Their families were notable in South Australian history; his uncle Francis Stacker Dutton was involved in the discovery and exploitation of the copper deposits near Kapunda and was later Premier of the colony.

His parents moved to South Australia in December 1838 and settled for a while in Mount Barker. Hampden persuaded his younger brother Frederick, who was then in Melbourne, to move to South Australia. This he did, in 1841 with the property "Koonunga" in partnership with Captain Bagot, then in 1843 acquired Finnis's 80 acres (32 ha) property 10 miles (16 km) north east of Kapunda, which he renamed Anlaby.

When Henry was five years old his father died; his mother either returned to, or remained in South Australia, living at Strangways Terrace, North Adelaide. Henry was educated at St. Peter's College, and in 1869 was working as a clerk then teller for the original Bank of South Australia, moving to Yankalilla around 1870, Brighton 1872, then around 1880 Mount Pleasant, where he was bank manager in 1890 when his uncle Frederick died, leaving him "Anlaby".

Henry put a great deal of effort into the development of the "Anlaby" residence. What had started in 1841 as a shingle-covered hut built by overseer Alexander Buchanan (c. 1809 – 21 May 1865) and his wife Penelope Ann, née Haddrick he developed into what has been described as a "mansion, set in delightful surroundings". The property decreased in size and importance over the years: part was subdivided for "closer settlement", then another tranche was acquired by the State government for "soldier settlement", but Henry also acquired additional property: North Booborowie, near Burra, in partnership with John Melrose, and Koonowla orchard, on the road between Saddleworth and Auburn. When James Martin's engineering works in Gawler was liquidated in 1907, he purchased the business, and by enforcing some rationalization, kept the business viable within his lifetime, to the benefit of the town. See main article.

...
Wikipedia