20 September1865 Francis Stacker Dutton

Francis Stacker Dutton was premier and commissioner of public works on 20 September 1865 when he became agent-general for South Australia in London. He was elected to the old Legislative Council in 1851 and sat until 1857 when he was elected to the House of Assembly. He was premier for 11 days in 1863 and formed his second cabinet on 22 March 1865. Born in Germany, where his father was vice-consul, in 1816, he was educated at Bremen and at the age of 17 went to Brazil for five years. In 1839 he joined his brother Frederick in Sydney and later spent two years in Melbourne before following Frederick to South Australia. In 1843 he found copper on his property at Kapunda and in 1845 sold his interest in the mine to the East India house of Cockerell, Larpert and Company. In 1846 his book South Australia and its Mines was published in London. Because of his upbringing he was a good linguist speaking French, German and Portuguese and was a prolific writer. Regarded as a radical he often alienated the conservative elements of the South Australian politics and was outspoken on many important issues in the new colony. He died in London on 25 January 1877.

P. Serle, (ed) Dictionary of Australian Biography, Volume 1, 1949, pp.60-61.