William Dutton

William Dutton (31 August 1811 – 20 July 1878), known as "Captain Dutton", was a whaler and seaman remembered as a pioneer of Portland, Victoria. Posthumously he has been referred to as "William Pelham Dutton". History Early life Dutton was born in Sydney, a son of Henry and Margaret Dutton, who had emigrated from England some years previously; in 1813 his family moved to Hobart Town, at that time a major shipping port. He was employed as a sailor by Captain John Griffiths, a whaler and merchant of Griffiths, Connolly and Sinclair. He first landed at Portland Bay near Blacknose Point in December 1828 with Captain McMullen in the schooner Madeira Packet. They were hunting seals, but they had become scarce and Portland Bay became better known as a whaling centre.