Walter Duffield

Walter Duffield (1816 – 5 November 1882) was a pastoralist and politician in colonial South Australia, Treasurer of South Australia 1865 to 1867.^[1]

Walter Duffield
Treasurer of South Australia
In office 23 October 1865 (1865-10-23) – 3 May 1867 (1867-05-03)
Premier	John Hart, James Boucaut
Preceded by	Arthur Blyth
Succeeded by	Thomas Reynolds
Member for Barossa in the South Australian House of Assembly
In office 9 March 1857 (1857-03-09) – 6 April 1868 (1868-04-06) Serving with Six people
Preceded by	New district
Succeeded by	Richard Chaffey Baker
In office 14 April 1870 (1870-04-14) – 13 December 1871 (1871-12-13) Serving with Richard Chaffey Baker
Preceded by	Philip Santo
Succeeded by	J A T Lake
Member of South Australian Legislative Council
In office 3 April 1873 (1873-04-03) – 27 May 1879 (1879-05-27)
Personal details
Born	1816 (1816) Great Baddow, Essex, England
Died	November 5, 1882(1882-11-05) (aged 65–66)
Resting place	Willaston General Cemetery
Occupation	Pastoralist

Duffield was born in Great Baddow, Essex, England, son of William Duffield, a farmer;^[1] the solicitor William Ward Duffield was a brother.^[2] Walter arrived in South Australia in the William Barras in December 1839.^[1] His first occupation was as manager for fellow-passenger Jacob Hagen's estate at Echunga, where his wine was some of the first produced in the colony.^[3] He left Echunga to build up the Para Para estate, near Gawler, and produced hams, wines and orchard fruit; he later had 40,000 Merino sheep.^[1]

He started business in Gawler as a flour miller ("The Victoria Steam Flour Mill", founded by Stephen King JP) and merchant in September 1847,^[4] and, in conjunction with Harrold Brothers as Duffield, Harrold and Company (later Duffield, Harrold and Hurd), owned Weinteriga and Outalpa stations.^[5]

Duffield was member for Barossa in the South Australian House of Assembly from 9 March 1857 to 6 April 1868 and from 14 April 1870 to 13 December 1871,^[6] and was Treasurer in the John Hart Government from 23 October 1865 to March 1866,^[7] and in the Ministry of James Boucaut, which succeeded it, from the latter date till 3 May 1867.^[6] Duffield subsequently sat in the South Australian Legislative Council from 3 April 1873 to 27 May 1879, when every four years one third of the Legislative Council was elected by the whole colony as one electorate "The Province".^[6]

Duffield died in Gawler on 5 November 1882 and was buried in Willaston General Cemetery.^[1]

Family

Walter Duffield married Phoebe Johnstone (c. 1814 – 15 May 1890) on 7 March 1842; their children were:

• Mary Ann Hawkes Duffield (1844– 21 August 1902) married Eli Thomas Humphry in 1880^[8]
• Louisa Caroline Duffield (1846– ) married Frank Makin in 1870
• Eleanor Duffield (1848 – 13 May 1934) married J(ohn) Davies Thomas MD (c. 1845 – 30 January 1893) on 10 June 1878. Thomas was for a time partner of H. T. Whittell MD.
• Emily Martha Duffield (1849– ) married Thomas Hopkins Bowen on 2 July 1873^[9] Bowen later acted as attorney for the Duffield estate.
• David Walter Duffield (1851 – 24 January 1922) married Florence Evangeline Kirkpatrick on 15 August 1878
  • Walter Geoffrey Duffield (1879 – 1929) grandson, astronomer buried at Mount Stromlo^[10]