Eric Aldhelm Torlogh Dutton (1895-1973) was educated at Hurstpierpoint, and Keble College, Oxford. During the First World War he served with the West Yorkshire Regiment in Gallipoli; he attained the rank of Major in 1915.

Dutton passed the Indian Civil Service examination in 1920 and in the same year was appointed as private secretary to Sir Robert Coryndon, Governor of Uganda and subsequently of Kenya. Dutton worked with Coryndon until 1925 at which point he became private secretary to Lieutenant­Colonel Sir Edward Grigg, Governor of Kenya (1925-1930).

In 1930, Dutton transferred to Northern Rhodesia where he held the posts of principal assistant chief secretary (1930), chairman of the Northern Rhodesian Finance Commission (1932), chairman of the Town Planning Board (1935), and administrative secretary (1938). He was also deputy to the governor for various periods between 1932 and 1937.

Dutton was appointed to the post of colonial secretary in Bermuda in 1938. He left this post in 1942 and transferred to Zanzibar where he was chief secretary (1942-1952), chairman of the Town Planning Board (1943-1952), and chairman of the Central Development Authority (1946-1952). During 1948 he was also a delegate at the First African Conference in London.

He was awarded the OBE (1930), CBE (1938), CMG (1946), and was appointed Commander of the Crown of Belgium, and Commander of the Order of Brilliant Star (2nd class) of Zanzibar (1947).