Whilst an army officer, he embarked on an academic career in geology and biology, to become one of the most able and prolific nineteenth century naturalists of New Zealand.

Frederick Hutton's biographical accounts assert that he was born at Gate Burton, Lincolnshire, on 16 November 1836, and by parish records was baptised there on 27 January 1837; the second son of the Rev.

[12] Stationed at Malta, November 1855–8 March 1856, he moved on to take part in the Crimean War, 9 March–21 July 1856, and Indian Mutiny, 28 September 1857 – 22 May 1858.

[13] Following Crimea, and having advanced to rank of lieutenant by purchase on 27 March 1857,[14] the regiment embarked for the war in China but as with other forces, was diverted at Singapore to Calcutta for the mutiny in India.

Following elevation to rank of captain by purchase on 2 December 1862,[18][19] he married Annie Gouger Montgomerie, at Holy Trinity, Paddington, London, on 4 February 1863.

[21][11] That year he published the paper, The Importance of a Knowledge of Geology to Military Men, in the Journal of the Royal United Service Institution.

[24] The Huttons—Frederick, Annie, their children Alice and Gilbert, and two servants—left Gravesend, on the clipper Queen of the North, on 17 January 1866, bound for new opportunities in New Zealand.

[25] In May 1867, Captain Hutton volunteered to take charge of Auckland Museum, articles of which had been suffering in its Grafton Road cottage, and sought to put the institution in good order with its relocation to the very large basement room of the new Provincial Government offices on the corner of Princes Street and Victoria Quadrant—The Northern Club building.

[26][27] Accepted as Honorary Curator by the Superintendent of Auckland Province, John Williamson, he worked his way through arranging and classifying the confused and inconsistently recorded collections.

James Hector, manager of the Institute in Wellington, had recently suggested to Gillies the propriety of establishing branches throughout New Zealand, especially in Auckland.

[34] On 8 June 1869, he reported the discovery of substantial coalfields between the Maramarua and Whangamarino rivers, which another settler intended to work for his flax mill.

[46] Hutton died on the return voyage on the SS Rimutaka from England on 27 October 1905, and was buried at sea off Cape Town, South Africa.

[48] Taxa described and named by Hutton include: Hutton married Annie Gouger Montgomerie, daughter of William Montgomerie and his wife Elizabeth Graham, at Trinity Church, Paddington, London, on 4 February 1863; William had been Superintending Surgeon of the HEIC Bengal Medical Service, and had received the Gold Medal of the Society of Arts for introducing gutta percha into Europe as a general utility.