John Manton

John Allen Manton (17 August 1807 – 9 September 1864) was an English-born Australian Methodist minister, school principal and founding President of Newington College, Sydney.

As a teenager he became aware of his vocation and after a trial with the Methodist Society he was made a local preacher before being ordained in 1830.

He transferred six months later to a penal settlement at Macquarie Harbour, Van Diemen's Land and then to Port Arthur as chaplain.

After several short appointments he was reappointed to Port Arthur, remaining there until Wesleyan chaplains were withdrawn from service.

He asked to be relieved of its oversight in 1857 and moved to New South Wales, where he proposed the establishment of a Wesleyan collegiate institution.