[2] After Elizabeth's death, the George Sutton with three of his children (Hannah, Henry and Joseph) moved from London and arrived in Sydney 15 October 1852 on board the "Coldstream".

(A year later Hannah and Henry were married in the same service 22 December 1853, to Daniel McLauchlan and Jemima Evans respectively at Christ Church St Laurence).

The couple built a home, Hurlton (a name derived from their surnames Hurley and Sutton) in Laurel Avenue, Chelmer in Brisbane.

[5] After the death of his widow, Hurlton was purchased in 1928 by William Robert Black, a philanthropist who donated it to the Presbyterian Church for use as a children's home; the house, which is highly modified, is now listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register.

To all those interested in Sugar Making, Distilling, Brewing, Engineering, &c. Messrs. HIPWOOD & SUTTON will commence business as COPPERSMITHS, BRASSFOUNDERS, FINISHERS, PLUMBERS, &c. about MONDAY, June 13, and are prepared to execute any orders that they may be favored with.

In 1880, the business was expanded to Kangaroo Point, as Sutton foresaw the growth of the company to meet the needs of the sugar industry and the engineering trades.

The battery plant that supplied electricity included a Cornish boiler in a brick mount with a flue leading to an intact nine metre high metal chimney.

The Cornish boiler was manufactured by J. W. Sutton & Co.[17] The firm provided materials and aided in bridge construction for the South Coast railway line in Queensland.

On 9 December 1882, at Brisbane Queensland, the public was introduced to electricity by having a demonstration that utilized eight arc lights, erected along Queen Street.

The power to supply these arc lights was taken from a 10 horsepower Crompton DC generator driven by a Robey steam engine in the foundry of J. W. Sutton & Co. at Adelaide Street.

[20] Post 1904 Sutton's health (most likely deteriorating from his exposure to radiation from X-rays as well as to radium) caused him to slowly withdraw from public life.

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, the Hon A. C. Gregory; vice-presidents, Professor Pepper, and Mr. J. W. Sutton ; secretary, Mr. J. R. Hall; committee, Messrs. Rickardo, Lyons, and Service."

From the beginning Sutton was often availing his steamers to be used to take members along the Brisbane river for photo shoots, as seen from The Brisbane Courier 17 Feb 1885: "The chairman (Sutton on this occasion) notified his intention of taking the members down the Bay, probably on Saturday next, for the purpose of giving them an opportunity to exhibit their skill in "snapping" pretty glimpses of river scenery."

The Telegraph 17 Mar 1886: "The monthly meeting of the Queensland Photographic Society was held at Mr. J. W. Sutton's house on Monday evening.

That gentleman presided....... Mr. Sutton exhibited specimens of prints done with Morgan and Kidd's contact paper, and promised to give a practical demonstration of the process on the next meeting night."

The Brisbane Courier 27 July 1886: "A CONVERSAZIONE was held last night at the School of Arts by the Queensland Photographic Society to celebrate the first anniversary of their formation.....

The society, which had just completed its first year, at first encountered great difficulties, but through the kindness of several of their members – notably Mr. J. W. Sutton, who had placed many facilities they could not otherwise have obtained at their disposal, they had been very successful.

with great success...At 9 o'clock Mr J. W. Sutton exhibited, by means of the oxy-hydrogen limelight, a large collection of lantern-slides.

"The prismatic (or fairy) fountain, which has been constructed by Mr. J. W. Sutton for the council of the National Association, was tried on Friday evening, and was found to act admirably; it is placed under the dome of the building, and will add greatly to the beauty of the exhibition, while tending to keep the atmosphere cool and pleasant.

"What looks like a decided improvement upon the open air methods hitherto followed to evaporate cane juice has just been patented by Messrs. J. W. Sutton and Co., coppersmiths, Brisbane.

He obtains the required temperature by means of a steam coil running around his evaporating pan, which is of the ordinary circular form.

This heat will not boil the liquor, of course; that he accomplishes by menus of a perforated pipe or coil coming in at the bottom of the evaporating pan.

The advantage claimed are- at least double the ordinary rate of evaporation by open fire-boiling, with absolute security from burning, and perfect control over the entire apparatus, including facilities for skimming and cleaning the liquor and syrups on the boiling proceeds.

J. W. Sutton and Co. have been granted a patent for an improvement in the manufacture of sugar, and, from the many trials to which it has lately been subjected, is pronounced by those most interested in judging its capabilities a very decided success.

"[23]"A trial of Messrs. J. and W. Sutton and Co's new patent atmospheric battery for concentrating cane juice was held yesterday afternoon at Mr. O. Randle's sugar plantation, Eagle Farm.

[10] An account of the evening recalled:[10] "He proceeded to state that photography had revealed the fact that photographically active rays extended a distance of nine or ten times the length of the visual spectrum.

[10] Further recollections of the evening:[10] "Having thus explained the apparatus, Mr. Sutton made several exposures of plates with remarkably good results.

The development of the plates was admirably carried out by Mr. Ferguson under circumstances decidedly unfavourable to such delicate work, with capital results.