He noted that the Royal Mail could carry letters from door to door, but they did not carry parcels; instead the sender had to arrange for delivery to a railway station, goods freight to a station near the destination, and then make separate arrangements for delivery to the final destination.
Sutton died at his home in Adelaide Crescent, Hove, and was buried in West Norwood Cemetery.
His will bequeathed almost all of his considerable wealth into philanthropic trusts for housing of the poor, although during his life he had held no public office and did no charity work.
His will was disputed by his family and by existing large landlords, among them the London County Council, who were worried that these cheap and desirable dwellings would lead to lower rents.
Nonetheless, his will was proved and The Sutton Model Dwellings Trust (now known as Clarion Housing Group) built estates for the poor across England, beginning in Bethnal Green, then Chelsea, Islington, Rotherhithe, Plymouth and Birmingham.