The Stirling Family Collection
The Stirlings and the Hunters were Kāti Mamoe, Kai Tahu, friends and whānau.
The boys of both families enjoyed friendly rivalry, especially when swimmiing rivers, racing, rowing, and singing among other activities.
John William James Stirling served in World War One with the Hunter Boys. He enlisted 9 February 1916 and served for three years and 118 days in Egypt and Western Europe.
After the war, John married Marion Rachel Hunter - a sister of the Hunter Boys - in Riverton in 1922.
Tragedy was a reality for Joseph and Jane Hunter, nēe Goodwillie, of Riverton in Southland. One by one each of their sons, William, John, Joseph, Harry and David joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to fight in World War One.
All copies of photographs and postcards were provided by Muriel Johnstone and Vera Gleeson from their whānau collection.
