I was born at Hutt Hospital on the 6th of August, 1988 at 9:31am. I moved to Japan in late August 2010. I met my wife Taeka Itagaki born October 16, 1984, from Sakata, Yamagata, on December 11, 2010. We got engaged on July 13, 2014, and got married on December 11, 2014. We have two daughters, Toa Alison Bunting born December 13, 2022, and Mana Bunting born October 1, 2024.

My parents

My mother is Alison Mary Barry, born 6 February, 1960 in Hutt Hospital. My father was Derek Gerard Bunting, born 13 July, 1953, in Christchurch, died April 25, 2016 (exactly 100 years after his mother, Molly Bunting, was born).

My Dad was one of the best people I have ever known. He died while climbing the Paekakariki Escarpment on the day it was opened. He died near the 5th kilometre marker, about halfway.

My brother and sister

My brother John David Bunting was born on the 26th of May, 1984. He moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2010. David lives with his wife Kate and sons Remy Liam Forsyth-Bunting, born July 8, 2015, and Bon Derek Forsyth-Bunting, born April 8, 2021.

My sister Selina Barbara Russ was born on the 21st of July, 1986. She lives with her husband Daniel Russ (Uncle Dan), and daughter Alexis (Lexi) Ember Russ born October 15, 2019.

All three siblings were born in Hutt Hospital.

Maternal grandparents, uncles, aunties, and cousins

Grandad, my mum’s dad, was Ernest Albert (Ernie) Barry, born in Surrey, England on October 20, 1928, died 2003. Grandad has a Wikipedia page. He too was an amazing man. He was even given an Order of the British Empire by the Queen. He was originally a plumber who moved to New Zealand in 1951. It took him 6 weeks by ship. Nana Barbara, my mum’s mum, was Eileen Barbara (Barbara) Toomath born 21st February, 1933, died 2015. She was an amazing baker (she once told me she especially enjoyed neenish tarts).

My mum has 4 siblings. Uncle Kenneth (Ken), born November 12, 1954, died in 2020, Aunty Anne (real name Janet), my godmother, and then twins Uncle Scott (real name James) who lives with great-aunty Kandice in Brisbane, and great-uncle Stephen who lives with Ann in Bristol, UK.

Kenneth has three children: Aaron, Rachel, and Nadia.
Anne has two children, Justine and Amy.
Scott has one child, James.
Stephen has two children, Nathan and Callum.

Paternal grandparents, uncles, aunties, and cousins

Poppa, my dad’s dad, was Colin John Frederick Bunting born 1913, died 22 April, 2003. Nana Molly, my dad’s mum, was Marjorie Josephine Bunting (nee O’Boyle), born 1916, died December 12, 1996. Their graves are at Ruru Lawn Cemetery In Christchurch.

My Dad has two siblings. Colin who lives with Carol in Lincoln near Christchurch, and Christopher (my uncle Chris), my godfather, who lives in Timaru with Christine (my aunty Tine). My dad's older brother Russel died when he was two and is buried next to your great-grandparents in Christchurch.

Colin and Carol have four children: Mary-Therese, Joseph Peter, Kathryn Anne, and Rachel Sarah Ngaire (Rara).
Chris and Tine have two children: Amy and Emma.

The Bunting family:

By training I am a geologist. When describing the geological history of a region the convention is to begin the history from the earliest time. As with the Bunting surname, this section is speculation.

Roger Erickson suggested that the original Bunting of Ireland arrived in 1690 with William of Orange. Below, I estimate that John Bunting was born in 1785. Assuming the original Bunting was 35 years old when he came to Ireland, and allowing 30 years for a generation, then John Bunting is the great grandson of the original Bunting. Thus a tenuous link provided to generation 9 (GGGGGGG parent) where I am generation 1 (i.e. 290 years ago).

Derek Gerard Bunting

I managed to find records of this John Bunting. Dad was 5 years off. He was born in 1790, and died in 1867. John's wife was Jane ((nee O'Laracey) b. 1792 in Ireland, died 1873 in Lurgan, County Down, Ireland). I managed to find even earlier records than Dad. John's father was Eveas Buntin (different spelling b. circa 1765 in Moira, County Down, Ireland, d. ????), and John's mother was Ann Buntin (b. circa 1766 - ????, also born in Moira, County Down, Ireland).

(No proof: It's possible this John Bunting's ancestor is the John Buntinge listed here in the Hearth Money Rolls of Various Co. Tyrone Parishes, or James Bunting mentioned here.)

Dad's family were some of the first immigrants to NZ through John and Jane's son Allen. John Bunting and his wife Jane Bunting had two sons, Allen (born 1820, though most likely 1824, see below, in Antrim, Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, died January 11, 1906 in Sefton, Waimakariri, Canterbury, New Zealand) and James (1840 (apparently), also in Antrim, Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK). Allen is also mentioned in the Bunting page here (different spelling (Allan) and birthdate, it must be the same person though, they travelled with the right people).

Allen and his family travelled to NZ on the British Empire in 1864 arriving in Lyttelton on 6th September. His name was listed Mr. Allan Bunting, (b. 1824), aged 40, British farm labourer travelling from Gravesend, UK. Records of their sailing can be found here and here with their ages listed, with an in-depth article of their sailing here.

Allen and his wife Margaret (nee Reilly, born 1821, died July 30, 1902 (80-81) Canterbury, New Zealand), came to New Zealand with their children Thomas (1854-1881), Jane (1855 - ????), John (1858 - 1930, died in New Zealand), Margaret Annie Hayman (b. December 13, 1859 in Magheralin, Craigavon, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom d. June 23 (72) Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand), and Fanny (circa 1858 - ????).

Our other relatives, the Dalzells, also came to NZ in 1863. The daughter of the Dalzells married one of Allen Bunting's sons, Thomas Bunting (1854-1881).

Dad, again:

Thomas and Eliza Jane Dalzell had 3 children, 2 daughters and a son. Eliza Dalzell (1858-1922) was baptised at the Cathedral of St. Anne, Belfast, in December 1858. She is thought to have arrived with her family in 1863. When Thomas died, Eliza married William Costello. I believe Thomas and Eliza lived in North Canterbury. My forebear was their son John.

Born in 1829, James A. McElwain came from Ireland to NZ in 1848 to Whanganui. He married English woman Jane Brown. Their daughter Ellen married Walter Bowes (Rose Bowes' father).

Derek Gerard Bunting.

John Thomas Bunting was Poppa's father.

So it goes Me > Derek Gerard Bunting (Dad) > Colin John Fredrick Bunting (Poppa) > John Thomas Bunting > Thomas Bunting > Allen Bunting > John Bunting > Eveas Bunting

Some of our relatives are buried at Leeston cemetery, namely the O’Boyle family.

My Dad's Dad (Poppa) was one of 6. It was him, Maurice, Jim, Frank (died 1946), also buried with Nana and Poppa, Gordon who lived in Lewis Pass and we visited one time, and Bert. My Great-grandfather was John Bunting, and my Great-grandmother was Rose Bowes. My great-great grandparents were Eliza Jane Costello and William Costello.

My Great-great grandfather is buried at Balcairn cemetery in Leithfield near Amberly.