19’s The Charm with the Stirtons
Charlotte Ostor, Fellowship and Development Coordinator
It’s easy to think Frensham’s beginnings were long ago and somewhat disconnected from current life in 2024. Yet, it is through the Stirton Family – four generations of Frensham students – that the past is brought to life. With a strong presence in rural Australia, populating small towns and remote areas of Queensland and NSW, the Stirton family’s story is told through the lives of its connection to Frensham: the women who have graduated, those who are current students, and those who are yet to come.
Jean & Jessie – The Trailblazers
The Stirton Frensham journey begins with sisters Jean Circuitt (Stirton, 1926) and Jessie Crichton-Smith (Stirton, 1928), who were raised at a sheep property at Auburn Vale, Inverell. They bred and trained their own horses and were expert equestrians. Both very skilled campdrafters, the sisters competed at many events, from their local Inverell competition to the Sydney Show. Jessie was invited to compete in campdrafting at the Melbourne Show, where she won the contest in 1935.
Their uncle was Percy E Stirton, who had four children: Nancy, John, Percy, and Tom.
The Next Generation – Stirton Cousins
Jean’s daughter, Chris Whitehouse (Circuitt, 1956), OAM, grew up on a cattle and sheep station north of Hay, NSW. Her Frensham journey began at just eight years old. After the bushfires of 1939, which burnt down Marchmont (the building that predated the eventual location of Sturt), she was one of the first young boarders in Hartfield. After leaving school and completing her registered nurse training, Chris worked on a cattle station in the Northern Territory and went on to have a long career in nursing, specialising in dementia and gerontology. She was also an aeroplane pilot.
John Stirton’s four daughters—Virginia Bruce (Stirton, 1959), Rosslyn (Rossie) Thompson (Stirton, 1960), Kathryn Eagles (Stirton, 1968), and Mary Barrett (Stirton, 1973)—traveled to Frensham from Mungindi, just over the Queensland border, often taking three trains to arrive for the start of term at Mittagong.
Rossie recalls, “Dad used to save up the jobs for us, and looking back, we were integral to running the property. When I was twenty-one, I was called home to help during the drought of 1965. Many of the ewes were dying from toxaemia (despite being fed), and their lambs would have suffered the same fate, so each day we would take some home on the pommel of our saddles to bottle feed. We ended up with around eighty little lambs.”
Rossie believes her love of gardening was influenced by Frensham, with Elinor’s garden, the camellia grove, and the Sturt garden. “There was actually a garden club when I was there, and those who were interested had their own little garden.” As an adult, she opened her garden for charity on several occasions during her years at Coolah.
For Rossie, the attributes of the Iris—“integrity, hardiness, courage, and beauty”—are important and reflect her views on the wider Stirton family.
Nancy Stirton did not attend Frensham herself, but her daughter, Marlay Birks (Hull, 1969), was a student at the school from 1965-1969.
Percy Marlay Stirton and his Frensham-educated wife, Nesta Stirton (Kierath, 1929), had two daughters: Annabel Thompson (Stirton, 1957) and Jane Dudley-Smith (Stirton, 1963), who were raised at Moree.
Tom Stirton’s three daughters—Jenny Croft (Stirton, 1962), Veronica Bassingthwaighte (Stirton, 1967), and Sally White (Stirton, 1968)—lived at Cheepie, Queensland, “on the edge of civilisation in the outback,” according to their aunt, Patsy Stirton.
Jenny Croft (Stirton, 1962) recalls: “We drove over two hours on a dirt road to Charleville to catch the DC3 plane, which landed at Cunnamulla, then Bourke, Nyngan, Dubbo, and finally Sydney. When the service stopped flying to Charleville, a friend would pick us up in his plane at Bourke and fly us home. Often, I would have holidays with friends if it was too difficult to get home.”
Among Jenny’s many accomplishments were her long-standing commitment to the NSW Farmers Association, where she was the first woman to be elected to the Wool Committee and later to the Wool Council of Australia. She was also the first woman elected to the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEKS). Additionally, Jenny was a committed drought support worker for ten years with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, providing support for drought, flood, and bushfire-affected farmers. She also organised farming family gatherings focused on resilience and mental health. Jenny says her continued love of music stems from her time at Frensham, and she now plays in several bands, including on the banjolele, a banjo ukulele hybrid.
The Third Generation
The next generation of Stirtons includes Mary Barrett’s daughter, Kirsty Wiggins (Barrett, 1995), and Rossie Thompson’s daughters, Brooke (1989) and Skye Regan (Thompson, 1996). Kirsty grew up near Goodooga, in north-western NSW, and it was during her time at Frensham that her interest in jewellery and fashion took hold. Years later, Kirsty’s grandmother handed down her Silversmithing kit, inspiring her creativity. Kirsty now runs her own fashion and jewellery business, Dumble Collective, and enjoys competing in camp drafting at local shows and competitions.
The Fourth Generation – It’s Only Just Beginning
The present generation of Stirtons at Frensham includes Holly Regan and Minnie Wiggins, who are completing the HSC in 2024. In 2025, Holly will work at The Dragon School in Oxford, England, as a boarding assistant and travel around Europe during the holidays. She hopes to study Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science in 2026. Minnie will also take a gap year in 2025 to work on a station in the Northern Territory. She plans to study Business Law in 2026. A talented campdrafter, Minnie qualified for and competed at the Australian Bushmen’s Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) national finals in 2023.
But the Stirtons’ Frensham story is far from over. Georgie, Rossie Thompson’s granddaughter, has already achieved success in campdrafting, winning both the Gunnedah and Curlewis Junior Campdrafts. She will commence Year 7 in 2025, becoming the 19th Stirton to attend Frensham. There are still a few more cousins enrolled, who will continue the Stirton legacy in the years to come.