3rd of at least 9 children of William Hutching & Anne Brown who married in Essex, England 23 Oct 1826. At least 3 of his brothers & a sister also emigrated to NZ.
* 1836 - 1928 Charles Hutching (+Gates, 5 children)
* 1843 - 1928 Sarah Hutching (+Meredith, adopted a son)
* 1848 - 1939 George Hutching (+Spearman, 12 children +Childs)
* 1851 - 1922 James Hutching (+Culley, 12 children +Little)

Stephen married Maria Staines on 11 Oct 1857 in High Laver, Essex. Stephen, Maria and their 6 children emigrated to New Zealand on the Helen Denny arriving in Nov 1873. Maria was about 7 months pregnant with Albert as he was born in Featherston 7 weeks after arrival.
their children
1858 - 1936 George Reuben Hutching (+Taylor +Silk)
1860 - 1875 Arthur Staines Hutching (age 14 in Napier)
. age 13 on ships list
1864 - 1927 Phoebe Hutching (+Scadden)
1867 - 1951 Artemus Stephen Hutching (+Crawford)
1869 - 1918 Aristachus Paul Hutching (+Beckett)
. his widow next married his brother Acton
1871 - 1920 Alpheus Ariochi 'Alfred' Hutching (+Green)
. They had further children in NZ .
1874 - 1965 Albert Featherston 'Bert' Hutching (+Pascoe)
. born 7 weeks after arriving in NZ
1878 - 1883 Alton Arthur Staines Hutching (age 4)
1881 - 1964 Acton Adolphus William Hutching
. Acton married Ellen Gertrude Hutching (nee Beckett) in 1919, she was the widow of his brother, Aristarelius
1883 - 1964 Ada Maria Hutching (+Boyd)
*1895 - 1970 Winifred Horne Hutching (didn't marry)
. born in 1895 but registered in 1918 as a daughter of Stephen & Maria, however Maria would have been 57, so likely she was a granddaughter by an unmarried daughter/son

They eventually made their way up to Woodville, joining Stephen's 2 younger brothers, George & James.
His brother George was living in Woodville for some time at his property 'Mount Essex, Woodville'
George obviously had nostalgic memories of Essex, being born there, calling his property Mount Essex and writing this poem in 1877 "Ode To Essex" .. https://tinyurl.com/ykp5mk6u

In March of 1880 a damaging flood destroyed a lot of property and animals. It reached as far south as Masterton and the story can be read here, mentioning Stephen being flooded out .. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBH18800401.2.17

On 10 Aug 1883 a notice appeared in the Hawkes Bay Herald .. "I have already telegraphed respecting the sad accident which occurred this morning to the child of Mr Stephen Hutching. It is not thought necessary to hold an inquest as the circumstances hardly require it" - I cannot find any child of Stephens buried here in August 1883

Evening Post, 26 July 1909, an ad for an Unreserved Clearing Sale of Mr Stephen Hutching who is leaving the district, at his farm near Woodville .. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19090726.2.118.1

Woodville Examiner, 17 Jan 1919
HUTCHING - At Hawthorne Villa, Gladstone Road, Woodville, on January 16th 1919, Stephen, the beloved husband of Maria Hutching; aged 84 years.

Woodville Examiner, 17 Jan 1919
Obituary We regret to have to report the death of another of Woodville's old residents in the person of Mr Stephen Hutching, which took place at his residence "Hawthorne Villa," Gladstone road, early yesterday morning. Mr Hutching arrived in New Zealand in 1872, landing at Wellington from the ship Helen Denny. He went to Mount Vernon, near Waipukurau, where he became head gardener for the late Mr John Harding. After two years there he came to Woodville. It is recorded of him that in 1874 he felled the bush at the corner of McLean and Vogel street, where the Bank of New Zealand now stands. This is an interesting incident in the early life of the settlement. Subsequently Mr Hutching left Woodville to enter the service of Mr George Hunter, Porangahau, but he finally returned to this district and resided at Papatawa. He then took up a section in Manga-atua Valley and engaged in farming operations there till finally settling down, about 10 years ago, at Gladstone road, where his residence "Hawthorne Villa" is one of Woodville's recognised beauty spots.
Mr Hutching was born at Moreton, Essex in 1835 and was therefore 84 years old at his demise. He leaves a widow, five sons and three daughters. Of the latter one is Mrs Scadden, Foxton; another, Mrs Newton Body, Terrace End, Palmerston and the third, Frances is unmarried. The sons are George, Pongaroa; Artemus, Woodville; Alfred, Mangarawa, Bert, Woodville and Acton, Matamau.