Edmund was the son of Edmund John and Judith (nee Massingham). In the 1832 Census Edmund was listed as aged 20 years and single living in Fremantle. It is believed that he and fellow passenger Charles Macfaull, from the 'Edward Lombe', planted the colony's first vines near Fremantle. In 1833, this same pair along with WK Shenton produced the first printed newspaper, the 'Fremantle Observer, Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal'. Edmund married Ethel Read on 9 November 1836 at Perth. Ethel was the daughter of George and Elizabeth Read. He married in a double wedding with Ethel's sister Maria. The first of twelve children of this union was Amelia Elizabeth born in 1838. He subscribed to the Perth Wesleyan Church in 1841. It was about this time that Edmund started using the name Stirling and advertised the services of his printing business in 1843 in the 'Inquirer'. He became the 'Inquirer's' principal compositor and printer and was sole proprietor and editor by 1847. Edmund Stirling was a member of the Perth Town Trust and later of the City Council, also a director of the Geraldine Mining Company. In the 1860's he formed the West Australian Telegraph Co. with Alexander Cumming and in 1869 opened the first line between Perth and Fremantle. Having passed on the duties to his sons from the 'Inquirer' in 1866, Edmund then retired from the telegraph company in 1878. Ethel died 4 October 1887 at Perth. Edmund married a second time on 7 January 1889 to Emma Amelia Meares (widow-nee Wright). Edmund died 2 November 1897 at Perth and Emma Amelia died 17 May 1923.