Matthew was the son of Albert and Anne Hunt and was born c.1892.  In about 1905 the family moved to 42 Grey Street, East Melbourne, when its original owner, James Peel Browne died the same year as his son, also James Peel Brown, leaving the son's wife, Catherine as the beneficiary.  Catherine disposed of the property, along with the Brownes' livery stable business which operated from the site, to her sister, Anne, and brother-in-law, Albert Hunt.  The stables and carriage sheds were housed on the next door block and Albert ran the business until 1913 when he leased it out.  The business soon turned from horses to cars and became a garage.  The Hunt family owned the property until 1971, and Anne died there in 1943.

Matthew also served in WW2 which has meant that his record for both wars has been amalgamated and stored with the WW2 documents and at this stage is unavailable online.  However his embarkation record shows that he left on HMAT Borda on 22 December 1914, along with another serviceman with East Melbourne connections, Alexander Robert Vanderzee [see also].  Matthew gave his age as 22, his occupation as motor-driver, his marital status as single, and his address and that of his next of kin, his father, as 42 Grey Street, East Melbourne.