Buckley & Nunn was co-founded by Mars Buckley (1825?– 9 October 1905) and his partner, Crumpton John Nunn (1828–29 March 1891). Buckley was born at Mallow, County Cork, Ireland and emigrated to Victoria in 1851 with his wife, Elizabeth Maroon, née Neville, and their child. Buckley came with goods to sell at the Ballarat and Forest Creek goldfields, which proved profitable. On the arrival of another consignment of goods in 1852 he began business in partnership with English-born Nunn as Buckley & Nunn. Nunn soon returned to England to manage that end of the business.