Henry John Bignell (1856 - 1939)

Ancestors Descendants

Biography

Henry John Bignell was born on 29 January 1856 and registered in the first quarter of 1856 at Romford, Essex, England^[1]. He was baptised on 24 February 1856 at St John the Evangelist in Havering-Atte-Bower, Essex^[2]. He was the son of George Bignell and Emily Eliza Foy.

In 1861 he was living at Barking, Essex^[3] with his parents, three brothers - George (10), Walter Thomas (9) and Arthur G (2 months) - and a sister - Emily M (2). The family had moved from Essex to Middlesex at the time of the 1871 Census^[4]. Henry was now the oldest of the children at 15 with three younger brothers - Arthur G (10), Stephen F (6) and Charles W (3) - and a sister - Emily M (12).

He emigrated to New Zealand in 1873 on the Tweed, settling in Oamaru^[5].

He married Janet (Jessie) McArthur Lennie on 31 December 1878^[6]. They had thirteen children.

1. Henry John (1879 - 1879)
2. George Lennie (1879 - 1879)
3. Emily Margaret Foye (1880 - 1961)
4. Rose Smith (1882 - 1995)
5. Henry John (1884 - 1971)
6. George Lennie Smith (1886 - 1954)
7. Charles Robert (1889 - 1947)
8. Ellen (1891 - 1965)
9. (Not recorded) (1893 - 1893)
10. Frank (1894 - 1904)
11. Rose (1897 - 1946)
12. Mary (1901 - 1973)
13. Frederick (1902 - 1902)

Work

He worked as a builder in Oamaru for about fifteen years^[5]. He was a contractor on the West Coast and built many bridges, one of which still exists. In 1887 he moved to Greymouth and erected many buildings, including the grand stand at the racecourse, and parts of the hospital. He was a Freemason, a member of Lodge Oamaru Kilwinning^[5].

He had a close shave while building a bridge at Ngahere in 1903^[7]. A hook broke, hit him on the wrist and severed an artery. One of his staff swam the river to get help. He had to wait for two hours before a doctor arrived, and lost a lot of blood.

He became a town councillor in 1899^[5] and a member of the Greymouth Licensing Bench in 1900. He was also a Justice of the Peace^[8]. He lived the last years of his life with his daughter Ellen on High Street, Greymouth and was on the Westland West Coast Electoral Roll in 1938^[9].

He died on 2 May 1939 aged 84 years^[10] at Greymouth. He was buried in the local Greymouth cemetery^[11].

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26RL-PZX : 1 October 2014), Henry John Bignell, 1856; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Romford, Essex, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England. Accessed 2 Dec 2020
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. Essex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1918 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019. Original data: Essex Church of England Parish Registers, Essex County Council, Chelmsford, Essex, England. Essex Record Office; Chelmsford, Essex, England. Accessed 2 Dec 2020.
   • View Ancestry Record 61699 #4117599 (requires subscription).
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWMD-HF5 : 24 October 2019), Henry J Bignell in household of George Bignell, Barking, Essex, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. Accessed 10 Nov 2019
4. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFXM-H3Z : 27 September 2019), Henry J Bignell in entry for George Bignell, 1871. Accessed 10 Nov 2019
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts] Accessed 21 Sep 2019
6. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Marriage Registration. Accessed 9 Sep 2019

   1878/2972 Bride=Janet McArthur Lennie Groom=Henry Bignell DOM=31/12/878

7. ↑ Papers Past: CASUALTIES. Otago Witness, Issue 2553, 18 February 1903 Accessed 19 Dec 2019
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, City & Area Directories, 1866-1954 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand City & Area Directories, 1866–1955. Microfilm publication, 921 fiche. Anne Bromell Collection, BAB Microfilming. Auckland, New Zealand. Collection Title: New Zealand City & Area Directories, 1866-1955; Directory: Wise´s New Zealand Post Office Directory. Accessed 2 Dec 2020.
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9. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–1981. Auckland, New Zealand: BAB microfilming. Microfiche publication, 4032 fiche. 1938. Accessed 2 Dec 2020.
   • View free Ancestry Sharing Link on ancestry.com
10. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Death Registration. Accessed 9 Sep 2020

    1939/15043 Bignell, Henry John Age=84Y DOD=02/05/1939

11. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Cemetery Records, 1800-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.New Zealand Society of Genealogists Incorporated; Auckland, New Zealand; New Zealand Cemetery Records. Accessed 2 Dec 2020.
    • View free Ancestry Sharing Link on ancestry.com

• Biography written by Margaret Bailey Allison