Henry John Bignell (1884 - 1971)

Born 19 Aug 1884 in Oamaru, Otago, New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 16 Oct 1971 at age 87 in Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand

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Biography

Henry John (known as Harry) was born on 19 August 1884^[1] at Oamaru, Otago, New Zealand, and his birth was registered in the third quarter at Oamaru^[2]. He was the son of Henry John Bignell and Janet (Jessie) Lennie.

He married Florence Stubbs about 1904 possibly at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (see research note). They had one son.

1. Harry (1912 - 1959^[3])

In 1908 he was living at High Street, Greymouth where other members of his family were resident and listed on the Grey Supplementary Electoral Roll^[4]. He was a carpenter. There is no wife listed with him, but maybe Florence was not enrolled. They were living at 1 Elizabeth Street, Petone in 1928 as they were listed on the Hutt Electoral Roll^[5]. He was a machinist.

His wife died on 21 April 1939^[6]. In 1949 he (under Henry John) was living with his son Harry and his wife at Howard Road, Lyall Bay as all three were on the Petone Electoral Roll^[7]. He was a saw doctor, and his son was a labourer.

He died on 16 October 1971 aged 86 years^[8]. He was buried on 19 October in Akatarawa Cemetery, Upper Hutt^[9], Plot 19 Row 22 Area Monumental 2.

Research Notes

The marriage is given on trees on Ancestry. One tree gives the source for the information as the death certificate for Florence. Florence was born in Tasmania and had previously married there. I have not found any listing of the marriage in the New South Wales, Victoria or Tasmania records under either spelling of Harry's name. There is no marriage listed in New Zealand.

Trees on Ancestry give the son Harry as being born on 24 February 1912 at Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. But there is no record of that birth to prove he is the son except references to him on the Electoral Rolls and a notice for his marriage^[10].

OUGHTON—BIGNELL.—On April 2, 1936, at St. Ann's Church, Newtown, Betty, eldest daughter of Mrs. and Mr. W. Oughton, of Newtown, to Harry, only son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Bignell, of Petone.

Sources

1. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Birth Registration. Accessed 27 Nov 2020

   1884/15836 Bignell, Henry John Mother=Jessie Father=Henry John DOB=19/08/1884

2. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Birth Index, 1840-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: New Zealand, Birth Index, 1840–1950. Microfiche. Accessed 4 Mar 2022

   Ancestry Record 8949 #185515

   Name: Henry John Bignell; Birth Date: Jul-Aug-Sep 1884; Registration Place: Oamaru, New Zealand; Folio Number: 3145.

3. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Death Registration. Accessed 20 Nov 2021

   1959/25699 Bignell, Harry Age=47Y DOD=10/06/1959

4. ↑ 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. District: Grey. Year:1908. Accessed 4 Mar 2022
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   Name: Harry Bignell; Electoral Year: 1908; Residence Place: Greymouth, New Zealand; District: Grey; Region or Province: West Coast.

5. ↑ 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. District: Hutt. Year:1928. Accessed 4 Mar 2022
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   Name: Harry Bignell; Electoral Year: 1928; Residence Place: New Zealand; District: Hutt; Region or Province: Wellington.

6. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Death Registration. Accessed 19 Nov 2021

   1939/28207 Bignell, Florence Age=60Y DOD=21/04/1939

7. ↑ 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. District: Petone. Year: 1949. Accessed 4 Mar 2022
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   Name: Henry John Bignell; Electoral Year: 1949; Residence Place: New Zealand; District: Petone; Region or Province: Wellington.

8. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Death Registration. Accessed 29 Nov 2020

   1971/44540 Bignell, Henry John Age=86Y DOD=16/10/1971

9. ↑ Upper Hutt Cemetery Search Accessed 2 Dec 2020 (note name is given as Bignall)

   Record ID 10373 Occupation: Trapper Cemetery: Akatarawa Cemetery

   Plot number: 19 Row: 22 Area: Monumental 2 Denomination: Anglican

10. ↑ Papers Past: MARRIAGES. Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 104, 4 May 1936, Page 1 Accessed 20 Nov 2021

• Biography written by Margaret Bailey Allison