George Lennie Smith Bignell (1886 - 1954)

Born 5 Sep 1886 in Oamaru, Otago, New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 10 May 1954 at age 67 in Christchurch, New Zealand

Biography

George Lennie Smith was born on 5 September 1886^[1] at Oamaru, New Zealand. He was the son of Henry Bignell and Janet (Jessie) Lennie.

He married Ida Maud Ziegler on 17 February 1910^[2]. They had at least three children.

1. Arthur Lennie (1914^[3] - 1984^[4])
2. Ida Ethel (1918^[5] - )
3. George James (1920^[6] - 1920^[7])

He worked as a Education Board Works Superintendent but was previously a carpenter. He reported on repairs required after the 1929 Murchison Earthquake^[8]. His report gave a detailed estimate of the cost of restoring the schools to the condition they were in previous to the earthquake^[9].

George died on 10 May 1954 aged 67^[10]. He was buried on 11 May at Ruru Lawn Cemetery, Christchurch^[11], Block 41, Plot 50. His probate was granted at Christchurch^[12]. He appointed the Public Trustee as his executor and left all his property to his wife.

Sources

1. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Birth Registration. Accessed 29 Nov 2019

   1886/17054 Bignell, George Lennie Mother=Jessie Father=Henry John DOB=05/09/1886

2. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Marriage Registration. Accessed 29 Nov 2019

   1910/1193 Bride=Ida Maud Ziegler Groom=George Lennie Smith Bignell DOM=17/02/1910

3. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Birth Registration. Accessed 2 Dec 2020

   1914/19612 Bignell, Arthur Lennie Mother=Ida Ethel Maude Father=George Lennie Smith

4. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Death Registration. Accessed 2 Dec 2020

   1984/37052 Bignell, Arthur Lennie DOB=7 June 1914 DOD=27/07/1984

5. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Birth Registration. Accessed 2 Dec 2020

   1918/17732 Bignell, Ida Ethel Mother=Ida Ethel Maude Father=George Lennie

6. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Birth Registration. Accessed 2 Dec 2020

   1920/1591 Bignell, George James Mother=Ida Ethel Maude Father=George Lennie

7. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Death Registration. Accessed 2 Dec 2020

   1920/6205 Bignell, George James Age=8M DOD=06/12/1920

8. ↑ Wikipedia: Murchson Earthquake Accessed 2 Dec 2020
9. ↑ Papers Past: SCHOOL BUILDINGS Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1929 Accessed 2 Dec 2020
10. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Death Registration. Accessed 29 Nov 2019

    1954/31195 Bignell, George Lennie Age=67Y DOD=10/05/1954

11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173168476/george-lennie-bignell : accessed 20 February 2022), memorial page for George Lennie Bignell (1886–10 May 1954), Find A Grave: Memorial #173168476, citing Ruru Lawn Cemetery, Bromley, Christchurch City, Canterbury, New Zealand ; Maintained by Southern Man (contributor 48043025) .
12. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-24PY : 28 May 2019), George Lennie Bignell, 1954; citing , Christchurch Probate Files, 1855-2003, record number CH4459/1954, Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office; FamilySearch digital folder 100508347. Accessed 2 Dec 2020

• Biography written by Margaret Bailey Allison