Arthur Gorbell Bignell (1861 – 18 June 1944) was

Mayor of Wanganui The mayor of Whanganui (previously Wanganui) is the head of the Whanganui District Council. Since 1872, there have been 29 mayors. Andrew Tripe is the current mayor. History The Wanganui Town Board was first formed in 1862, and its first chairman ...

from 1904 to 1906, and a

builder Builder may refer to: * Construction worker, who specializes in building work * Carpenter, a skilled craftsman who works with wood * General contractor, that specializes in building work ** Subcontractor * Builder (detergent), a component of moder ...

Oamaru Oamaru (; mi, Te Oha-a-Maru) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the railway ...

, the

West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

Wanganui Whanganui (; ), also spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whangan ...

and the Rangitikei district.

Biography

Early life and family

Bignell' was born to George Bignell and Emily Eliza Bignell (née Foy) in Ilford,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, in 1861.Wanganui Museum Records: Arthur Bignell He was educated at

Richmond, Surrey Richmond is a town in south-west London,The London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended) categorises the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames as an Outer London borough. Although it is on both sides of the River Thames, the Boundary Commis ...

, and emigrated to

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

with his brother Fred in 1876, at 15 years of age.Cyclopedia of NZ: Russell & Bignell; 1897

Building career

Bignell trained as a

carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. ...

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

and was employed by his uncle Henry in Oamaru where they worked on the original

Railway Station. He and Fred made a return trip to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1884 to assist the emigration of his parents and siblings to New Zealand. Upon returning the Bignell firm won the contract to construct bridges and buildings on the Midland Line. In late 1887 the Bignells moved to

Greymouth Greymouth () (Māori: ''Māwhera'') is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coas ...

on the

. In 1888 he married Florence Simpson, with whom he became father of five children: Arthur, Florence, Cecil, Winifred and Mostyn. In 1891 he entered into partnership with Robert Russell, and in 1892 Russell and Bignell Ltd. moved to

where they won the contract for the construction of Wanganui Hospital. ''Russell and Bignell Ltd.'' went on to include within their firm the business and contracts of notable local builder James Tawse upon his retirement. In 1930, he built the morgue of the Heads Road Cemetery.

Wanganui mayoralty

Bignell was elected Mayor of Wanganui in 1904, a position he held for two years until 1906. A street was named after him along the western bank of

Wanganui River The Wanganui River is in the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It flows northwest for from its headwaters in the Southern Alps, entering the Tasman Sea near Lake Ianthe, southwest of Hokitika Hokitika is a town in the Wes ...

, just south of the town centre. According to Wanganui’s ‘Familiar Faces 1907’; :''"The Mayoralty of A.G.B. was characterized by uniform courtesy to the crew of Councillors over whom he presided, a clear grasp of all questions affecting the welfare of the people, and an ambition to act on the square with all and sundry. His good works are many, his friends numerous, and his enemies very scarce."''

Other affairs

As well as working as builder and Mayor, Bignell was involved in various other roles in the fledgling city of Wanganui. He served as

Chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

of the

Harbour A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is a ...

Board, Chairman of

Wanganui Collegiate School Whanganui Collegiate School (formerly Wanganui Collegiate School; see here) is a state-integrated, coeducational, day and boarding, secondary school in Whanganui, Manawatū-Whanganui region, New Zealand. The school is affiliated to the Anglican c ...

and Chairman of Gonville Town Board. He was a member of the

Patriotic Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to one's country. This attachment can be a combination of many different feelings, language relating to one's own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, political or histor ...

Association, St. Andrew

Kilwinning Kilwinning (, sco, Kilwinnin; gd, Cill D’Fhinnein) is a town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is on the River Garnock, north of Irvine, about southwest of Glasgow. It is known as "The Crossroads of Ayrshire". Kilwinning was also a Civil Pa ...

Lodge Lodge is originally a term for a relatively small building, often associated with a larger one. Lodge or The Lodge may refer to: Buildings and structures Specific * The Lodge (Australia), the official Canberra residence of the Prime Ministe ...

and Wanganui

Jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

club, a founding member of the local

Rotary club Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, profe ...

, and also a member of a local

bowling Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), though ...

club. In 1935, he was awarded the

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver J ...

. Bignell died in Wanganui in 1944, aged 82.

Russell & Bignell buildings

Notable ''Russell and Bignell'' buildings include: * Oamaru Railway Station * Original Wanganui Hospital (since demolished) * Flock House Homestead and McKelvie Flagpole * Pukemarama Homestead * The Grand Hotel, WanganuiThe Grand Hotel, Wanganui
Map and History

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bignell, Arthur 1861 births 1944 deaths Mayors of Wanganui People from Ilford English emigrants to New Zealand