Edward Baigent
Encyclopedia
Edward Baigent was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson
, New Zealand
. He was one of the most successful saw-millers of the region, and his company existed for well over 100 years.
, Surrey
, England
, and christened on 31 July 1814. His parents were Thomas Baigent (1782–1860) and Jane Nokes (1779–1869). He married Mary Ann Hern at Windlesham, circa 1830.
The Baigents and their five children emigrated to Nelson on the Clifford in May 1842; he was thus one of the earliest settlers in the Nelson region.
His son Joseph was born three days after their arrival in the colony and he was only the seventh child to be born in Nelson. His next son, Henry Baigent
, later became Mayor of Nelson
. After Henry, the Baigents had four more children; eleven in total.
They lived in Nelson at first, but settled in Wakefield
in 1844. When Baigent first went to the Wakefield area, he reputedly spent the first night sleeping under a large Tōtara tree
, the 'Baigent sleeping tree', in what is now Wakefield Recreation Reserve adjacent to State Highway 6
. The site is marked with a plaque and his descendants planted a Totara tree there in 1992, 100 years after Baigent's death. Nearby where Eighty Eight Valley Stream flows into the Wai-iti River
, the 1.2 hectare
Edward Wakefield Reserve was created in 2000. The land was donated to the District Council with a stipulation that overnight camping be allowed.
Mary Ann Baigent began providing school education at their home in Wakefield in mid-1843, but the school moved to a cob house in November of that year. On 1 January 1844, the new school was officially opened, making Wakefield School the oldest continuous school in New Zealand.
to finance his business expansion, so he worked on his sawmill at night after his paid labour job. By 1850, there were eight men in his employment.
Baigent supplied the timber for Nelson's original cathedral
in 1850/51. In 1869, he opened his first timber yard in Nelson. A year later, the yard moved to Waimea Street (later renamed Rutherford Street), where it remained for over a century. Baigent was one of the most successful saw-millers in the region and his company, known as 'H. Baigent and Sons' (where the H stands for Henry, his son) was held by the family for generations.
for the entire length of its existence, and also of the Waimea Road Board. He took a prominent part in educational matters.
Arthur Robert Oliver
resigned from the Waimea electorate
in 1867 and triggered a by-election. On nomination day on 24 June 1867, three candidates were put forward: John Kelling
(who had already represented the Waimea electorate in Parliament), Joseph Shephard
, and Edward Baigent. The latter informed the voters that he did not think himself qualified to represent them in Parliament, but he would "at least give them an honest vote" (in the House). The returning officer declared a show of hands to be in favour of Baigent, Kelly then demanded a poll, and the date for this was set for Friday, 28 June 1867. On election day, Baigent, Shephard and Kelling received 99, 71 and 32 votes, respectively, and Baigent was thus declared elected. He represented the electorate until the end of the term in 1870.
The next general election was held on 13 February 1871 in the Waimea electorate, and it was contested by Baigent and Shephard. Shephard won by 149 to 91 votes.
At the nomination meeting on 22 December 1875 for the next general election, Baigent and Shephard were proposed, with the show of hands in favour of Baigent. The interest in the election on 7 January 1876 was low, with a voter turnout of less than half. Baigent was elected with 88 votes to 76, and represented the electorate until the end of the parliamentary term in 1879, when he retired. He was succeeded by Shephard, who was elected unopposed.
, aged 79. He was buried there three days later.
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He was one of the most successful saw-millers of the region, and his company existed for well over 100 years.
Family
Edward Baigent was born in 1813 in WindleshamWindlesham
Windlesham is a village in the Surrey Heath district of Surrey in South East England. It is also the name of the parish that covers Bagshot and Lightwater, in addition to Windlesham...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and christened on 31 July 1814. His parents were Thomas Baigent (1782–1860) and Jane Nokes (1779–1869). He married Mary Ann Hern at Windlesham, circa 1830.
The Baigents and their five children emigrated to Nelson on the Clifford in May 1842; he was thus one of the earliest settlers in the Nelson region.
His son Joseph was born three days after their arrival in the colony and he was only the seventh child to be born in Nelson. His next son, Henry Baigent
Henry Baigent
Henry Baigent was a timber miller, and served as a Nelson city councillor and mayor. The Nelson firm of H Baigent and Sons Ltd was formed by him. His funeral was noted as one of the largest that had ever taken place in Nelson.- Family :...
, later became Mayor of Nelson
Mayor of Nelson, New Zealand
The Mayor of Nelson is the head of the municipal government of Nelson, New Zealand, and presides over the Nelson City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
. After Henry, the Baigents had four more children; eleven in total.
They lived in Nelson at first, but settled in Wakefield
Wakefield, New Zealand
The small New Zealand community of Wakefield is situated some 25 km south west of Nelson at the top of the South Island.First settled in about 1843, it was originally called Pitfure. However the name was soon changed to Wakefield...
in 1844. When Baigent first went to the Wakefield area, he reputedly spent the first night sleeping under a large Tōtara tree
Podocarpus totara
Podocarpus totara is a species of podocarp tree endemic to New Zealand. It grows throughout the North Island and northeastern South Island in lowland, montane and lower subalpine forest at elevations of up to 600 m.-Description:...
, the 'Baigent sleeping tree', in what is now Wakefield Recreation Reserve adjacent to State Highway 6
New Zealand State Highway 6
State Highway 6 is a major New Zealand State Highway. It extends from the northeastern corner of the South Island across the top of the island, then down the length of the island, initially along the West Coast and then across the Southern Alps through inland Otago and finally across the Southland...
. The site is marked with a plaque and his descendants planted a Totara tree there in 1992, 100 years after Baigent's death. Nearby where Eighty Eight Valley Stream flows into the Wai-iti River
Wai-iti River
The Wai-iti River is located in the north of the South Island of New Zealand. It flows northeast for 45 kilometres before combining with the Wairoa River to form the Waimea River. This flows into the southern end of Tasman Bay near Richmond....
, the 1.2 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
Edward Wakefield Reserve was created in 2000. The land was donated to the District Council with a stipulation that overnight camping be allowed.
Mary Ann Baigent began providing school education at their home in Wakefield in mid-1843, but the school moved to a cob house in November of that year. On 1 January 1844, the new school was officially opened, making Wakefield School the oldest continuous school in New Zealand.
Professional life
In 1844, Baigent built a water race on the Wai-iti River and a water wheel drove a flour-mill. In 1845, he added a saw-milling plant, and the timber was rafted down the Wai-iti River to the nearest road. Baigent had to work for the New Zealand CompanyNew Zealand Company
The New Zealand Company originated in London in 1837 as the New Zealand Association with the aim of promoting the "systematic" colonisation of New Zealand. The association, and later the company, intended to follow the colonising principles of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who envisaged the creation of...
to finance his business expansion, so he worked on his sawmill at night after his paid labour job. By 1850, there were eight men in his employment.
Baigent supplied the timber for Nelson's original cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson
Christ Church Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Nelson, New Zealand. The cathedral is located at upper Trafalgar Street.-History:In 1851 the first church was erected at a different site. In 1866 the church was named as Christ Church Cathedral. In 1887 a second church was constructed at the...
in 1850/51. In 1869, he opened his first timber yard in Nelson. A year later, the yard moved to Waimea Street (later renamed Rutherford Street), where it remained for over a century. Baigent was one of the most successful saw-millers in the region and his company, known as 'H. Baigent and Sons' (where the H stands for Henry, his son) was held by the family for generations.
Politics
Baigent was a member of the Provincial CouncilNelson Province
The Nelson Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-History:The Marlborough Province split away from the Nelson Province on 1 November 1859 because the majority of the income of the Provincial Council came from land sales in the...
for the entire length of its existence, and also of the Waimea Road Board. He took a prominent part in educational matters.
Arthur Robert Oliver
Arthur Robert Oliver
Arthur Robert Oliver was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.He represented the Waimea electorate from 1866 to 1867, when he resigned.-References:...
resigned from the Waimea electorate
Waimea (New Zealand electorate)
Waimea was a parliamentary electorate in the Nelson Province of New Zealand, from 1853 to 1887.-Geographic coverage:Waimea was located in the northern part of the South Island, facing the Tasman Bay. It is the area around the town of Nelson, but excluded Nelson itself. It includes Wakefield,...
in 1867 and triggered a by-election. On nomination day on 24 June 1867, three candidates were put forward: John Kelling
John Kelling
John Fedor Augustus Kelling was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand.He represented the Waimea electorate from 1859 to 1860, when he was defeated.He unsuccessfully contested the Waimea electorate in the 1867 by-election....
(who had already represented the Waimea electorate in Parliament), Joseph Shephard
Joseph Shephard
Joseph Shephard was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.He unsuccessfully contested the Waimea electorate in the 1867 by-election....
, and Edward Baigent. The latter informed the voters that he did not think himself qualified to represent them in Parliament, but he would "at least give them an honest vote" (in the House). The returning officer declared a show of hands to be in favour of Baigent, Kelly then demanded a poll, and the date for this was set for Friday, 28 June 1867. On election day, Baigent, Shephard and Kelling received 99, 71 and 32 votes, respectively, and Baigent was thus declared elected. He represented the electorate until the end of the term in 1870.
The next general election was held on 13 February 1871 in the Waimea electorate, and it was contested by Baigent and Shephard. Shephard won by 149 to 91 votes.
At the nomination meeting on 22 December 1875 for the next general election, Baigent and Shephard were proposed, with the show of hands in favour of Baigent. The interest in the election on 7 January 1876 was low, with a voter turnout of less than half. Baigent was elected with 88 votes to 76, and represented the electorate until the end of the parliamentary term in 1879, when he retired. He was succeeded by Shephard, who was elected unopposed.
Death
Baigent's wife died on 3 November 1892. Baigent himself died less than a week after her, on 9 November 1892 in WakefieldWakefield, New Zealand
The small New Zealand community of Wakefield is situated some 25 km south west of Nelson at the top of the South Island.First settled in about 1843, it was originally called Pitfure. However the name was soon changed to Wakefield...
, aged 79. He was buried there three days later.