Edward Baigent

Edward Baigent was born in 1813 in Windlesham, Surrey, England, and christened on 31 July 1814. His parents were Thomas Baigent (1782–1860) and Dorothy Ann Coule (1782–1869). He married Mary Ann Hern at Windlesham, circa 1830.{{cite web|title=BAIGENT, Edward|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kiwiadams/2/48122.html|publisher=Rootsweb|access-date=3 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306091004/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kiwiadams/2/48122.html|archive-date=6 March 2012|url-status=dead}}

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.{{cite web|title=Timber Pioneers - Brownlee and Baigent|url=http://www.theprow.org.nz/marlborough-nelson-timber-pioneers/|publisher=The Prow|access-date=5 July 2011}}

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.{{sfn|NZETC|1906|p=133}} His next son, Henry Baigent, later became Mayor of Nelson.{{cite web|title=BAIGENT, Henry|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kiwiadams/2/48353.html|publisher=Rootsweb|access-date=3 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103052807/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kiwiadams/2/48353.html|archive-date=3 November 2012|df=dmy-all}}{{sfn|NZETC|1906|p=41}} 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 {{NZlSH|6}}.{{sfn|Harding|2000|p=93}} The site is marked with a plaque and his descendants planted a Totara tree there in 1992, 100 years after Baigent's death.{{sfn|Harding|2000|p=93}} 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.{{sfn|Harding|2000|pp=99–101}}{{cite web|title=Edward Baigent Reserve, Wakefield|url=http://www.tasman.govt.nz/recreation/parks-reserves/park-reserve-locations/edward-baigent-reserve-wakefield/|publisher=Tasman District Council|access-date=5 July 2011}}

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.{{cite web|title=Our School|url=http://www.wakefield.school.nz/our-school/|publisher=Wakefield School|access-date=7 July 2011|archive-date=12 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712224520/http://www.wakefield.school.nz/our-school/|url-status=dead}} On 1 January 1844, the new school was officially opened, making Wakefield School the oldest continuous school in New Zealand.{{cite web|title=Education in Nelson - 1842–2002|url= http://www.theprow.org.nz/education-in-nelson/ |publisher=The Prow|access-date=8 July 2011}} In 1846 he was instrumental in the construction of St John's Church in Wakefield.{{sfn|Burgess|2015|pp=217–219}}

File:Baigent's Timber Yard.jpg

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.{{sfn|NZETC|1906|p=133}} Baigent had to work for the New Zealand Company 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.

{{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}}

{{NZ parlbox

|electorate= Waimea

|party= Independent politician

|start= 1867

|end= 1870

|term= 4th}}

{{NZ parlbox break}}

{{NZ parlbox

|electorate= Waimea

|party= Independent politician

|start= 1876

|end= 1879

|term= 6th}}

{{NZ parlbox footer}}

Baigent came first in the inaugural 1853 election to the Waimea South electorate for one of two positions on the Nelson Provincial Council.{{cite news |title=Election of two members from Waimea South to serve in the Provincial Council |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NENZC18530820.2.16 |access-date=13 November 2020 |work=Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle |volume=XII |issue=598 |date=20 August 1853 |page=5}} He was a member for Waimea South on the Provincial Council for the entire length of its existence,{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=211}} and was also on the Waimea Road Board. He took a prominent part in educational matters.{{sfn|NZETC|1906|p=133}}

Arthur Robert Oliver resigned from the Waimea electorate in 1867 and triggered a by-election.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=224}} On nomination day on 24 June 1867, three candidates were put forward: Fedor 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.{{cite news|title=The Nomination|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TC18670625.2.14|access-date=6 July 2011|work=Colonist|volume=X |issue=738 |date=25 June 1867|page=3}} On election day, Baigent, Shephard and Kelling received 99, 71 and 32 votes, respectively, and Baigent was thus declared elected.{{cite news|title=Election for the Waimeas|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TC18670705.2.15|access-date=6 July 2011|work=Colonist|volume=X |issue=741 |date=5 July 1867|page=4}} He represented the electorate until the end of the term in 1870.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=181 }}

The next general election was held on 13 February 1871 in the Waimea electorate, and it was contested by Baigent and Shephard.{{cite news|title=Waimea Elections|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NEM18710214.2.9|access-date=6 July 2011|work=Nelson Evening Mail|volume=VI |issue=38 |date=14 February 1871|page=2}} Shephard won by 149 to 91 votes.{{cite news|title=Waimea Election|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NEM18710216.2.10|access-date=6 July 2011|work=Nelson Evening Mail|volume=VI |issue=40 |date=16 February 1871|page=2}}

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.{{cite news|title=Waimea Nomination.|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NEM18751222.2.9|access-date=7 July 2011|work=Nelson Evening Mail|volume=X |issue=341 |date=22 December 1875|page=2}} The interest in the election on 7 January 1876 was low, with a voter turnout of less than half.{{cite news|title=Nelson. 7th January.|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18760108.2.8.13 |access-date=7 July 2011|work=The Evening Post|volume=XIII |issue=6 |date=8 January 1876 |page=2}} Baigent was elected with 88 votes to 76,{{cite news|title=Declaration of the Waimea Poll |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NEM18760119.2.14 |access-date=7 July 2011 |work=Nelson Evening Mail |volume=XI |issue=18 |date=19 January 1876 |page=2}} and represented the electorate until the end of the parliamentary term in 1879, when he retired.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=181 }} He was succeeded by Shephard, who was elected unopposed.{{cite news|title=Electoral District of Waimea.|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TC18790909.2.4.5|access-date=7 July 2011|work=Colonist|volume=XXII |issue=2598 |date=9 September 1879|page=2}}

Baigent's wife died on 3 November 1892. Baigent himself died less than a week after her, on 9 November 1892 in Wakefield, aged 79.{{cite news|title=Death of Mr. Edward Baigent|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NEM18921110.2.6|access-date=6 July 2011|work=Nelson Evening Mail|volume=XXVI |issue=258 |date=10 November 1892|page=2}} He was buried there three days later.{{sfn|NZETC|1906|p=41}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Burgess|first=Linda|title=Historic Churches: A Guide to over 60 Early New Zealand Churches|year=2015|publisher=Random House New Zealand|location=Auckland|isbn=978-1-77553-733-5}}
• {{Cite book |ref={{harvid|NZETC|1906}} |title=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts |year=1906 |publisher=Cyclopedia Company Limited |location=Christchurch |url= https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d1-d5.html |access-date=3 July 2011|chapter=Ex-Mayors}}
• {{cite web|last=Harding|first=Mike|title=Moutere – Waimea Ward Reserves Management Plan|url=http://www.tasman.govt.nz/document/serve/Moutere%20Waimea%20Management%20Plan%20August%202000.pdf?path=/EDMS/Public/Other/Policy/Plans/ParksReservesManagementPlans/000000190567 |publisher=Tasman District Council|access-date=5 July 2011|format=PDF|date=August 2000}}
• {{cite book |author-link = Guy Scholefield | last = Scholefield | first= Guy | title = New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 | edition = 3rd | orig-year=First published in 1913 | year = 1950 |publisher = Govt. Printer |location = Wellington}}
• {{Cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103 }}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par | nz}}

{{s-bef | before = Arthur Robert Oliver}}

{{s-ttl | rows=2 | title = Member of Parliament for Waimea | years = 1867–1870
1876–1879}}

{{s-aft | after = Joseph Shephard}}

{{s-bef | before = Joseph Shephard }}

{{s-aft | after = Joseph Shephard }}

{{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baigent, Edward}}

Category:1813 births

Category:1892 deaths

Category:New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates

Category:New Zealand sawmillers

Category:British emigrants to New Zealand

Category:People from Windlesham

Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives

Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1871 New Zealand general election

Category:Members of the Nelson Provincial Council