Biography contributed by Sharlene Rumney
Born in London, England Jessy (or Jessie) Steward immigrated to New Zealand as a child and lived in Huntly, Auckland, Thames, in 1881 she married Horatio Nelson Bagnall of Turua, and they lived there until 1899.
They had eight children and in 1893 Charles, Percy, Laura and Frederick were attending Turua School and Horatio Bagnall was a member of the Turua school committee.
Jessy Bagnall signed page 408 of the 1892 suffrage petition. Her mother-in-law Martha Bagnall and sister-in-law Margaret Bagnall also signed sheet 390.
In 1894 Horatio and Jessy’s seven room house was destroyed in a fire except for the living room, the fire was believed to be caused by sparks from the nearby mill igniting sawdust, the outhouse and a shanty were also burnt to the ground.
The 1896 Ohinemuri electoral roll records Jessy Bagnall as living in Turua and domestic duties as her occupation.
September 1899 saw Horatio and Jessy leave Turua to take up residence in Auckland. Their farewell was documented in the paper, of note is the inscription of a gold watch presented to Jessy from the Ladies Committee: 'On behalf of the lady residents of Turua, we desire to express our sorrow at your contemplated departure, knowing that in you we lose a warm hearted and much respected friend. Your kindness of heart has been proved on many occasions be your readiness to aid and attend upon one in sickness. We cannot let you go without some expression of our gratitude. We therefore ask you to accept this watch as a small token of our regard, which we now tender you, with the hope that you will live long to wear it in loving remembrance of us, and that where ever you go prosperity and happiness may abide with you.'
Horatio died in October 1922 and Jessy in February 1928; they are buried at Waikaraka Cemetery.
Sources
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/womens-suffrage/about-the-petition - 1892 suffrage petition Excel spreadsheet
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE26793767
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9186, 28 April 1893
Thames Star, Volume XXV, Issue 4688, 19 March 1894
Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 9440, 16 September 1899
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19875, 20 February 1928
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions