Background
Born in Norwich, he was the third and youngest son of Thomas Bignold and his wife Sarah, widow of Julius Long and daughter of Samuel Cocksedge.
Born in Norwich, he was the third and youngest son of Thomas Bignold and his wife Sarah, widow of Julius Long and daughter of Samuel Cocksedge.
He was educated at schools in Norwich and Bury Street Edmunds.
From 1814, he worked as secretary for the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Company and from 1818 had the same office for the Norwich Union Life Assurance Society, both founded by his father. Although an admirer of Benjamin Disraeli, he rejected the latter"s rather dubious request of a loan by the Society, however after a meeting lent the money from personal funds. In 1866, he arranged the incorporation of the Amicable Society, Britain"s oldest life insurance institution.
Bignold was appointed Sheriff of Norwich in 1830 and was mayor of that city in the years 1833, 1848, 1853 and lastly 1872.
Shortly thereafter, he entered the British House of Commons and sat for Norwich in the following three years. Bignold served as Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk.
He died in 1875 at Bignold House, which he had bought in 1820 and then had become his head office, and was buried at Street Margaret, Old Catton. He left property worth about £120,000 (probate granted 15 February 1875).
16th United Kingdom Parliament.