Sir Samuel Bignold DL (13 October 1791 [1] – 2 January 1875) [2] was a British businessman with insurances and Conservative politician.
Born in Norwich, he was the third and youngest son of Thomas Bignold [3] and his wife Sarah, widow of Julius Long and daughter of Samuel Cocksedge. [4] He was educated at schools in Norwich and Bury St Edmunds. [4]
From 1814, he worked as secretary for the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Company [5] and from 1818 had the same office for the Norwich Union Life Assurance Society, [6] both founded by his father. [4] 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. [4] In 1866, he arranged the incorporation of the Amicable Society, Britain's oldest life insurance institution. [4]
Bignold was appointed Sheriff of Norwich in 1830 [7] and was mayor of that city in the years 1833, 1848, 1853 and lastly 1872. [8] He presented a note of support of the Crimean War from the city of Norwich to the Parliament in 1854, for which he was created a Knight Bachelor. [6] Shortly thereafter, he entered the British House of Commons and sat for Norwich in the following three years. [2] Bignold served as Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk. [9]
In 1815, he married Elizabeth, the only child of William Atkins [9] and had by her six sons and seven daughters. [4] [10] He died in 1875 at Bignold House, which he had bought in 1820 and then had become his head office, and was buried at St Margaret, Old Catton. [4] He left property worth about £120,000 (probate granted 15 February 1875). [11]
Bignold's fourth son, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Bignold (1831–1895) served as Mayor of Norwich between 1894 and 1895, Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk, and leader of the Conservative Party in that city after 1875. [12]
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