Biography

RICHARD PARKER BAGLEY

Burial register ID: 14035
Surname: BAGLEY
First name: RICHARD
Middle names: PARKER
Gender: Male
Age: 74 Years
Cause of death: Unknown
Burial type:
Date of death: 09-Sep-1923
Date of burial: 11-Sep-1923

Block: 6
Plot: 4
Inscription:

Bio contributor: Bruce Bagley

Richard Parker Bagley (c.1849-1923)

Richard Parker Bagley was born in about 1849 in England, the second son of Benjamin and Mary Sarah (née Whittingham) Bagley.

Benjamin, a druggist, sailed ahead to Melbourne with his eldest son in 1860, followed by his wife, children including Richard, and sister-in-law, shortly after. Having spent less than two years in Victoria the family sailed into Port Chalmers on 17th September 1861 aboard the Aldinga.

Richard Bagley worked the next few years as a printer’s devil at the Otago Daily Times while his father Benjamin worked and wrote for the newspaper to raise enough capital to open his first druggist shop at 4 George Street in December 1862. During the gold rush years the shop prospered and Benjamin brought Richard, now qualified as a pharmacist, into the business. By 1874 the business became B. Bagley & Son. In 1889 Alexander also became a qualified pharmacist and entered the business. The family firm developed into the foremost pharmacy by reputation and turnover in Dunedin. At various times over the sixty two years of Bagley ownership branches at 28 and 123 George Street, and also 323 Great King Street were opened.

Richard, like his father and brother, was appointed to the New Zealand Pharmacy Board for numerous terms, representing the Otago district. They all spent time as examiners on the pharmacy examination board of New Zealand.

The firm founded by Benjamin Bagley was family owned and managed for sixty two years. The original shop at 4 George Street (the Octagon Pharmacy) is today still a pharmacy retaining the name, although the premises are rebuilt.

Richard Bagley died on 9th September 1923. He is buried here in the Northern Cemetery in one of the family plots.


Richard Parker Bagley
Source: Bruce Bagley

There are 3 Interments in this grave:

Surname First names Age Date of death Date of burial
BAGLEY RICHARD PARKER 74 Years 09-Sep-1923 11-Sep-1923
JOPP AGNES RETA 33 Years 10-Aug-1923 14-Aug-1923
PALMER MARY WHITTINGHAM 14 Months 12-Jun-1883 13-Jun-1883