A son of Thomas and Dorothy Baigent of Windlesham, Surrey.  They emigrated on the “Maori” in 1853 with 3 sons and a brother, Daniel Baigent, who was 27 years old, to join their brother Edward and his family in Wakefield.

Isaac made his home on part section 91 Upper Wakefield.  He was a carpenter and a builder and for a time the local undertaker.  He brought the first acorns with him and one tree from those original acorns still stands in the Wakefield Domain, which was formerly Baigent property.  All his family were musical; it is said that he and all his sons could play most any instrument.

In 1856 he began work building The Forest Inn on the south side of the Jimmy Lee bridge past Wakefield Village and remained the proprietor until 1866, after which it changed hands several times.

This photograph is taken looking back towards Wakefield and the Jimmy Lee bridge.  The Forest Inn is on the right.

Acknowledgements:

Stringer, Marion:  Just Another Row of Spuds, 2000

Waimea South Historical Society:  From River to Range, 1991