Wardell, Thomas
Person
Dates
- Existence: 7 March 1867 - 10 April 1945
Biography
Born in Mullicarton Antrim Ireland in 1867 to Henry John Wardell and Mary (nee Swan) Wardell. The family were Quakers and the four brothers Thomas, William, Henry and John Wardell came to New Zealand and started the company Wardell Bro. around 1887. They were grocers and eventually opened branches in Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington.
Thomas married Helen Susanna Neave in Sydney 1896, she was the daughter of Joseph James Neave, a Quaker Minister in Sydney. Thomas was on the Miramar Borough Council and had an unsuccessful run for mayor of Wellington in 1905. Thomas and Helen eventually moved to Australia with their children Maynard Neave Wardell and Kathleen Neave Wardell. He died in 1945 in New South Wales.