Born in Bridge Street, St Ives, in 1842, Harriett was one of six children. Her father, Edward, ran a cabinetmaker's business with eleven employees from his family home. Harriett's mother was Hannah Dallywater.
In 1861, around the corner from the Kiddles' Bridge Street premises, Edward W Bailey, aged 25 years, ran his small tailoring business in Crown Street, employing one apprentice. Born in Wyton as Wallis Bailey, Edward followed his father's trade as a tailor.
Harriett and Edward met and fell in love. Edward moved to work from Fleet Street, London. They kept in touch and married in 1863 at St Dunstan in the West, near to Edwards' London base.
By 1871 Edward was tailoring in Bridge Street. They had five children and employed a general servant. Next door, two of Harriet's brothers ran the Kiddle family business as upholsterers and cabinetmakers.
On Thursday 23 October 1879 Edward, Harriett and their children left London, sailing steerage aboard the Paiko with 164 other passengers. They faced a dangerous three months at sea in cramped and uncomfortable conditions. In 1878 the ship almost burnt at sea, and the following year had another fire aboard. In 1900 Lloyds posted the Piako 'missing'. She was never seen again.
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| The Piako, moored at Wellington, 1885. |
The family included 2 year old Hannah, the newest addition to the family. Harriett was three months pregnant when they sailed. They landed in Lyttelton, New Zealand, on 16 January 1880 and settled in Christchurch. Daughter Mabel was born in April 1880. Another daughter, Millicent, arrived the following year.
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| The Bailey family, Harriett stood back middle, Edward seated. |
Although there is little evidence how the family fared in Christchurch, they appear to have prospered. Edward died in 1913, aged 77 years. The family home at the time was 14 Fiddis Road, St Albans, Christchurch. Harriett died in 1917, aged 76 years. They are both buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch.
To read more about St Ivians who settled worldwide, click Emigrants.
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