[7] Their first son, Leonard Sefton Sawtell, was born on 11 March 1863 when they were living in Lyttelton's Oxford Street.

[9] His wife died in 1879,[10] and on 20 January 1880 at St John's Church, Christchurch, he married Maria Parnham.

On 20 December 1871, Sawtell was elected to be the next mayor of Christchurch, succeeding James Jameson.

[20] Whilst Christchurch City Libraries lists the 7th mayor, Michael Hart, as the one who gave the first link to the Christchurch mayoral chain,[21] this tradition was in fact started by Sawtell, who gave the first link on the day his successor was chosen.

[21] Sawtell was a member of the 6th Canterbury Provincial Council for the City of Christchurch electorate from 6 May 1870 until the end of the term on 28 February 1874,[24] when he did not stand for re-election.