He was born at Turua to sawmill owner Albert Edward Bagnall and Emma, née Brent.
He moved to Sydney in 1903, where he immediately became involved in the union movement, being the first secretary and a foundation delegate of the Labor Council of New South Wales, representing the Process Engravers' Union (Printing Trades Federation Council from 1909).
In 1913 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for St George.
He continued to represent St George with the introduction of proportional representation in 1920, but he was defeated in 1925; five months later he returned to the Assembly to fill the vacancy caused by Thomas Ley's resignation.
This article about an Australian Labor Party member of the Parliament of New South Wales is a stub.