Background
The son of the physician Edward Rigby (1747–1821), he was born with a twin-sister on 1 August 1804.
The son of the physician Edward Rigby (1747–1821), he was born with a twin-sister on 1 August 1804.
In 1821 he attended Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, and next year matriculated at Edinburgh University. He graduated Doctor of Medicine
Educated at Norwich grammar school under Edward Valpy, he was a schoolfellow of Sir James Brooke and Sir Archdale Wilson. 1 August 1825, on his twenty-first birthday which was the earliest age then possible. After graduation Rigby spent some time in Dublin, and in 1826 went to Berlin University to study midwifery.
From Berlin he moved on to Heidelberg University and Franz Naegele.
In 1830 he became a house pupil at the General Lying-In Hospital, Lambeth in South London, where he went on to hold the appointments of junior and senior physician. In 1831 Rigby was admitted a licentiate of the London College of Physicians, and in 1843 became a fellowship
In 1831 he began to lecture on midwifery at Saint Thomas"s Hospital, and from 1838 to 1848 he lectured on the same subject at Saint Bartholomew"s Hospital. He was examiner in midwifery in London University from 1841 to 1860.
Rigby became regarded as the leading obstetric physician in London, when Sir Charles Locock retired from practice.
When the Obstetrical Society was founded in 1859 he was elected its first president He died on 27 December 1860 at 35 Berkeley Square, London. Rigby married, in September 1838, Susan, second daughter of John Taylor.
She died in 1841, leaving a daughter.
She died in 1853, leaving two daughters.
He was a fellow of the Linnean Society, and a member of foreign medical societies.
