Alexander Rigby
Encyclopedia
Alexander Rigby was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons
between 1640 and 1650. He was a colonel in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War
.
and was baptised on 9 July 1594 in Flixton
, a village that was historically within the boundaries of Lancashire
. He was a member of the puritan branch of the Rigby family seated at Middleton in Goosnargh near Preston. He was admitted to Grey's Inn in 1610 and became a lawyer.
In April 1640, Rigby was elected Member of Parliament
for Wigan
in the Short Parliament
. He was re-elected MP for Wigan in November 1640 for the Long Parliament
and sat until his death in 1650. He was Deputy Lieutenant
for Lancashire in 1641 and became a colonel in the Parliamentary army in 1643. Also in 1643 he purchased the Plough Patent for land in Lygonia
, Maine
between the Sagadohoc River and Kennebec River
.
Rigby was chief commander of forces in Lancashire and at the beginning of 1644, led the attack on Lathom House defended by Charlotte Stanley, Countess of Derby
in the Siege of Lathom House
. After withdrawing his forces from Lathom, he was caught in the Bolton Massacre
when the parliamentarians were surprised in an attack by Prince Rupert. He took his surviving forces to meet the main parliamentarian army at York, and led a regiment at the Battle of Marston Moor
on 2 July 1644.
In 1649 Rigby was nominated one of judges in the trial of the King, but declined to act. He was appointed Serjeant-at-law
to the Commonwealth in May 1649 and became a Baron of the Exchequer on 1 June 1649.
Rigby contracted an infection at Croydon
while on circuit and died at the age of 56.
Rigby married Lucy Legh of Manchester and was succeeded by his son Alexander
.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
between 1640 and 1650. He was a colonel in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Life
Rigby was the son of Alexander Rigby and his wife Ann Asshaw of WiganWigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and was baptised on 9 July 1594 in Flixton
Flixton, Greater Manchester
Flixton is a village and electoral ward within the Urmston area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. It lies about six miles to the southwest of Manchester city centre, within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire.Flixton's present-day population is...
, a village that was historically within the boundaries of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. He was a member of the puritan branch of the Rigby family seated at Middleton in Goosnargh near Preston. He was admitted to Grey's Inn in 1610 and became a lawyer.
In April 1640, Rigby was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Wigan
Wigan (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigan is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. He was re-elected MP for Wigan in November 1640 for the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
and sat until his death in 1650. He was Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Lancashire in 1641 and became a colonel in the Parliamentary army in 1643. Also in 1643 he purchased the Plough Patent for land in Lygonia
Lygonia
Lygonia was a proprietary province in pre-colonial Maine, created through a grant from the Plymouth Council for New England in 1630 to lands then under control of Sir Ferdinando Gorges. The grant was named for his mother, Cicely Gorges...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
between the Sagadohoc River and Kennebec River
Kennebec River
The Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
.
Rigby was chief commander of forces in Lancashire and at the beginning of 1644, led the attack on Lathom House defended by Charlotte Stanley, Countess of Derby
Charlotte Stanley, Countess of Derby
Charlotte Stanley, Countess of Derby , born Charlotte de La Trémoille, was the daughter of the French nobleman Claude de La Trémoille, Duke of Thouars, and his wife Charlotte Brabantina of Nassau...
in the Siege of Lathom House
Siege of Lathom House
The Siege of Lathom House was a military confrontation between a Parliamentarian army and a Royalist stronghold in Lathom near Ormskirk in Lancashire. It lasted from late February to late May 1644, when the siege was lifted.-Background:...
. After withdrawing his forces from Lathom, he was caught in the Bolton Massacre
Bolton Massacre
The Bolton Massacre, sometimes recorded as the Storming of Bolton, was an episode in the English Civil War, on 28 May 1644. The strongly Parliamentarian town was stormed and captured by the Royalist forces under Prince Rupert of the Rhine. It was alleged that up to 1,600 of Bolton's defenders and...
when the parliamentarians were surprised in an attack by Prince Rupert. He took his surviving forces to meet the main parliamentarian army at York, and led a regiment at the Battle of Marston Moor
Battle of Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
on 2 July 1644.
In 1649 Rigby was nominated one of judges in the trial of the King, but declined to act. He was appointed Serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
to the Commonwealth in May 1649 and became a Baron of the Exchequer on 1 June 1649.
Rigby contracted an infection at Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
while on circuit and died at the age of 56.
Rigby married Lucy Legh of Manchester and was succeeded by his son Alexander
Alexander Rigby (died 1694)
Alexander Rigby was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659 and 1660.Rigby was the son of Alexander Rigby of Middleton in Goosnargh near Preston and his wife Lucy Legh of Manchester. He succeeded father at Middleton in 1650.In 1659, Rigby was elected Member of Parliament for...
.