Edward Rigby.
Chairman of Aspull Urban District Council 1923/25, 1935/37, 1946/47
Elected chairman 18/04/1923 re-elected 16/04/1924
Elected chairman 17/04/1935 re-elected 16/04/1936
Elected chairman 17/04/1946
b 1874 Aspull
Parents: Joseph Rigby, miner and Elizabeth (formerly Jones)
m 1903 at Haigh Ruth, daughter of Robert & Margaret Hodson, Publican and miner
children: Two daughters
d 1951 New Springs Aspull age 77, Ruth died in 1945 at New Springs. Both are buried in St David’s Churchyard, Haigh.
Edward Rigby was born in New Springs in 1874, second child of Joseph Rigby, a colliery fireman, and Elizabeth daughter of Edward Jones, a collier. The family would grow to include six boys and three girls - one daughter died in infancy.
Edward began work at the Crawford Colliery, Aspull, as a haulage hand, then drawer and collier until 1905 when he was appointed checkweighman at number 2 pit at the colliery. A position he would hold for nine years.
In 1903 Edward married Ruth, daughter of Robert and Margaret Hodson and they had two daughters. Ruth’s father was a miner but in the early years of the twentieth century he ran the Free Trade Inn at 13 Wigan Road, New Springs, later returning to coal mining.
In 1907 Edward became secretary of the Aspull Branch of the Miner’s Federation, which had at one time over a thousand members. During the Great War he represented the miners on the Military Tribunal, Absentee and Pits Committee, the Food and Coal Control Committee and the War Savings Committee, acting as secretary on two of them.
An accident at work in 1918 caused him to resign from his posts and leave coal mining, he was presented with a gold watch and chain in recognition of his services. It was around this time that he took over running the Free Trade Inn in New Springs, were he would remain for over thirty years.
Edward Rigby’s political career began in 1919 when he was elected to represent New Springs Ward on Aspull Urban District Council. He served on the Council until his death in 1951. Holding the office of chairman during the years 1923 to 1925, 1935 to 1937 and 1946 to 1947. For eighteen years he represented Aspull on Lancashire County Council, becoming an Alderman in 1940.
Always a supporter of miner’s concerns he also had a keen interest in education, he was a governor of Wigan and District Mining and Technical College and a manager of Aspull C of E School, New Springs Council School and St John the Baptist School. He represented Aspull on the National League of the Blind, Lancashire Public Assistance Committee, War Pensions Committee and the Wigan and District Town Planning Committee. For many years he was a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters.
Ruth died in 1945, Edward in 1951, following a funeral at St John the Baptist, New Springs, he was buried alongside his wife in St David’s Churchyard, Haigh.
At a special meeting of Aspull Urban District Council the members paid tribute to “a man of the people” who from his youth had always been concerned with the interests of the workers. Forthright in thought, with an unassuming nature, whatever he undertook he did it thoroughly. He was always helpful and showed understanding and sympathy to all who sought his help and advice.
Sources:
Aspull Urban District Council Minutes
WO 10 March 1928 p11d Photo
WO 11 May 1940 p3d Elected Alderman (Photo))
WO 9 May 1940? Bk6 p270 Elected chair of Lancs. Public Assist. Cttee. Area 9 (Wigan)
WO 2 January 1951 p2e Obituary
WE 5 January 1951
WO 13 January 1951 p6d Tribute
Ancestry.com (Free to use at Wigan Local Studies)
Findmypast.co.uk (Subscription required)