Arthur Rigg (1812-1880)

1868. Ventilating mill stones.

Rev. Arthur Rigg M.A.(1812-1880), clergyman, teacher and engineer

1812 10th March, Born at Carlisle.

1831 Entered Cambridge University

1839 Birth of his son Arthur who went on to become a prominent engineer

1840 Birth of son James Rigg who also became an engineer

1851 Arthur Rigg 39, living in Chester, with Elizabeth Rigg 40, Arthur Rigg 12, James Rigg 11, Henry Rigg 8, Mary Rigg 4, Edward Rigg 1

1853 Established the Chester School of Art.

1857 Advert: 'SCHOOL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND COMMERCIAL EDUCATION, AT THE COLLEGE, CHESTER.
In addition to English and Mathematics, all the Pupils are taught Drawing suitable for the Architect or Engineer, and, in a large and well-furnished Laboratory, the Principles as well as the Practice of Chemistry. The use of Tools, the Construction of Machinery, and the Principles of Mechanism may be studied in the various Workshops of the School. French and German are taught to those who desire it without extra charge. Chemical Analyses undertaken. Steam Engines and Machinery examined and reported upon. For further particulars apply to the Rev. ARTHUR RIGG, College, Chester.'

c1857 Arthur Rigg acquired the Phoenix Ironworks for his sons Arthur and James

1858 Patent notice by Arthur Rigg, Senior and Arthur Rigg, Junior for "improvements in apparatus for tipping or upsetting coals, minerals, or other substances, and in brake machinery."

1858 Patent to Robert Frost, of the Steam Mills, Chester, and Arthur Rigg, of the Parkgate-road, Chester, for an invention of "improvements in apparatus for cleaning grain or seeds and bran." was voided in 1865

1859 Patent to Thomas Knowles and James Knowles, of the city of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, Engineer, and Arthur Rigg, of the city of Chester, for an invention of "improvements in machinery or apparatus for shaping, cutting, punching, and drilling metals, which improvements are also applicable to presses." was declared void in 1862

1860 School certified as suitable for preparation of candidates for the Engineering Department of Public Works in India. His third son followed this route.

1860 Patent to Arthur Rigg, Senior and Arthur Rigg, Junior for "Improvements in preparing, sawing, planing, grooving, tongueing, moulding, mortising, and tenoning wood, part of which is applicable to preparing other vegetable substances"

1861 Clergyman, aged 49, living Chester with Elizabeth Rigg 50, Arthur Rigg 23, engineer, and Alfred Rigg 5

1863 Arthur Rigg, The College, Chester.

c.1868 His patented ventilated mill stones were in use at Frost's steam mill at Chester.

1869 Resigned as Principal of the College and moved to London.

1870 Patent voided concerning the Reverend Arthur Rigg, of the city of Chester, Clerk in Holy Orders, Master of Arts, for an invention of "improvements in apparatus for grinding corn, grain, and other similar substances." filed 1867

1872 and 1873. Gave a series of lectures to the Society of Arts.

1875 Published a book of Cantor Lectures.

1880 Died aged 68 on 2nd Sept. He is buried in Chester Cemetery

1883 In response to the wishes of his old pupils at the Engineering School at Chester, a permanent memorial plaque was installed in memory of their old master.

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1880 Obituary

We regret to announce the death of the Reverend Arthur Rigg, which took place at his residence, 71, Warrington Crescent, W., on the 2nd of September. At a time when the scientific education of engineers was almost unknown in England, Mr. Rigg had established workshops in the college at Chester for the instruction of students in technical arts. Commencing soon after building the present college in 1842, their work was at first mainly directed to the stone and wood carving for the beautiful college chapel; but, subsequently, Mr. Rigg's natural fondness for engineering pursuits led them to such occupations as forging, turning, and the making of lathes, tools, steam engines, &c. All employed the intervals between more serious studies in these unique industrial works; and here the pupils received a technical knowledge and training of immense value to them in after life, and which elicited the warmest approval of those who saw the work carried on. Under Mr. Rigg a diocesan training college thus possessed the first technical school in England, and many engineers in this country and in the Department of Public Works in India were educated there. Weary at last, by want of sympathy with his technical work, from those who should have been its friends, Mr. Rigg resigned the principalship of the college in 1869, and came to reside in London, after thirty years' ill-rewarded service to the dioceses of Chester and Manchester.

As a past member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and as a member of the Society of Arts and the Royal Institution to the day of his death, he took a keen interest in all scientific progress, while almost to the last he was happiest when surrounded by his tools, and interested in engineering pursuits. His intense love of teaching never passed away, and even during the earlier stages of his last illness he looked forward with common pleasure to the visits of his pupils. As a clergyman of the Church of England, his sermons were remarkably practical, abounding with illustrations from science and nature. His published works are few; the first of general interest was a series of four sermons on the "Harmony of the Bible with Experimental Physical Science." In 1872 Mr. Rigg delivered a series of lectures at the Society of Arts, on "Mechanism." In 1873 a course on "The Energies of the Imponderables," and in 1875 a peculiarly interesting series on "Tools and Contrivances used in Handicraft;" and he was the author of the Society of Arts report on "Machinery in the International Exhibition of 1873."

Mr. Rigg was born in 1812, educated privately, graduated in 1835 at Christ College, Cambridge, as twenty-seventh wrangler, married in 1837, and leaves a widow and five sons.

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1880 Obituary

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