Matthew Rigby (FS 72-78). Guy Rigby (FS 72-78) has kindly co-ordinated the following obituary.
“It was September 1972. We loaded two large trunks, two tuck boxes, other sundry gear and an overnight bag for my parents into the bottom of my father’s Dutch yawl, hitched the trailer to the back of his car and headed north from Worcestershire, up the M6, over Corney Fell and into St Bees. We found our dayroom on Foundation South where our names had been pinned to two cubicles which would become our home for the next year. Dad (Tony Rigby FS 44-49) grinned broadly as he found the names of other boys whose fathers had been on Foundation South at the same time as he some thirty years prior (McCulloch, Wallace, Hayward, Copsey all of whom quickly became close friends). He shook us by the hand, said ‘Do well at your rugger’ and drove away, with my mother hiding the tears flowing from her eyes.  Hence began five of the happiest years of my life, and certainly that of my identical twin brother Matthew Rigby (FS 72-78).  As identical as we were physically, we pursued different subjects at school and Matthew’s focus became the sciences. His A-Levels in physics, chemistry and maths earned him a place at Loughborough University to read Production Engineering. This led to a very successful career, initially with ICI in the UK and then with two Dutch companies, ICD followed by ECEM.  But none of us really relished academic studies at St Bees. It was the friendships we made and the extra-curricular activities we engaged in that shaped who we became. Matthew loved his rugby and played as a lock for the 1st XV. He regularly went hiking with his friends in the fells and in 1977 was part of a team that hiked across England, starting in St Bees and ending a week later dipping their blistered feet in the North Sea. The close friends he made then (Batey, Copsey, Crossley-Smith, Crummey, Ellis, Haywood, Larkin, Mansfield and Wallace) became best friends for life.
	Matthew was a very accomplished sailor and he regularly took his close friends on epic sailing trips around Europe which, despite the sea sickness (or was it the beer?), became legendary. Opera was another great passion Matthew and I shared and he one-upped me in a huge way when he visited the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini in Lucca, Italy and was toured around the museum by none other than Puccini’s granddaughter.   Matthew’s faith as a Christian greatly defined the kind, generous and caring person he was. He became very involved with his church, St John's in Hartford, and his home in Cheshire was always open to friends needing a place to stay.  Unquestionably Matthew’s greatest passion was his family. On a blind date organized by OSB friend Trent Wallace, Matthew met the love of his life, Judi, whom he married in 1988. They produced two amazing daughters, Sophie and Olivia, whom I’m so proud to call my nieces. And no English family is complete without a dog and Matthew’s springer spaniels Biggles, Sasha and Twiglet were the other great loves of his life.
Despite his indomitable spirit and the extraordinary care of his amazing wife Judi, Matthew’s body failed him. He’d lived with MS for over fifteen years and he finally lost his five year battle with cancer in March this year. St John’s Church overflowed with the many friends and family who came to say farewell at his funeral. It was the greatest honour of my life to have called Matthew my identical twin brother.” From Richard Crummey (FS 71-78). THE GUV. “I first came across Matthew when I was twelve as I arrived on South from Eaglesfield. Matthew joined from prep school. Little did I think then that we would be friends for nearly fifty years. I had never seen anything quite like Matthew and his brother Guy, towering over us with an amazing aura of self-confidence. My first memory of the twins was their complaining to Mr. Thornton, the Foundation cook, about the horrendous quality of the food. This never stopped Matthew from returning for seconds and ironically Guy would later become Vice President of Food and Beverage for the Four Seasons Hotel Group. While we were listening to The Who and Led Zeppelin in study five, Matthew was humming along to Mozart and Beethoven beneath two enormous posters of the great men! This went down especially well with Anthony Dearle and no doubt paved the way for Matthew becoming Head of House years later. Rugby, cricket, fives with a sprinkling of athletics dominated our days with sparse attention to our studies. Within the blink of an eye, our school days were over, and our disparate group headed off to pastures new. Much to our surprise Matthew would later become a Governor of the school and henceforth would be known to us all as ‘The Guv’. I shall treasure our memories of sailing, camping and golf trips. We shall all miss you Guv………………Rest in Peace!” From Richard Copsey (FS 72-78). Matthew, The Guv. “ ‘ ...... but, Oh Lord, they could eat....’. Food at St Bees was a contraband commodity, traded like fags and booze in a prison. We were always hungry, looking for ways to fill that empty void that is the stomach of a teenage boy. My mum always told the story of the Rigby boys when I mentioned them. They had come to stay on a Blue Ticket to my home for the weekend. As was customary in a Cumbrian farmhouse, food was central, and eating almost competitive. So, when we sat down for Saturday tea, my parents thought they would defeat these two strapping, southern, effete six- footers, with the largest turkey with all the trimmings my dad could find. We sat round the large kitchen table, and as was polite, Matthew and Guy got theirs first. Still there were five others to serve, but by the time it came to me (the youngest and always the last) the brothers had polished off their gargantuan portions, and were looking up, asking for more. My mum and dad were mightily impressed, and never tired of telling this tale to all and sundry. To live a good life you must have a big appetite, and my mate Matthew certainly had that. I miss him more than I can say.” From Trent Wallace (FS 72-78). “I remember Matthew with great fondness as my Head of House on South. I had lost my brother Richard during the summer before our return to St Bees for my last year and to be frank, at the time I just wanted to be on my own away from everything. However, after a few days back with the support, kindness, and general great bonhomie from Matthew and my very good bunch of friends, I soon started cheering up. I was more out of school than in it during that last year and Matthew always covered for me and used to sign me in on the House log sheet even though I was probably many miles away, normally in a public house somewhere. Matthew used to mock-chastise me in his study bedroom with the most wonderful Anthony Dearle impressions and then crack open a beer for me. The most wonderful man I ever had the pleasure of knowing and a very close friend. I miss him dearly. God rest your soul Guv and I shall see you on the other side.” Michael Coffey (SH 59-63) writes: “Matthew had a vision for St Bees, which included maximising the school's outstanding asset, the golf course. Designed and built by schoolboys in the 1920s, Matthew arranged for Stuart Hemmings to come from Seascale and coach considerable numbers of students on a regular basis. Eventually Stuart was appointed on a full-time basis and the St Bees School Golf Academy took off. Golf prospered at the school and before too long Stuart made various requests to Matthew to improve both the teaching facilities and the course. Members of the OSBGS rallied to the cause, funding and supplying provisions of green keeping equipment, the short game area close to the 9th green of the golf course, and the outstanding Costeloe chipping and putting green situated behind School House. Thanks to Matthew‘s enthusiasm, St Bees School has an ongoing golfing legacy with a talented and very well coached pool of golfers who are maintaining the St Bees name and traditions in various past pupils' competitions, including the most famous and prestigious Halford Hewitt Cup. These St Beghians will never forget the golfing start they were given, thanks to Matthew's foresight and drive.”

 

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The St Beghian Society    
St Bees School,    St Bees,    Cumbria,    CA27 0DS.

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