Dr. Edward Rigby (1747-1821) was a physician. Rigby's daughter, Lady Eastlake, describes him as a 'practical and enthusiastic farmer' who wrote on agriculture, and translated the works of others on the subject. He also held several offices in Norwich; he was a member of the corporation of guardians, 1783-4, alderman of Norwich, 1802, the city's sheriff, 1803, and mayor of Norwich in 1805. See the Dictionary of National Biography for further details.

The papers comprise:

• holograph letters of Dr. Edward Rigby to his wife and daughters, 3 July - 31 Aug. 1789, written in France. The letters describe events in Paris at this time, and touch on the French peasantry and their agricultural practices amongst other subjects
• a printed poem to Edward Rigby, esq., 1805, and a poetical epistle to him as mayor of Norwich about his dissent from proposed celebrations of Trafalgar
• Rigby's diary, 3 July-7 Aug. 1789, describing his journey through France to Turin.

Deposited in the Library in 1952.

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A description is available in the Library, where there is also a card index to unpublished catalogues.

The letters were edited by Edward Rigby's daughter, Elizabeth, Lady Eastlake, in 1880. See Dr Rigby's letters from France &c. in 1789, ed. by Lady Eastlake (London: 1800).

Agriculture | France

French Revolution

Rigby | Edward | 1747-1821 | physician

France | Description and travel

Paris (France) | Description and travel

Turin (Italy) | Description and travel