Rigby , Sir , Hugh Mallinson , 1870-1944 , Baronet , surgeon

Sir Hugh Mallinson Rigby was born in Dublin in 1870. He was educated at Bray School, Co Wicklow; at Dulwich College; and at University College London. He trained in Medicine at the London Hospital, where he remained throughout his career. He won the gold medal at the BS examination of 1897. He served as house surgeon, house physician, and surgical registrar. In the Medical College he was demonstrator of anatomy, from 1901-1903, and the first tutor in elementary clinical surgery, from 1903-1908. He was elected assistant surgeon in 1902, and became surgeon; retiring in 1927. He was appointed consulting surgeon and kept his large private practice. He was also surgeon to the City of London Maternity Hospital; to the East Ham Hospital; to the cottage hospitals at Beckenham and Cheshunt; and consulting surgeon to the Poplar Accident Hospital. During World War One he was a consulting surgeon to the British Expeditionary Force in France, and to the London district with the temporary rank of colonel, AMS. He was promoted temporary lieutenant-colonel, RAMC (T), and brevet major, both in 1917. He served as surgeon in ordinary to Queen Alexandra, who died in 1925; and he was surgeon in ordinary to the Prince of Wales from 1923 until his accession to the throne as King Edward VIII in 1936. He was Serjeant Surgeon to King George V, from 1928-1932, and Honorary Surgeon to His Majesty, from 1932-1936. When the King was taken seriously ill with empyema in 1928, Rigby performed the operation which saved his life. He had been made a KCVO in 1917, and was created a Baronet, of Long Durford, Rogate, Sussex, in 1929. He died in 1944.