Richard Rigg

Richard Rigg OBE (27 August 1877 – 29 August 1942) was a British barrister and Liberal MP for Appleby, before defecting to the Conservative Party.

Early life and education Rigg was born in Windermere on 27 August 1877, the only son of innkeeper John Rigg (1845-1927) and his wife Sarah Ann Sutton (1852-1938). From 1896 he was a prominent volunteer with the 2nd (Westmorland) Volunteer Border Regiment, and was promoted to captain the following year. He studied at Gonville & Caius College at the University of Cambridge, graduating with a BA in 1900. In January 1899 he was called to the bar at the Inner Temple and was also a member of the King's Inn, Dublin. He also served in a wide range of public roles, including as president of Westmorland County Football Association.

Political career In 1899, the North Westmoreland Liberal Association invited Rigg to contest the Appleby division of Westmorland, which had been held by Conservative Sir Joseph Savory since 1892. He was publicly announced as the Liberal candidate for the constituency in September 1900, and was elected the following month. He returned to England in February 1905, and resigned his seat on 11 February by becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead, telling the annual dinner of the Carlisle Conservative Club "I am proud to be one of you now ... I have the satisfaction of feeling that what I have done was conscientious and right."