Pte 49533 Henry Rigby

• Age: 32
• From: Bootle, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 1st May 1918
• Commemorated at: Boulogne East Cem
  Panel Ref: IX.B.28

Henry Rigby was born at 22 Browne Street, Bootle on the 31st July 1885 the son of Henry Rigby and his wife Ann Deborah (née Cragg), of 258 Hawthorne Road, Bootle, Liverpool. They had married on the 07th November 1880 at St Mary's Church, Walton. Henry snr was porter of Bootle, his father, Marsden, was a waterman, whilst Ann was also of Bootle, her father, James was a joiner. Henry was baptised on the 23rd August at St. Mary’s C.of E. Church, Bootle, his father a porter of 22 Browne Street. 
 
The 1891 Census shows the family are living at 30 Southey Street, Bootle cum Linacre. His father, Henry, is a 33 year old dock labourer, born in Manchester, his mother, Ann Deborah is 37 years of age and was born in Bootle. They have four children in the household; John M. aged 9, Elizabeth aged 7, Henry aged 5 and Richard Rigby aged 1. Also declared is Robert Millet, a 54 year old widower, and a dock labourer. 

By the time of the 1901 Census the family have moved to 92 County Road, Walton. His father, Henry, is a 43 year old greengrocer, mother Ann Deborah is aged 46, with John 18, a solicitors clerk, Lily 17, a shop assistant, Henry 15, a shop assistant, Richard 11, and Joseph 4. They have a domestic servant, Alice Ashcroft aged 27. Also present are visitors from Ireland, Emily Paul and Margaret Paul. 
 
The 1911 Census shows the family have moved and are now living at 13 Linacre Lane, Bootle. His father, Henry, is a 53 year old timber trade labourer, mother Ann Deborah is aged 57. They advised that they had been married for 30 years, and have had 6 children, 5 of whom have survived. Four of their children are declared in the household; Elizabeth 27, a clerk in Consulting, Harry 25, a clerk for a preserve maker, Richard 21, a student at Liverpool University, and Joseph William 14, an office boy. 

Henry enlisted in Bootle and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 49533 when he died of wounds on the 01st May 1918, aged 32, during the German Spring Offensive.

His death was reported in the Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry ) on Tuesday 18 June 1918; 

DIED OF WOUNDS. 

KING'S (LIVERPOOL REGIMENT). - Bauser,  300188, A. C. (Chelmsford); Bell, 46630, W. (Whitehaven); Buckley, 99432, J. (Sutton-in-Ashfield); Charlesworth, 99291, A. (Mexborough); Dentith, 29766, Cpl. R. (Crewe); Firth, 94253, L.-Cpl. E. (Ossett); Howard, 360117, C. J. (Torquay); Leadbeater, 49572, J. H. (Southport); Murray, 51712, E. D. (Liverpool); Pitts, 269899, H. (St. Johns); Rigby, 49533, H. (Bootle). 

He now rests at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“SON OF HENRY AND ANN RIGBY BOOTLE, LIVERPOOL FONDLY REMEMBERED”

Boulogne, was one of the three base ports most extensively used by the Commonwealth armies on the Western Front throughout the First World War. It was closed and cleared on the 27 August 1914 when the Allies were forced to fall back ahead of the German advance, but was opened again in October and from that month to the end of the war, Boulogne and Wimereux formed one of the chief hospital areas.

Until June 1918, the dead from the hospitals at Boulogne itself were buried in the Cimetiere de L'Est, one of the town cemeteries, the Commonwealth graves forming a long, narrow strip along the right hand edge of the cemetery. In the spring of 1918, it was found that space was running short in the Eastern Cemetery in spite of repeated extensions to the south, and the site of the new cemetery at Terlincthun was chosen.

During the Second World War, hospitals were again posted to Boulogne for a short time in May 1940. The town was taken by the Germans at the end of that month and remained in their hands until recaptured by the Canadians on 22 September 1944.

Boulogne Eastern Cemetery contains 5,577 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 224 from the Second World War.

The Commonwealth plots were designed by Charles Holden.

He earned his two medals.    

Henry’s Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £8 4s 8d and £9 10s War Gratuity went to his brother John M. His mother received a pension of 12/- pw, her address 258 Hawthorne Road, later 47 Gordon Road, Seaforth.   

On the 1921 Census at Hawthorne Road, his father, Henry, is aged 64, and a timber man, his mother, Ann, is aged 67, his sister, Elizabeth is aged 38, and is a shorthand teacher, and his brother, Joseph, is aged 24, and is a time keeper. 

His mother died on 11th December 1931: 

Her death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Monday 14 December 1931: 

RIGBY - December 11, at 47, Gordon-road, Seaforth, aged 78 years. ANN DEBORAH, the beloved wife of Henry Rigby. Service at Marsh-lane Wesleyan Church, to-morrow (Tuesday), at 1.30 p.m.; interment afterwards at Bootle Borough Cemetery. (Friends kindly accept this -the only-intimation.) 

Henry is commemorated on the following Memorials

Bootle Civic Memorial

Marsh Lane, Wesleyan Methodist Church.

Also on the family headstone in Bootle Cemetery reads:- 

To 

The Dear Memory of  

ANN DEBORAH,  

Beloved Wife of  

HENRY RIGBY,  

DIED DEC. 11th 1931, AGED 78 YEARS.  

With Christ, which is far better.  

ALSO HENRY,  

Who Joined His Dear Wife  

APRIL 2nd 1940 AGED 82 YEARS. 

Re-united. 

ALSO HENRY, Son of Above  

KILLED IN ACTION, FRANCE, MAY 1st 1918, 

Aged 32 Years. 

We currently have no further information on Henry Rigby, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.