Protestant Exiles from France/Volume 2 - Book Third - Chapter 25 - Rigaud
Rigaud. — The surname of Demainbray was perhaps eclipsed in fame by that of Rigaud, which may have been said to have been brought into notice by Dr. Triboudet Demainbray. A satisfactory pedigree of this good Huguenot family does not exist. As formerly stated, the first Rigaud refugee is said to have been a brother-in-law of Rev. Alexandre Descairac, of Bristol, one of whose daughters was Dr. Demainbray’s mother; Mr. Rigaud probably was a refugee in Holland in the first place. A conjectural pedigree is —
| Rigaud (refugee) | = | _____ La Brue. | |
| Pierre Rigaud | = | Anne Unice Mester. | |
| Stephen Rigaud (the fifth son in a family of seven sons and two daughters). |
= | Mary Triboudet Demainbray. | |
The last-named was appointed the Observer in the Royal Observatory at Richmond, and died in 1814; Mary, Mrs. Rigaud, died in June 1807. The son of the Richmond Astronomical Observer brought an extensive and deserved renown upon his name. Stephen Peter Rigaud was born in 1775, and matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford, on 15th April 1791; he become B.A. in 1797, M.A. 21st November 1799. So brilliant was his University career, that he was elected a Fellow of his College before he was of sufficient standing for a degree. His whole life was spent in Oxford. In 1810 he became Savilian Professor of Geometry, which he relinquished in 1827 for the Savilian Professorship of Astronomy. At the latter date he also became the Radcliffe Observer, having previously, since 1814, been observer to the king. In addition to his abundant and successful professorial labours, he discharged the duties of Senior Proctor, Delegate of the University Press, and Examiner in Mathematics and the Physical Sciences. He also contributed articles to the learned journals, to the Transactions of the Royal Society (of which he was elected Vice-President in 1837-8), and to the Transactions of the Ashmolean Society. Among the latter will be found the following papers by him:— “Remarks on the proportionate quantities of rain at different seasons in Oxford,” “On the Arenarius of Archimedes,” “Account of some early proposals for Steam Navigation,” “Captain Savery and his Steam Engine.” He has a Paper in the Cambridge Philosophical Society Transactions on “The relative quantities of land and water on the surface of the terraqueous globe.” He also issued his Astronomical Observations with painstaking fidelity. In 1834 he communicated to the Royal Astronomical Society some facts in the life of Halley, from a M.S. in the Bodleian Library. He devoted his leisure to research and authorship in the field of scientific biography. A well-informed friend has said of him, — “He had a peculiar delight in tracing the history of an invention, or illustrating the biography of those who, however eminent in their day, were in after ages known to have lived, flourished for a time, and died. To collect the materials for their lives, to throw light upon their habits, enumerate their works, and do justice to their merits, was a principal source of his amusement; and his perseverance in seeking for materials was exceeded only by the discrimination and impartiality which accompanied his researches and rendered them of permanent value.” Such researches resulted in the publication, in 1831, of “The Miscellaneous Works and Correspondence of Bradley;” in connection with this volume the following letter is worthy of preservation:—
“Whitehall, January 21st, 1831. — My dear Sir, I offer you my best thanks for your kind attention in sending me the memoirs and correspondence of Bradley. Politics have not extinguished the deep interest I once took in those higher studies and pursuits to which the life of Bradley was devoted; and I shall turn with the utmost satisfaction from Schedules A and B to the Parallax of the Fixed Stars and the Reformation of the Calendar. Believe me, my dear sir, ever most truly yours, Robert Peel.
To this volume Professor Rigaud, in 1833, added a supplement on the astronomical papers of Thomas Harriot. In 1838 he published some valuable notices of the first publication of Newton’s Principia. He transcribed for publication a series of Letters of Scientific Men (from the Earl of Macclesfield’s collection) from 1706 to 1741, superintended the printing of volume first at the University Press, but left his eldest son the charge of the second. His last illness found him in London. “His sufferings (a contemporary writes) were most severe; happily they were of short duration, yet long enough to show that his virtues were the fruits of faith, and could stand the trial of a dying hour; proving that he rested his hopes of salvation wholly and unreservedly on the only true foundation — the meritorious death and sacrifice of our Redeemer.” The integrity, benevolence, and modesty of Professor Rigaud were known to a large circle of observers, well qualified to appreciate his high scientific powers and acquirements, which those virtues adorned. “In affectionate regard for his memory (writes Mr. Johnson, his successor at the Radcliffe Observatory), and in admiration of his learning, I yield to no one. His private virtues are remembered by many of us; and his public services will be remembered as long as Astronomy is a science cultivated among men.” Professor Rigaud married, in 1815, Christian, eldest daughter of Gibbes Walker Jordan, Esq., by whom (who died in 1827) he had four sons and three daughters; as to his sons —
Stephen Jordan Rigaud, D.D., born March 1816, was Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, Head Master of Ipswich School, and Bishop of Antigua, where he died, May 1859.
Richard Rigaud, born January 1819, settled in South Australia, and died there, May 1865.
Gibbes Rigaud, born May 1820, commanded the 2nd Battalion of the 60th Royal Rifles, and retired as Major-General, January 1873; he died at Oxford on 1st January 1885.
John Rigaud, B.D., born July 1821, was Demy, and subsequently Fellow, of Magdalen College, Oxford, where he resides.
Inscription on a Tombstone in St. James’ Church, Piccadilly.
“Here lie the mortal remains of Stephen Peter Rigaud, M.A., F.R.S., &c, born August 1 2th, 1774, who departed this life, in expectation of the Resurrection, through faith in his Redeemer, March 16th, 1839. He was elected Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, 1794; Senior Proctor of the University, Savilian Professor of Geometry, and Reader in Experimental Philosophy, 1810; Savilian Professor of Astronomy, and Radcliffe Observer, 1827.”
Inscription on a Monumental Brass in the Ante-Chapel of Exeter College, Oxon.
In memorian Stephani Petri Rigaud, A.M., hujusce Collegii olim Socii et Astronomiae Professoris Savilliani, qui Londinii defunctus, die XVIto Martii A.S. MDCCCXXXIX., aetatis suae LXV{sup|to}}, juxta ecclesiam S{sup|ti}} Jacobi parochialem Westmonasteriensem sepultus jacet; necnon Stephani Jordan Rigaud, S.T.P., ejusdem S.P.R. filii natu maximi, hujusce Collegii olim Socii, et Antiguae apud Indos Occidentales Episcopi, qui Antiguae die XVII{sup|mo}} Maii A.S. MDCCCLIX., aetatis suae XLIII{sup|o}}, obiit, et ibidem juxta Ecclesiam Cathedralem sepultus est. Filii filiaeque Stephani Petri Rigaud super, tites hoc ponendum curaverunt.
deo aeterno sit aeterna gloria.