Former teacher, prominent Penrith businessman and noted charity fundraiser Gordon Rigg, of Brougham, has died at the age of 76.
The only son of the late George and Peggie Rigg, Gordon was born in the nursing home which then existed in Brunswick Square, Penrith. He has an older sister, Elisabeth. They had a joyful childhood filled with travel, fell walking, sailing and ski-ing.
Gordon attended the town’s Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, where he was a regular member of the rugby first team.
In March,1968, he took the opportunity of working for six months in a notable hotel at Wilderswil, in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. Another two and a half months of this life enhancing experience came two years later, and Gordon and his family went on to enjoy lasting friendship with the owners of the hotel.
After returning from his first spell in Wilderswil, Gordon went to study mathematics at Manchester University, followed by a one-year postgraduate course at Lancaster which qualified him to become a teacher.
He secured his first teaching post in 1972 at a comprehensive school in Herefordshire, where he met Yvonne Davies, from South Wales, who was starting a career as a home economics teacher. The couple were married in July, 1974.
After three very happy and successful years of teaching at Wigmore High School, Gordon and Yvonne managed to get posts in their subjects at Caldew School, Dalston.
Within a year, however, the health of his father, who was managing director of Penrith-based printers and stationers Reeds Limited, began failing. As a result, Gordon made the big decision to join Reeds in August, 1976.
With the help of excellent staff under print manager Syd Thornton and shop manageress Audrey Borrowdale, Gordon learned the ropes of completely new trades and his maths helped him take over accounting duties.
During his 30-plus years at Reed’s, he oversaw the progression from handwritten bookkeeping to computerised accounts and, with the invaluable drive and foresight of the production manager at Reed’s, Malcolm Warwick, he saw the business develop from black and white letterpress printers to one of the largest colour printers in northern England.
Gordon’s number one interest outside Reeds was his family — Yvonne, Rachel and Richard. However, he did manage to fit in other roles and interests. In 1982, he was appointed a non-executive director of Penrith Building Society and went on to serve as its chairman for a number of years.
He joined the executive committee of Penrith Chamber of Trade and in 1986 chaired the committee tasked with providing the town’s Christmas lights. Permission to instal eye bolts in buildings all around town was a precursor to installing strings of coloured lamps and animated features.
Gordon continued chairing various committees involving Penrith Chamber of Trade, Round Table, Lions and Rotary while taking a “hands on” role in the provision of the town’s Christmas lights for the next 20 years. He was a keen member of Penrith Round Table and became its chairman in 1986-87 — a year in which it helped to organise a scheme under which members of the public were invited to take blood tests to establish possible matches in the national Anthony Nolan bone marrow appeal.
In more recent years, Gordon was a prime mover in keeping the fellowship tradition of Round Table alive through the monthly meetings of Penrith 41 Club and then the Penrith 401 Club, which survives to this day.
Music played a major part in Gordon’s life and he, with the help of local friends and others in South Wales, organised a series of six Côr Meibion Llandybie choir concerts in Penrith, which were very well received. He was a non-executive director of Eden Arts and a parish councillor for Brougham, where he lived for the past 45 years.
Gordon’s love of setting quizzes and puzzles resulted in funds being raised for charities including the Great North Air Ambulance Service, Eden Mencap, Penrith hospital, special needs students at Ullswater Community College, mountain rescue and the Fellrunner bus service. He had a keen mathematical brain and until very recently was writing maths papers which have been used by universities.
Gordon’s many sporting interests included football, rugby, cricket, running, cycling, squash, ski-ing and darts. He loved the Lake District and particularly Ullswater, where he had his own rowing skiff on which his family enjoyed many picnics and outings. Gordon enjoyed many night fishing trips, although not many fish were caught!
He also spent many happy hours fell walking, cycling and compiling cryptic puzzles.
A celebration of his life was held at St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, on Thursday May 15. Richardsons Funeral Directors, Penrith, had charge of arrangements.
