William Charles Rigby worked for a London bookseller in his youth, alongside two other aprentices, George Robertson and Samuel Mullens, who were later to head two of Australia's largest publishing and bookselling concerns. William Rigby arrived in Melbourne Australia on a 48-ton lugger, The Gem, which he had purchased in order to make the journey.
In 1859 he arrived in Adelaide and established WM Rigby bookseller, stationer and newsagency in Hindley Street, later moving to larger premises in King William Steet. The bookshop thrived and Rigbys became one of Adelaide's leading booksellers, a position it retained until William Rigby's retirement in 1909.
In addition to being a hugely successful bookseller, William Rigby was also an occasional publisher, first issuing a sermon given at the Moonta Methodist church. He also published the first locally produced History of South Australia. William Rigby died in 1913. Much of his estate went to charity; the rest was managed by trustees who appointed his successor at Rigby Limited.
