Also known as Wild Tarzan
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A Wrestling Magician
Tom Rigby was a colourful character from Padiham in Lancashire, born on 28th November, 1912. He was the sort who could turn his hand to boxing, wrestling and all sorts of other things.
Initially learning catch-as-catch-can style wrestling our earliest documented evidence of him boxing is in 1920 and of him wrestling for money is in his local hall in June, 1932, described as clever and quick witted. He soon cashed in on the growing popularity of all-in wrestling and moved to London, where we found him living in Catford in 1936. He was still living at the same address at the outbreak of war in 1939 and stated his occupation as a pipe layer.
Tom had considerable success as a wrestler, with opponents that included, Magisti, Billy Riley, Bert Mansfield and Jack Dale. Soon after the outbreak of war he joined the Royal Air Force, ranked as sergeant and a physical training instructor. During the war he produced numerous entertainment shows and extended his own entertainment repertoire to include magician and sword swallowing. In 1941 and 1942 he toured Canada with an R.A.F. entertainment group and raised thousands of dollars for charity.
Tom returned to the ring sporadically following the war but could be seen more often as an entertainer. By now he had added hypnotism to his repertoire and performed on stage, often for charity.
It was Heritage member Adrian Pollard that made the link between Tom Rigby and the alleged Canadian Wild Tarzan, not to be confused with the Canadian Tarzan Hunter, who was a different wrestler. Another name linked with Wild Tarzan is alleged Canadian Jack Ridyard, and it is feasible, but not proven that Rigby was also Jack Ridyard.
In 1960 Tom emigrated to Australia, working as a steel worker at Port Kembla, New South Wales.
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