As Rigby’s 250th anniversary celebrations draw near, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the journey that brought the company back to its rightful place as one of the finest London Best gunmakers. One person who played a crucial role in that revival is Patty Pugh, whose guidance, insight and steady support helped shape the Rigby we know today. In this blog, we look back with Patty at the early days of the brand’s return to London, the challenges and triumphs along the way and the people and principles that have made Rigby what it is now.
Can you give us a little bit of background about your journey in the British gun trade over the past 40 years and tell us what initially drew you to the industry?
My journey started in 1970, when I first worked as a secretary for Paul Roberts at J Roberts & Son’s shop in central London’s St Martin’s Lane. It was an exciting time as Paul regularly travelled to India for hunting and buying trips and had started his African safaris. He became friends with several of the Maharajahs and succeeded in buying large quantities of fascinating arms and armour from their treasuries. His knowledge of best English guns was, and still is, outstanding and has been an endless source of fascination for him, particularly the Irish gunmaker John Rigby’s rifles. Over the next 10 years I continued to intermittently work for Paul during which time I participated in deer stalking and bird shooting which encouraged my interest in the gun trade. It was an exciting, and indeed rather glamorous time, and over the years I found the process of gun making, the history and the people I met fascinating.
In the late 1970s Paul bought a derelict five-story property in Covent Garden which I was then responsible for renovating and transforming into a showroom, three workshops, gun storage and accommodation. This was also the time when Paul came into possession of John Rigby & Co. The company had fallen on hard times, and it became Paul’s passion to try and restore it to its former glory. This involved manufacturing the Rigby .416 bolt rifle, a staple for African hunting. During the 1980s I became a director of the company and created Rigby Safaris Ltd., which specialised in organising hunting worldwide but particularly in Africa. At that time Paul was unique in the British gun trade as the only gunmaker who actually used the weapons for hunting which gave him a particular insight into their manufacture.
I was the only woman in the London gun trade and, to be taken seriously, I had to make sure I understood the entire gunmaking process, was able to use them proficiently and be skilled at selling them. Of course, this also involved using the weapons, which I was able to do during 18 years of hunting in Africa as well as the USA, Germany, France, Hungary and the UK.
You played a pivotal role in the resurgence of John Rigby & Co. when the company returned to the UK just over 10 years ago. Can you share some of the challenges and successes you experienced during this period?
Helping with Rigby’s revival in the UK in 2013 was a fascinating and, at times, daunting experience. I first met Marc while working for J. Roberts & Son in 2007, and from the start, it was clear that he had a real passion for the brand and its heritage. I was glad to be able to support him as he stepped into a role that demanded not only technical knowledge but also leadership and long-term vision.
When Marc was invited by the CEO of Blaser to a meeting in Germany, he asked me to come along, partly because I spoke fluent German, and partly to help navigate some of the practicalities, having experience in company management. By the end of that meeting, Rigby’s return to the UK was underway, with the backing of L&O Group. It was a pivotal moment, and I was proud to stand beside Marc as we began the hard work ahead.
After Paul Roberts vacated the Vauxhall premises, I helped negotiate the lease, so we had a home base from which to build. In those early weeks, it was all hands on deck: setting up phones, sourcing equipment and getting the legal and operational side in order. There were also some trademark issues to resolve, which needed to be addressed swiftly and properly.
Marc and I spent long hours discussing strategy. He had a clear sense of where he wanted to take Rigby, and I was happy to help bring those plans to life. One of the early successes was the development of the Rigby .416 Big Game rifle, built in collaboration with Bernhard Knöbel at Blaser and the team at Mauser. It was machine-made in Germany but finished and proofed in the UK, offering customers something that combined Rigby’s legacy with practical innovation. That rifle became a cornerstone of the brand’s resurgence.
The challenges were real. Rigby’s reputation needed rebuilding, particularly in the US. We had to earn back the trust of customers and stakeholders, and that meant showing up, working hard and delivering on quality and service. Many of the gunmakers who joined us in those early days are still with the company today. Their commitment and skill were central to our success.
Over time, we expanded the range, introduced new calibres and accessories, and – in a project that meant a great deal to me – began the process of reintroducing the iconic Rising Bite double rifle. I also helped source and acquire Jim Corbett’s original .275 bolt-action rifle from the Oxford University Press, which now has pride of place in the Rigby Museum. Its duplicate, built by Rigby, went on to sell at the Safari Club convention for $250,000.
The development of the .416 Rigby Big Game rifle is an amazing achievement. Can you walk me through your contributions to the project and what it meant to you?
This model revolutionised the business. The factory precision engineering produced an extremely accurate rifle. A choice of eight different grades of wood led to good customer satisfaction as they were still getting a customised rifle, but it was capable of being delivered much more quickly than the equivalent handmade version. The choices of engraving or gold inlay was another winning factor. Once this model was a success it was relatively easy to produce it in other calibres. Furthermore, it put Rigby back on the map as the calibre was world renowned and highly respected.
With Rigby celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, what are your thoughts on the future direction of John Rigby & Co., and what new developments or projects are you most excited about?
It’s been wonderful to watch how far Rigby has come, especially under Marc’s inspirational leadership. I’ve no doubt that Rigby will continue on this upward path: innovating, expanding and always holding itself to the highest standards.
For me personally, it’s incredibly rewarding to see how far Marc has grown since those early days. I was fortunate to be there in a mentoring capacity, offering guidance where I could, and it’s been a joy to see him shape Rigby into the success it is today, and support him along the way.
One of the most exciting new projects is the development of an over and under shotgun. It’s a big step for Rigby, and one I believe will have a real impact on the market. It reflects everything the company stands for: quality, design integrity and a deep understanding of what customers want. I’m very much looking forward to seeing how it’s received.
Looking back on your career, what moments or achievements are you most proud of, and what advice would you give to someone looking to enter the gun trade today?
I feel most proud to have played a part in Marc’s journey and to have supported the resurgence of Rigby during those crucial early years. When we first started working together, Marc was just 20, full of enthusiasm and with a deep passion for hunting and shooting. He didn’t come from a traditional gunmaking background, but he brought things that are arguably more important: a fresh perspective, a genuine love for the brand and the determination to succeed.
I encouraged him to spend time with the craftsmen, to absorb the knowledge and traditions of the trade and I helped where I could, whether it was introducing him to the world of international conventions or advising on business processes and planning. I even had the pleasure of taking him on his first boar shoot and helping him organise his first African safari. Watching him grow into a highly capable, confident leader has been one of the greatest privileges of my career.
My advice to anyone wishing to enter the gun trade is to get the right mentor. Then apply themselves to learning all aspects of the trade be that gun making, sales, engraving or administration. Boundless enthusiasm, integrity, teamwork, motivation, the acceptance of maybe having to work long hours and the desire to give of your best are qualities which are needed and will serve to provide that person with a rewarding and successful career.
