Whilst the argument rages on about Parliamentary expenses, some 230 years ago an Essex man, Richard Rigby elevated expense claims and remuneration to a new level. The questionable activities of some of the present group of Honourable Members seem quite modest and almost saintly by way of comparison.

Richard Rigby lived in style at Mistley Hall near Manningtree on the banks of the River Stour in the north of the county. Rigby also owned the village of Mistley, its shops, docks and warehouses and much of the surrounding countryside together with a sizeable land and property holding at Walton-on-the-Naze, which included the Naze tower. Richard Rigby was one of two MPs that represented Tavistock in Devon whose electorate at that time was about thirty. The Parliamentary constituency of Tavistock along with all the electors were owned for want of a better word by the then Duke of Bedford. The normal practice was to pay* the owner of the Parliamentary seat for the privilege of becoming its Member of Parliament. However the fee was waived in Rigby's case as he had done numerous favours for the Duke of Bedford, not least rescuing the latter from an angry mob at the races.

With Richard Rigby duly elected he divided his time entertaining in his Mistley mansion or London residence or working at his plush parliamentary offices that had been lavishly decorated at great public expense. There is little evidence to suggest that Rigby's visited his Parliamentary constituency in Devon. In June 1768 Richard Rigby was made Paymaster of the Forces, a cabinet-level post with responsibility for army pay, rations and logistics. It was a sought after position and considered to be one of the most lucrative in the government. The office holder could make loans, charge interest and levy fees on a percentage basis on the monies he disbursed.

At about the same time Rigby developed his dream to turn Mistley into a Spa town like Bath or Harrogate. One of the leading architects of the day Robert Adams drew up the plans and the country's leading landscape gardener Lancelot 'Capability' Brown was employed to design the gardens. Work began on the Mistley Spa project in 1776. This year was also a busy one for the Paymaster. America had declared independence and large numbers of British troops were in America or en-route, backed up by a large naval force. However there was disquiet in Government circles about financial irregularities within the Paymaster's office and other cabinet members were jealous. Contracts for building warships mysteriously found their way to the shipyards in Mistley that were owned by Rigby and he was well known as a spendthrift with a gambling habit. In October 1781 the American war ended with the defeat of the British Army at Yorktown. Rigby's department was then investigated by the House of Commons Commissioners of Public Accounts.

The investigators were not happy with the system in operation. It allowed the Paymaster (Rigby) to send the Treasury an estimate of monies needed for the army. The Treasury, without checking, would pay up without question. This arrangement had operated for years and consequently office holders had been able to acquire large sums of money. On leaving office previous Paymasters simply pocketed the surplus balances and kept them until, or if, the accounts were finally approved. The previous Paymaster, Henry Fox, benefited from the use of public money for several years after he had left office. It took fifteen years for his accounts to be audited. Richard Rigby who had been Paymaster for fourteen years resigned shortly after the Parliamentary commission reported and his funds were frozen. As a consequence finance for the Mistley Spa scheme dried up and the project ground to a halt. In April 1788, Rigby was somewhat astounded and embarrassed when he was requested to pay back a large sum of money to the public purse. This meant humiliation and disgrace and he died shortly afterwards leaving his estate, numerous angry creditors and a host of other problems to his sister and nephew. Fifty year later the Mistley estate was broken up and sold off in lots by auction. Mistley's two towers (pictured above) and the Swan fountain, further to the east are all that remain of the once grand scheme. Perhaps things were different then?

*Approximately £1 million in today's money.