The Rigby Campfire

In the eighth and final instalment of our Jungle Stories series, Marc Newton concludes his reading of Chapter Seven, The Chowgarh Tigers, bringing this absorbing account to a close.Read from the rare first edition that is kept alongside Corbett’s famous .275 Rigby rifle in the Rigby Museum, now at 42 Clapham Manor Street, the series has offered listeners an opportunity to discover these stories in their original form. This final reading captures Corbett’s writing at its most compelling, as his pursuit of the man-eaters reaches its conclusion.Join us around the campfire for the final part of The Chowgarh Tigers and the closing episode of our Jungle Stories series.

Our series sharing Jim Corbett’s Jungle Stories is nearly at an end as we reach Episode 38 of the Rigby Campfire podcast, with Marc Newton returning to read the first part of his favourite Corbett story, The Chowgarh Tigers.
In this penultimate episode of the series, Corbett recounts his pursuit of a pair of man-eating Bengal tigers that terrorised villages in eastern Kumaon between 1925 and 1930. His vivid account draws listeners into the landscape and communities at the heart of the story.
Gather round the campfire and join Marc as he takes us into part one of The Chowgarh Tigers.

With the arrival of cool, blustery weather in Sussex, England, the fire is lit and Monty has donned his Jungle Jim 436 Safari Jacket for Episode 37 of the Rigby Campfire podcast.
In this episode, he reads Chapter Six of Jim Corbett’s Jungle Stories, Wildlife in the Village. An Appeal. Corbett explores the connections between village life and the wildlife of India’s jungles, describing how fencing livestock gave villagers more time to hunt. The knock-on impact on deer numbers meant that large predators increasingly turned to village cattle for food.
Settle in beside the fire for a fascinating glimpse of the changing landscape Corbett knew, in the latest episode of the Rigby Campfire podcast.

For Episode 36 of the Rigby Campfire podcast, we return to our Jungle Stories series, reading from Jim Corbett’s rare first edition.
Rigby’s Head of Operations, Steven ‘Monty’ Monteith, reads Chapter Five, The Terror That Walks by Night. Corbett reflects on the superstitions of his era and those held by sportsmen he knew, before sharing one of his own. He then recounts a remarkable face-to-face encounter he has with a hamadryad, or king cobra, while searching for a man-eating tiger that had been stalking villagers.
Monty reads from the rare first edition of Jungle Stories that is stored alongside Corbett’s .275 Rigby rifle in the Rigby Museum. Pull up a chair, gather ‘round the campfire and listen in to another absorbing episode of the Rigby Campfire podcast...

Episode 35 of the Rigby Campfire podcast comes to you from the heart of the action, recorded in a grouse butt in the south of Scotland as award-winning engraver and dear friend of Rigby Karen Wallace loads for Marc Newton.

Two and a half days into a fantastic week on the moors, Karen shares the story of her journey from goldsmith to gun engraver, including the rather memorable mishap that marked her first engraving job. She and Marc discuss the challenge of carving steel, the relationship between beauty and function, and the work that earned Karen the prestigious Jacques Cartier Award for Excellence at the 2023 Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship and Design Awards.

The winning piece was a meticulously carved steel scroll magazine floor plate for a Rigby bolt-action rifle. It was the first time the award had been presented for a piece made from neither gold nor silver, and the first gun-engraving entry to receive the honour.

Believed to be the first podcast recorded in a grouse butt during the season, the episode also captures the atmosphere of a day on the moor, with exciting flushes, fast, wild birds flying overhead and the lightning-fast reactions they demand.

In episode 34 of the Rigby Campfire podcast, Marc Newton sits down on the side of a Scottish glen with his sister and Rigby Chief of Staff, Michelle Carter, to reflect on a Glorious Twelfth spent shooting in Glenalmond and at their family home in nearby Edradour.

Their conversation explores the traditions that make the opening day of the grouse season so special: arriving the night before, the sound of the piper coming up the drive in the morning, a hearty breakfast and a picnic hamper that over the years has grown to a size that requires four-people just to carry it. They also discuss the careful management behind Britain’s grouse moors and their importance to the rural communities of Scotland and northern England.

Above all, this is a story of family and the people who bring the day to life. With Michelle carrying their grandfather’s 12-bore, her son Ted taking his first grouse and Marc’s wife Katie doing the same, the day offered a poignant glimpse of a much-loved Newton family tradition passing to the next generation.

Stream or watch the latest episode now, wherever you get your podcasts, and enjoy a slice of British fieldsports tradition.

Step back into the world of Jim Corbett as Rigby's managing director Marc Newton reads Chapters Three and Four from the only known original copy of Jungle Stories, Corbett's legendary collection of hunting stories.

In Chapter 3, A Lost Paradise and Chapter 4, Purna Giri and its Mysterious Lights, Corbett reflects on places that left a lasting impression on him, taking listeners to the foothills of the Himalayas through his vivid descriptions and evocative storytelling. From landscapes transformed by time to the enduring mystery surrounding the lights of Purna Giri, these chapters reveal Corbett's deep connection to the people, wildlife and wilderness of northern India.

Settle in around the campfire and listen in as Marc shares Chapters Three and Four of this extraordinary collection of tales from a true storytelling master.

Our special Jungle Stories series continues as Rigby’s Director of Operations Steven "Monty" Monteith reads Chapter Two of the book, transporting us to India in the 1930s and 40s.

 In The Fish of My Dreams, Corbett turns his attention to the rivers of northern India, sharing his love of mahseer fishing and the unforgettable landscapes in which he pursued the great fish. Rich with vivid descriptions of the jungle and its wildlife, the story captures Corbett's gift for finding wonder in the natural world and reminds us that, for him, the experience was always about far more than the catch itself.

Recorded from the original manuscript that now sits alongside Corbett's famous .275 Rigby rifle in the Rigby Museum, this series offers a rare opportunity to experience Jungle Stories as it was first written. Make sure you’re sitting comfortably and join Monty as he shares Chapter Two of Jungle Stories.

In the first chapter of our Jungle Stories series, Rigby's managing director, Marc Newton, begins reading from the only known remaining copy from the original print run of Jim Corbett’s book.Chapter One is titled The Pipal Pani Tiger, and it’s a beautifully observed account that reflects Corbett's deep understanding of the natural world. As he follows the tiger's life from its earliest days, Corbett's remarkable powers of observation and storytelling transport listeners into the forests of northern India, where every track, call and encounter reveals another piece of the animal's story.Recorded from the only known remaining copy of the original Jungle Stories that now sits alongside Corbett's famous .275 Rigby rifle in the Rigby Museum, this series offers a rare opportunity to experience Jungle Stories as it was first written.

Gather round the campfire and join us for Marc’s reading of the first chapter of this extraordinary manuscript.

There are so many incredible stories woven into Rigby’s history and revival, and the ones about Jim Corbett are among the most evocative.In this special episode of the Rigby Campfire Podcast, Rigby's managing director Marc Newton shares the journey that brought two of the Rigby Museum's greatest treasures together: Jim Corbett's famous .275 Rigby rifle and the only known remaining copy from the original Jungle Stories print run.Marc recounts how the rifle was acquired by Rigby in 2016, before revealing the remarkable chain of events that led to the discovery of the Jungle Stories manuscript at The Game Fair. What followed was a remarkable act of generosity that ensured this rare piece of history would find its rightful home alongside the rifle, where it remains on display today.This episode sets the scene for our Jungle Stories podcast series. Over the coming weeks, Marc and Rigby’s Director of Operations Monty will read Jungle Stories chapter by chapter, bringing Corbett's original words to life and sharing a manuscript that very few people have ever had the opportunity to see, let alone read.Join us around the campfire as we begin the story behind the Corbett rifle, his manuscript and one of the most remarkable legacies in hunting and conservation literature.