My wife's ancestors - Gibbon - Contents

Sidney Gibbon

Sidney Gibbon and his wife Martha Ferreira.
Aliwal North, 1944. Just before Sidney died.
See full size. See other scan.

Sidney Gibbon,
born 25 Aug 1870, Alexandria, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
His parents divorced.
He stayed with his father in Alexandria.
His father re-married in 1883.

Stowaway story, probably 1889-1890:
There is a story that he and a cousin were caught as stowaways on a ship bound for Australia in Port Elizabeth harbour.
Geoff Gibbon says: "My late father told me a story, which his father told him, about a Gibbon cousin .. who had come out from the UK to visit the Gibbons in South Africa. This cousin was about 19 years of age. They were still living in Alexandria ... My grandfather was about 15 years old when the cousin arrived. They got on well, and then, out of the blue, the cousin said, "Let's go to Port Elizabeth and have a look-see." So, they went without telling anyone. They arrived there and went to the harbour. There was a ship that was on its way to Australia. Just before sailing, the cousin said, "Let's stow away on this ship." So, they did. Unfortunately, my grandfather was caught. Nothing was ever heard of the cousin again. My grandfather returned home and got the biggest hiding of his life."
This cousin must have been Monty Gibbon (born 7 Dec 1869) who went out to South Africa in Nov 1889 (age 19). So the stowaway adventure is probably in 1889-1890.

Sidney left Alexandria.
He settled far to the N, at Aliwal North (now called Maletswai), central South Africa (see map).
He worked there for the transport business of his stepmother's brother.

All children born in Aliwal North area.
When son bapt at Aliwal North in 1913 they are living at Patrys Fontein, a farm about 19 km S of Aliwal North. He is "farm foreman".
Listed as living Durban St, Aliwal North, at death.
He died in the hospital at Aliwal North, 4 Apr 1944, age 73 yrs [death cert].
Martha died July 1966, age 79 yrs, at Aliwal North.
Sidney and Martha had issue:

1. Edgar Gibbon,
   Edgar Eric Gibbon, Ed, "Tex",
   eldest child, born 31 Dec 1907, Aliwal North.

   
   

2. Tom Gibbon,
   William Thomas Montgomery Gibbon, born 17 Nov 1909, Aliwal North.
   He mar --- and had issue.
   He died pre-2001.

3. Violet Gibbon,
   Violet Elizabeth Gibbon, born 24 Aug 1911, Aliwal North.
   She mar J. Greeff and had issue.
   She died pre-2001.

   
   

4. Sydney Gibbon,
   Syd, Sydney Charles Gibbon, born 13 Mar 1913, Aliwal North,
   bapt "Sidney Charles", 26 May 1913, Methodist church, Aliwal North.
   See bapt entry from here.
   Think he went as "Sydney".
   He mar --- Goosen and had issue.
   He fl 2001.

   
   

5. Arthur Gibbon,
   Arthur Albert Gibbon, born 19 Nov 1914, Aliwal North.
   He mar --- and had issue.
   He died pre-1944, in an accident in the Crown Mines gold mine in Johannesburg.

   
   

6. Henry Gibbon,
   Henry Harold Gibbon, born South Africa, 1916.
   Lived in Zambia.
   He mar --- Morgan.
   He fl 2001.
   They are grandparents of:
   1. Jennifer Brown,
      DNA match to John Gibbon.

   
   

7. Frank Gibbon,
   Frank Kenneth Gibbon.
   He mar Doreen Mary Potter.
   He died pre-2001.
   They had issue:
   1. Gordon Gibbon.
   2. Gaynor Gibbon.

   3. John Gibbon, had issue:
      1. Craig Gibbon, had issue:
         1. Isla Rose Gibbon.

   
   

8. Ronald Gibbon,
   Reginald Ronald Gibbon, or possibly Ronald Reginald Gibbon,
   Ron, Ronnie,
   born Aliwal North, 5 Jan 1921.
   He mar Susanna Maria Kotzé [born 24 Dec 1921, "Venterdorp", which must be Ventersdorp].
   He died 17 Dec 1999, age 78 yrs.
   She died 28 Aug 2000, age 78 yrs.
   They had issue:
   1. Veronica Gibbon, had issue:
      1. Liezl van der Merwe.
   2. Sydney Gibbon.
   3. Cynthia Gibbon, had issue:
      1. Charmaine van der Walt.
   4. Gerald Gibbon.

   
   

9. George Gibbon,
   George Gilbert Gibbon.
   He mar --- and had issue.
   He died pre-2001.

10. Joan Gibbon,
    Joan Jannett Gibbon, born est c.1924.
    She mar --- Dörn-Schnirring and had issue.
    She died pre-2001.

11. Edna Gibbon,
    Edna Iris Gibbon.
    She mar --- Solms and had issue.
    She died pre-2001.

    
    

12. Dudley Gibbon,
    Dudley Lesley Gibbon, born 1928.
    Think NOT Leslie.
    See entry in tree by Charlotte Page.
    He mar --- and had issue.
    He died 2001.

11 of the 12 children (Arthur dead).
Back: Joan, Sydney, Violet, Edgar, George, Edna.
Front: Tom, Henry, Frank, Ronald, Dudley.
See full size. See names.
See other scan.

10 of the 12 children at the same event (Joan not in this picture).
Back: Tom, Sydney, Edgar, George.
Front: Henry, Frank, Ronald, Dudley.
Side: Edna and Violet.
See full size. See names.
See other scan.

The 8 surviving sons (Arthur dead).
Back: Frank, Ronald, George, Dudley.
Front: Edgar, Tom, Sydney, Henry.
See full size. See names.
See other scan.