Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Arthur Augustus Gibbon,
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War Office, 1845 to 1879:
He worked in the War Office in London. Started 1845 (age 16). The War Office was then in the Horse Guards building in Whitehall. There are letters to "Arthur Gibbon" at War Office from 1845. Must be him, not his father. His mother's 1st cousin Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea was Secretary for War at various times between 1845 and 1860. Presumably this is how he got the job in 1845. See him making notes in 1847 about the 1681 grant of Gibbon arms to Gibbon of Dorset. On 6 Apr 1848 he was appointed as a Special Constable by the Police Court. This was a temporary appointment of extra personnel to maintain order during the Chartist protests. Arthur is then at the War Office. His aunt Ann Gibbon writes a poem to him on 30 Jan 1850 to mark his 21st birthday. She wishes that he: "find much happiness in life; and ten years hence procure a wife!" Pretty good prediction.
[Dora Gibbon letter]
says that Arthur
"visited Wilton House as a young man".
This would be after the death of his granduncle the
11th Earl in 1827
and up to the death of the 11th Earl's widow
Catherine Woronzow in 1856.
He
mar Oct 1861 to Mary Kerr [born 10th Feb 1838,
descendant of
Robert III, King of Scotland
and of Henry I].
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He immediately (leaving London on 13th May 1879)
embarked on a vast period of travelling,
all the time maintaining his house in Kensington (rented it out to others sometimes when he was away from it).
He
rented apartments, 6 Garten Strasse,
Freiburg,
Baden, SW Germany
(in Black Forest mountains, near France/Switzerland borders),
midsummer 1879 to Apr 1881.
Freiburg was
not far from Diersburg, Hohberg
(see map),
where family of
his late sister Georgina
might have been.
The
family of
his other sister Margaret was
also on the Continent.
These were the only family he had
apart from
his brother in South Africa.
His son Arthur
apparently went to the
University of Freiburg
(or maybe this was just school).
Mary is listed
at 1 C Campden Hill Rd, Kensington, in
[UK census, 4 Apr 1881].
She has children Elizabeth and Florence and Mildred with her,
but Arthur and children Arthur and Georgina and Monty are away.
They have 2 servants.
He rented Stanley Lodge,
Tunbridge Wells,
Kent,
July-Oct 1881.
[House Book]
of 18 July 1881 lists
"Drive to Penshurst".
Rented Brook Cottage, Dawlish,
near
Exmouth, E Devon,
Oct 1881 to Apr 1882.
Rented 134 St.Owen St, Hereford, July-Sept 1882.
Rented "Almondbury", Eltham Rd, Lee,
London,
May 1884 to May 1887.
Rented Elm Cottage, Tiverton, NE Devon,
Mar 1886 to Mar 1893.
See envelope of 6 Nov 1888
addressed to him at 1 Royal Crescent, Notting Hill, London.
His initial will dated 15th May 1889, later cancelled.
They are listed
in 1891 census at
Brynanston Villa, Churchfields, Salisbury, Wiltshire
(near Wilton).
Florence is the only child with them.
Rented 2 Lunham Rd, Upper Norwood,
London, Nov 1891 to May 1892.
Rented "Cawston", Sandown, Isle of Wight, May-Oct 1892.
Rented Craven House, Portland Rd, Southsea,
suburb of Portsmouth,
6th-20th Oct 1892.
Rented 4 Portland Terrace, Southsea, Oct 1892 to Apr 1893.
Rented "Ashmore", Hawke Rd, Upper Norwood, Apr 1893 to Mar 1894.
Rented "Lyndenhurst", Auckland Rd, Upper Norwood, Mar 1894 to Mar 1899.
His dau-in-law May Wells
described him as
"an old autocrat".
Mary dies, 1900:
Arthur and Mary went to Switzerland Oct 1899.
They went to
Vevey
on Lake Geneva.
Mary died 25 Mar 1900, age 62 yrs,
at Hotel d'Angleterre, Vevey.
She was
bur Vevey cemetery.
There is a memorial there.
See death notice
in The Times, 29 Mar 1900.
See the period of her death in the House Book,
p.1 and
p.2 and
p.3.
Arthur went back to England after wife's death.
Though he was back in Vevey, Nov 1900 to Apr 1901.
Arthur dies, 1907:
He made a
new will dated 1 July 1907.
He died at 11 Campden Hill Rd, Kensington, 5 Oct 1907, NOT 9 Oct, age 78 yrs.
He was bur 9 Oct 1907
with parents and dau in
West Norwood.
See probate
granted
29 Nov 1907 to his son Arthur.
See probate cover of copy of will.
He left £2,249.
This is perhaps
£1m in
today's money.
Still well-off, but much less wealthy than his parents' generation.
The money from the Earl of Pembroke and from the business
had been well spent during the 19th century.
Arthur and Mary
had issue:
Florence is listed
in 1911 census
as staying
with her Gibbon cousins
at Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
She
mar post-1911 to William Johnson, no issue.
(todo) See mar of Florence A Gibbon to "Johson",
[GRO.UK],
1st qr 1938, Kensington,
Volume: 1a,
Page: 331.
William died pre-c.1937.
She died 23rd Aug 1949, age 76 yrs.
Arthur Augustus Gibbon as an old man.
Miniature painted by his daughter Florence.
See full size.
Arthur Augustus Gibbon
on his parents' grave in
West Norwood.
Photo 2007.
See full size.
Inscription on a book given to Arthur Augustus Gibbon
by his younger brother William.
Inscription reads
"London, February 3rd 1850"
[Arthur's 21st birthday].
See full size.
The book is an 1847 edition of the works of
Byron.
See title page.
Small wallet belonging to Arthur Augustus Gibbon.
See larger
and full size.
Gibbon listed under
KERR of The Haie
in [Burkes Landed Gentry, 1886].
Elm Cottage, NW side of Tiverton, Devon.
From OS map. Surveyed: 1886 to 1887. Published: 1889.
Arthur Gibbon
rented Elm Cottage
Mar 1886 to Mar 1893.
Though he also rented other places during this period.
His daughter got married in Nov 1886 in Tiverton to
Rev. Richard Germon, her brother's tutor.
Elm Cottage is now sub-divided into multiple properties.
There is an Elm House
and a Somerville House.
See Historic England.
See modern
street view.
In the modern numbering,
11 Campden Hill Rd
is the 3rd house from the corner here.
(These are nos. 7, 9, 11 and 13.)
This would seem to match a previous numbering of
1A, 1B, 1C and 1D.
From
street view.
Georgina Gibbon on the
Gibbon grave, West Norwood.
The quote is from
Matthew 18:10:
"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.".
Photo 2007.
See full size.
13 - Methylated Spirits, Kettle and Stand
14 - Offertory at Parish Church
15 - Medical Attendance
16 - Champagne, Brandy
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