My wife's ancestors - Gibbon - Contents

Robert Gibbon, of Sunderland

"Robert Gibbon" and "Hannah Gibbon" witness his brother Arthur's marriage in 1814.
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Robert Gibbon,
born 2 Dec 1781.
From Aberdeen, Scotland.
He moved before 1804 to Sunderland, Durham, England.
Lived Monkwearmouth, Sunderland (a ship-building centre, see 1862 map).
"Robert Gibbon junior" of Monkwearmouth writes a letter on 20 Jan 1804 from Robert Gibbon and sons.
Robert Gibbon of Sunderland is listed as a subscriber to Christian Milne's book of poems in 1805.

He mar 8 Feb 1808, St.Peter's, Monkwearmouth, to Hannah Harrison [Hannah Joanna Harrison, born 1788, England].
Robert Gibbon, of Monkwearmouth, was owner of the ship Galatea from 6 Dec 1808 to 24 May 1810.
Robert Gibbon of Monkwearmouth subscribed to a book of poetry, Epistles in Verse between Cynthio and Leonora, in three cantos, descriptive of a voyage to and from the East Indies, by George Marshall, Newcastle, 1812.
"Robert Gibbon" and "Hannah Gibbon" witnessed his brother Arthur's marriage in Oct 1814 at Bedlington, Northumberland, N England (a bit N of Sunderland).
He might be "R. Gibbon" who was owner of the ship Castle Forbes (built 1818). "R. Gibbon" is still listed as owner in 1831.
They would be Robert Gibbon, born Scotland but not in Fife, and Hannah Gibbon, born England, who are listed in 1841 census at North Queensferry, Dunfermline, Fife (near Edinburgh).

Hannah died 1846, age 58 yrs.
Her address in burial record is Southwick, beside Monkwearmouth, Sunderland.
However the [England, Select Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991] index says she died in Liverpool (and was bur Monkwearmouth).
She was bur 15 Aug 1846 in Monkwearmouth.

Robert died 31 Dec 1848, age 67 yrs.
Gibbon papers say he died at what looks like "Perla Bella". Probably "Perta Bella" and this is Portobello, Edinburgh.
He was buried in, or at least named on, Gibbon grave at Nigg Bay, Aberdeen.
Robert and Hannah had issue:

1. Barbara Yates Gibbon,
   born 1809, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland.
   She mar 16 Dec 1840, St.Machar's, Aberdeen, to Anthony Scott [born 1803].
   He was born in Southwick, Sunderland (W side of Monkwearmouth, see 1862 map and modern map).
   They lived Southwick, Sunderland.
   Anthony Scott is listed at High Southwick (the area on the N side of Southwick) on p.531 of 1858 Post Office Directory of Durham.
   He is listed as "earthenware manufacturer" at children's deaths 1864.
   Two of their children died in March 1864.
   After her children died, she wrote to her 1st cousin Arthur Augustus Gibbon from Southwick, 14 June 1864: "My dear Arthur, my early life was beset with trials, but I never had such a fiery one as this."
   See long letter of 10 Oct 1869 from her to her aunt. Barbara and Anthony are on holiday, at Queens Hotel, Ambleside, in the Lake District. She says "my son and daughter" are at home.
   Barbara researched the family history.
   She drew up family tree in 1872 from records in her father's writing in a family bible that once belonged to her great-grandfather William Gibbon.
   See page of notes on Skene in 1872. See family tree letter in 1872.
   Barbara and Anthony are listed in 1881 census at 56 High Southwick, Southwick. He is "Retired Potter". They have 2 servants.
   (todo) See death of Barbara Yates Scott, 4th qr 1891, age 83 (born 1808), [GRO.UK], Sunderland, 10a 486.
   Barbara and Anthony had issue:

   
   

   1. Joanna Harrison Scott, born 1846,
      think NOT Johanna.
      She died 3 Mar 1864, High Southwick, age 18 yrs, of scarlet fever [GRO.UK],
      bur Southwick churchyard.

   2. Anthony Scott.
      He fl 1872.

   3. Elizabeth Scott.
      Elizabeth Pearson Scott.
      Referred to as "Lizzy" in 1869 letter and 1872 letter.
      She fl 1872.

   4. Robert Scott,
      Robert Gibbon Scott, born 1854.
      He died 8 Mar 1864, High Southwick, age 10 yrs, of "scarlatina maligna" [GRO.UK],
      bur Southwick churchyard.
      His heartbroken mother says about the two children in 1864 letter: "I lost them in one week".

Burial of Hannah Joanna Gibbon, 15 Aug 1846 in Monkwearmouth.
From here.

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1804 letter

A transcript of a letter survives from Robert Gibbon junior, from Robert Gibbon and sons, 20 Jan 1804.

The letter is in collection BB.7.1 (1800-1804 papers) in section 2.2. C (Demerara: Court of Civil Justice) in 1.05.21 (Archives of the Dutch colonies of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice, in what is now Guyana, South America). At the National Archives of the Netherlands.

How did the letter end up in Guyana papers? It is a complex story.
In the letter, Robert Gibbon writes to Capt. Napier of the British ship Margaret, departing from England, bound for Grenada, West Indies. Gibbon requests he accept on board a passenger Dr. Ironside, bound for Grenada.
The Margaret left Portsmouth on 2 or 3 Mar 1804.
It was chased and captured by a French ship in the West Indies on 23 Apr 1804.
The French captors landed in the Dutch colony of Berbice (now in Guyana), where they were detained, and hence these papers survive.

Robert Gibbon's letter.
From p.1709 of BB.7.1.
On pp.1709-1711 are accounts of the capture of the Margaret and its arrival in Berbice.

Map from Bing showing the area of the Margaret's capture.
The Margaret was headed for Grenada.
It was chased and captured by a French ship near Barbados on 23 Apr 1804.
The French captors took it E along the coast of South America, headed for Suriname or for Cayenne in French Guiana.
But, uncertain where they were, they landed early, in the Dutch colony of Berbice (now E Guyana, where New Amsterdam is), where they were detained.

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1864 letter

Barbara Yates Gibbon writes on 14 June 1864 after her children died.

"My dear Arthur, my early life was beset with trials, but I never had such a fiery one as this. ... I had had 17 years of rest" [since her father died] "- not only rest but as much happiness as could fall to the lot of a human heart. ... As it is, a curtain has fallen down never to be raised on this side of Jordan."