Joseph Anthony Gibbon 1898-1956

 

After researching the names on today’s photograph I still have absolutely no idea how or why it turned up in New Zealand. I found it in this antique shop in Hawera when I was on holiday a few weeks ago.

Joseph Anthony Gibbon was born in Barnard Castle in Durham, England and was baptised there on the 9 Oct 1898, his parents were Anthony Gibbon and Alice Ann Appleby who had been married in 1895.

Joseph signed up for the Coldstream Guards in 1916 and his Army Pension papers show the exact same address that is on the back of the photograph so we know he’s the right person:-

Joseph had three brothers as far as I can tell, Robert John 1896-?, David William 1901-1919 and George Edward 1903-1970. Their mother died in 1909 so there might have been more children between 1903 & 1909 but if there were they must have been staying with other family because they aren’t listed at home with their father in the 1911 census. I say this because it looks like Joseph sent his photo postcard to a sibling and I thought possibly to one who had emigrated to NZ. Two of his brothers died in England so that just leaves Robert John who I can’t find anywhere after the 1911 census although there are countless men named John Robert Gibbon who might be him, there doesn’t seem to be a sign of him in NZ though.

Joseph Anthony Gibbon married Maria Louisa Winter Jackson in 1920 and they are possibly the parents of three sons born between 1921 & 1933, William D, Raymond & Joseph A, all births registered in the district of Auckland in Durham to a mother whose maiden name was Jackson. Joseph Anthony died in 1956 and his wife Maria Louisa in 1976, both in Durham.

References: ancestry.com.au; FreeBMD; familysearch.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If anyone knows anything about or is connected to the GIBBON families please do contact me, I would love to pass the photo onto a family member, even a distant one. Contact by email is preferable but if you are going to leave a comment please don’t forget to include your email address.

Dawn Scotting
pandora[at]kc.net.nz