The Death Centenary of Edward Stanley Gibbons
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The Death Centenary of Edward Stanley Gibbons The Death Centenary of Edward Stanley Gibbons By John Holman Edward Stanley Gibbons, founder of the fi rm that still bears his name, died in London on 17 February 1913. A century on, John Holman looks back on the colourful life and career of one of the most famous names in philately. He remains a somewhat enigmatic fi gure, joined the Naval Bank in Plymouth but with, until recently, relatively little known soon after joined his father’s business about his life. To mark the 150th anniversary following the death of his eldest of his birth, in June 1990, I investigated his brother. Traditionally it is said he started life, through offi cial and private records, and stamp dealing in his father’s shop, age wrote what remains still the main account 16, in 1856—the date always given as of his life (GSM July and August 1990). This the company’s foundation. article, to mark the centenary of his passing, He may have taken the fi rst tentative is in part summary of the earlier piece. steps as a dealer then, but it is more Edward Stanley Gibbons (hereafter ESG) likely that stamp trading did not was born at his father’s chemist shop in become a more signifi cant part of his Treville Street, Plymouth on 21 June 1840, life until 1863 or 1864, when the fi rst just over a month after the issue of the advertisement for him as a dealer world’s fi rst adhesive postage stamps (the appear, offering a price list for 1d. family occupied 13-15 Treville Street, later In 1865 he published his Price List & renumbered 83-84.) His father William was Catalogue, forerunner of today’s SG born in Amesbury, Wiltshire and his mother catalogue range. This 1865 catalogue Elizabeth (nee Langridge) at Portsea, Hants. cost 2d. postpaid in the UK, 5d. William had settled in Plymouth by 1830 overseas, and comprised 16 pages when his eldest son William was born. There listing about 2000 ‘varieties’ (stamps). Above: 13 15 Treville Street, Plymouth was another son—Alfred (born 1832), and The famous story of him buying a sack, or – two daughters—Elizabeth (born 1824) and kit-bag, full of Cape triangular stamps from Catherine (b. 1836). ESG was the youngest in two sailors is said to have happened in 1863. the family. The sailors were said to have won the stamps William, the eldest son, followed his in a raffl e. He did buy a large quantity of father’s trade as a chemist (described in the these stamps, and sold them at a good profi t, 1851 census as ‘Druggist Assistant’) but died but the story seems to have been embellished young, probably in 1854. Alfred joined the in later years. A more likely story is that Navy and reached the rank of Commander— the stamps (said to have totalled 2 million) he and his family are buried in St Luke’s had been saved by a deceased old lady for Churchyard in Southampton. He was married charity and been brought over by a passenger twice, possibly three times, and had two sons on a mail packet. I suppose the sailor and by his fi rst marriage. Both sons went into the kit-bag story is rather more romantic and services, one died at sea off Lisbon in 1886 ‘marketable’ than the likely truth. and the other in Cape Town in 1900. Alfred ESG took a keen interest in local societies, died in 1908 and left ESG an oil painting and and in 1860 gave the fi rst of many talks to the the old family punch ladle. Plymouth Mutual Improvement Association; Elizabeth married a James Langridge his subject ‘The History of Cortes and the (perhaps a relative, Langridge was her Conquest of Mexico’. He became President of mother’s maiden name) and they lived in the Plymouth Literary Association in 1866. Bristol. Catherine, the younger daughter, In the 1861 census, when he was age 21, never married and lived in Bournemouth ESG was described as ‘Assistant’ to his father, where she died in 1905. ESG was one of the William, a ‘Pharmaceutical Chemist’. Six Above: The earliest known dated catalogue benefi ciaries of her will, inheriting silver years later William died, leaving an estate spoons, a pearl horseshoe pin and a family of under £1500, and ESG took over the portrait. ESG’s wife, Georgina was left a ruby business. He now developed the stamp and pearl ring. dealing side of his business, and More details of ESG’s brothers, sisters and gradually left more of the chemist nieces and nephews are to be found in my duties to others. By 1871 he 1990 article. had a shopman and chemist assistant and two apprentices The early years to carry out most of the ESG attended the Hallorans’ Collegiate chemist work. In the School in Plympouth where it is said his 1871 census he described interest in stamps began when he was about himself as ‘Chemist, 14. He later recalled he had a little book dealer in foreign stamps’. containing about 20 stamps for the purpose In 1872 he moved to 8 of exchange. Amongst these were stamps Lockyer Street, Plymouth of Western Australia and New South Wales and on 29 January married (1d. Sydney View). At 15 he left school and his fi rst wife, Matilda Woon G.S.M. February 2013 95 The Death Centenary of Edward Stanley Gibbons of Plymouth, daughter of an Independent Minister. Whilst at Lockyer Street he produced his first album—theV.R. Album (pioneer of the ‘Imperial Album’), followed by the Improved Album. Two years later ESG moved from Plymouth to 24 The Chase, Clapham Common, London. The chemist business may have been sold to a former apprentice, George Witheycombe who is noted as a chemist at 93 Treville Street. ESG lived in Clapham for two years, developing the stamp business from his suburban home. An apocryphal story tells that he employed in the evenings the services of young women to tear up sheets of stamps. Neighbours, curious of the arrival of these young girls, reported the matter to the authorities who investigated but found all to be in order. The Chase is in a pleasant area and one of the houses was home of the architect Sir Charles Barry (1795-1860). Above: 24 The Chase, From Clapham ESG moved into central Clapham Common, London, to 8 Gower Street, near London London University, in late 1875 or early 1876 and it was there that his mother died in Above right: A Stanley January 1876. ESG was one of her Gibbons catalogue dated executors, describing himself as ‘Importer September 1875 of Foreign Stamps’. The 1885 Post Office London Directory lists the main occupants of 8 Gower St as Right: Cambridge Villa, ‘Stanley Gibbons & Co publishers’ and in 1 Cambridge Park, East 1890 as ‘Stanley Gibbons & Co postage Twickenham stamp dealers’. ESG seems to have done much of the work himself, although there his household comprised his nephew Frank stamps ever since’. I think it unlikely that were probably some staff to assist, likely Langridge, a ‘visitor’ (perhaps a lodger), a he seriously considered a medical career, part-time. He often acknowledged orders cook and a housemaid. In Cambridge Park, exaggerating the status of a chemist to that and sent short messages using pre-stamped their neighbours included three clergymen of a doctor. As with the tale of the sailors with postcards, examples of which come onto the and a colonel. Gibbons lived there until 1911 kitbags of stamps, ESG may well have spun a market from time to time. He built up a large and photographs survive showing him with good yarn to enhance his reputation. wholesale business in modern stamps, as well his wife, and friends enjoying garden parties His second wife Margaret Gibbons died as purchasing and breaking up many of the in the grounds. The house, usually referred to of cirrhosis of the liver at their Cambridge finest collections of the time. In 1890, age 50 as a villa, was demolished in 1960 to make way Villa home in November 1899 after 12 years and in indifferent health, he sold the business for new housing in Vivienne Close. Nearby is of marriage. Two years later, in December to Charles Phillips of Birmingham, although Cambridge Gardens where in 1976 Stanley 1901 ESG was in Calcutta and Rangoon with the name Stanley Gibbons continued. Gibbons Ltd planted some 300 bushes of the wife number three, believed to be named Stanley Gibbons rose, but the bushes are, Georgina. They stayed at the Strand Hotel The most famous philatelic sadly, no longer in evidence. in Rangoon and the following year at the address in the world Splendide Hotel Royal at the health resort Apart from the premises in Treville Street, World tours of Aix-les-Bains in France. A programme for Plymouth, ESG himself never ran a stamp ESG enjoyed his retirement years by travelling a concert they attended survives in the scrap shop, but in 1891 Phillips opened a shop at widely. Most of these were for pleasure but he book, ESG has signed it ‘E Stanley Gibbons’ 435 Strand as well as keeping the office at also took the opportunity to obtain stamps and alongside is written (who by?) ‘For he’s Gower Street. During 1893 the office closed for his old company. He, or his wife, kept our King and a good King too!’. and a new shop-cum-office opened at 391 a scrap-book of their trips during the years In 1903 he gave a newspaper interview Strand which was to remain the home of 1891-1907.