Modern English Biography (volume 1 of 4) A-H

GEACH, Charles (son of George Geach of St. Austell, Cornwall). b. St. Austell 1808; clerk in Bank of England, Birmingham 1826–36; manager of Birmingham and Midland bank 1836; purchased Park Gate iron manufacturing co. 1840 and Patent Shaft and Axle-tree co. 1840; made a fortune in railroad iron 1844–5; mayor of Birmingham 1847; M.P. for Coventry 8 April 1851 to death. d. 9 Park st. Westminster 1 Nov. 1854. E. Edwards’s Personal recollections of Birmingham (1877) 125–31; Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. xiv, 148–51 (1855); I.L.N. xxi, 377, 378 (1852), portrait.

GEARY, Stephen. Architect and civil engineer at Hamilton place, New road, London; erected an octagonal structure with a colossal statue of George iv. on the top, in the centre of the 6 roads uniting at Battle Bridge 1831 when the name was changed to King’s Cross; took out patents for artificial fuel, paving streets, water supply, obtaining motive power, and 3 other patents 1838–47; designed the first gin palace in London about 1830; founded the London Cemetery Co. 1838 for which he laid out Highgate cemetery, opened 20 May 1839. d. 19 Euston place, London 28 Aug. 1854 in 75 year. A. W. Pugin’s Contrasts (1841), plate xiv.

GEDDES, John. Ensign 27 foot 22 Dec. 1804, major 1825 to 1831 when placed on h.p.; col. 46 foot 13 Feb. 1860, col. 27 foot 24 April 1860 to death; L.G. 23 March 1861. d. 15 Salisbury road, Newington, Edinburgh 28 April 1869.

GEDEN, Rev. John Dury (son of Rev. John Geden, Wesleyan minister). b. Hastings 5 May 1822; assistant tutor of Richmond coll. Surrey 1847–51; tutor in sacred and classical languages at theological coll. Didsbury, Lancs. 1856–83; joint-editor of London Quarterly Review 1857; elected into the legal hundred 1868; member of Old Testament revision company 1870; hon. D.D. St. Andrews 1885; author of Didsbury sermons in the Wesleyan college chapel 1878. d. Didsbury 9 March 1886.

GEDGE, Rev. Sydney (youngest son of Peter Gedge of Bury St. Edmunds). b. 1802; educ. Bury St. Edmunds’ gram. sch. and St. Catharine’s coll. Camb.; fellow 1825–27; B.A. 1824, M.A. 1827; C. of North Runcton, Norfolk 1827–35; second master king Edward’s sch. Birmingham 1835–59; V. of All Saints, Northampton 1859–77; rural dean Northampton 1871–77; preacher and speaker for Ch. missionary soc. and hon. life governor; author of 4 single sermons 1856–69. d. Cromer 29 Aug. 1883, five of his sons became clergymen. The Guardian 5 Sept. 1883 p. 1300.

GEERAN or GUERIN, Thomas. Enlisted in 71 regt. 3 March 1813, deserted 10 April; worked as a sawyer; settled at Brighton; professed to have been a son of Michael Geeran, farmer, born at Scariff co. Clare 14 May 1766 and to have served in 71 regt. abroad 1796–1819; made a living by relating his military adventures and dilating on his great age. d. infirmary of Brighton union 28 Oct. 1871 claiming to be 105. Longevity, with Life of Thomas Geeran (1871), portrait; Thom’s Human Longevity (1873) pp. 12, 131–54.

GELDART, Rev. Edmund Martin (2 son of Thomas Geldart of Thorpe, Norwich and of Hannah Ransome Geldart who was a writer of children’s books and d. 1861). b. Norwich 20 Jany. 1844; ed. at Ball. coll. Oxf., scholar 1863–67; B.A. 1867, M.A. 1873; assist. master Manchester gram. sch. 1867 and 1869–71; a teacher at Athens 1867–69; C. of All Saints, Manchester 1869–71; C. of St. George’s ch. Everton 1871; minister of Hope st. unitarian chapel, Liverpool 1873–77; unitarian minister Croydon 1877–85; author of Modern Greek in relation to ancient 1870; Faith and Freedom 14 sermons 1881 and other works; left Newhaven on 10 April 1885 for Paris, supposed to have been lost during passage to Dieppe. A son of Belial, autobiographical sketches by Nitram Tradleg i.e. M. Geldart (1883); Echoes of Truth ed. Mrs. Geldart (1886) with portrait.

GELDART, Rev. James William (eld. son of Rev. James Geldart, R. of Kirk Deighton, Yorks. who d. 12 Nov. 1839 aged 79). b. Swinnow hall, Wetherby 15 Feb. 1785; ed. at Beverley gr. sch. and Trin. hall, Cam., LL.B. 1806, LLD. 1814; fell. of St. Catherine’s hall 1808–9; fell. and tutor of Trin. hall 1809–20; Regius professor of civil law at Cam. 11 Dec. 1813 to 1847; R. of Kirk Deighton 1840 to death; author of a new ed. of S. Halifax’s Analysis of the civil law 1836. d. Kirk Deighton rectory 16 Feb. 1876.

GELDART, Thomas Charles. Barrister L.I. 9 May 1823; master of Trinity hall, Cam. 1852 to death; LLD. by royal mandate 4 Jany. 1853; author with H. F. Maddock of Reports of cases in court of vice-chancellor 1829. d. the Master’s lodge, Trinity hall, Cambridge 17 Sep. 1877 aged 80.

GELL, John Sherbrooke. Entered Bombay army 11 June 1839; commanded Bombay district 28 Oct. 1872 to 11 June 1877; M.G. 1 Oct. 1877. d. Downderry, Cornwall 16 July 1878.

GENDALL, John. b. Exeter 1790; went to London with introduction to Sir John Soane; manager for Rudolph Ackermann, Strand, London, print seller; went on sketching tour in Normandy, gave illustrated description of tour at Exeter 6 Nov. 1862, his sketches published in Picturesque tour of the Seine 1821; exhibited 25 pictures at R.A. and 1 at B.I. 1818–63; his works chiefly views in Devonshire; settled at Exeter as an artist 1839. d. Cathedral yard, Exeter 1 March 1865 aged 75. G. Pycroft’s Art in Devonshire (1883) 50–54.

GEAREY, Sir William Richard Powlett, 3 Baronet. b. Oxon-Heath, Tunbridge 13 Nov. 1810; succeeded his father 6 Aug. 1825; contested West Kent, Dec. 1832, M.P. for West Kent, Jany. 1835 to Feb. 1838. d. Oxon-Heath 19 Dec. 1877.

GEDDES, James Loraine. b. Edinburgh 19 March 1827; served in Bengal artillery about 1846–55; settled at Vinton, Benton co. U.S.A. 1857; private in 8th Iowa regiment Aug. 1861, brigadier general 5 June 1865; provost marshal of Memphis; captured Spanish fort during Mobile campaign; professor of military tactics at Iowa college of agriculture; wrote The soldier’s battle prayer, The stars and stripes, and several other popular war-songs. d. Ames, Story co. Iowa 21 Feb. 1887.

GENESTE, Rev. Maximilian (4 son of Lewis Geneste of Kirk Bradden, Isle of Man). Matric. from Queen’s coll. Ox. 20 May 1820 aged 20; B.A. 1824, M.A. 1827; P.C. of Holy Trinity, West Cowes, Isle of Wight 1832 to death; author of The parallel histories of Judah and Israel 2 vols. 1843 and other books; translated Krümmacher’s Glance into the Kingdom of grace 1837 and other books. d. Trafalgar house, Cowes 27 July 1860.

GEOGHEGAN, Arthur Gerald. Author of The Monks of Kilcrea, By * * * 1853, 3 ed. 1861 and other books; contributed to The Nation many years. d. 27 Addison road, London 29 Nov. 1889 aged nearly 80.

GEOGHEGAN, Joseph Bryan. b. Oldfield road, Salford, Manchester 13 April 1815; manager of Victoria music hall, Bolton 1864 to death; proprietor of Star theatre, Hanley; author of John Barleycorn 1860; The men of merry merry England 1858; Lancashire Witches, and upwards of 200 other favourite songs. d. Bolton 21 Jany. 1889.

GEOGHEGAN, Most Rev. Patrick Bonaventure. b. Dublin 1811; joined Franciscan order at Coimbra; the first resident R.C. priest at Port Phillip, New Holland 1839; vicar general of Melbourne 1848; bishop of Adelaide 1859 to death; consecrated 8 Sep. 1859. d. Kingston, Dublin 5 May 1865.

GEORGE, Frederick Darley. Cornet 11 light dragoons 1825; major 22 foot 1849–53 when placed on h.p.; D.A.G. Windward and Leeward Islands 1853–58; col. 76 foot 28 April 1875 to death; general 1 Oct. 1877; C.B. 4 July 1843. d. 67 Brunswick place, Brighton 2 June 1888 aged 80.

GEORGE, John (eld. son of John George of Dublin, merchant, who d. 1837). b. Dublin 18 Nov. 1804; ed. at Frascati school and Trin. coll. Dublin; called to bar at King’s Inns, Dublin 1826, bencher 1859; barrister G.I. 16 May 1827; Q.C. 2 Nov. 1844; M.P. for co. Wexford 1852–57 and 1859–66; solicitor general for Ireland, Feb. to July 1859; judge of court of Queen’s Bench, Ireland, Nov. 1866 to death; P.C. Ireland 1866. d. 45 Fitzwilliam sq. Dublin 15 Dec. 1871.

GERARD, Robert Tolver, 1 Baron. b. Sutton, Lancs. 12 May 1808; lieut. col. Lancashire yeomanry cavalry 1855, col. 1878 to death; A.D.C. to the Queen 23 March 1867 to death; sheriff of Lancs. 1859; created Baron Gerard of Bryn, Lancs. 18 Jany. 1876. d. 16 South st. Park lane, London 15 March 1887. I.L.N. lxviii, 61, 62 (1876), portrait.

GETTY, Samuel Gibson. b. 30 Nov. 1817; M.P. for Belfast 1860–68. d. 60 Redcliffe gardens, London 15 Dec. 1877.

GIBB, Alexander (only son of John Gibb, C.E., who introduced use of Aberdeen granite in construction of public works). b. Larbert, Stirlingshire 21 Sep. 1804; partner with his father at Aberdeen; built Victoria bridge over the Wear 1836, remarkable for its height and large spans; planned and carried out railway lines in North of Scotland; engineer of Great North of Scotland railway 1845 to death; lessee of Rubislaw quarries near Aberdeen; M.I.C.E. 9 Feb. 1830. d. Willowbank, Aberdeen 8 Aug. 1867. Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. xxvii, 587–89 (1868).

GIBB, Sir George Duncan, 4 Baronet (eld. son of Thomas Gibb). b. Montreal 25 Dec. 1821; educ. McGill coll., M.D. 1846; L.R.C.S. Ireland 1848; M.R.C.P. Lond. 1859; in practice at Montreal 1849–53; one of originators of St. Lawrence sch. of medicine and professor there; gave his collection of 1500 specimens to Natural History soc., Montreal 1853; founded Pathological soc., Montreal, president 1853; settled in London 1853; assist. physician Westminster hospital; assumed a disputed baronetage May 1867; discovered crystal of diabetic sugar 1854; the first to remove tumours from the larynx by the mouth 1864; author of A treatise on whooping cough 1854; On diseases of throat and windpipe 1860; Life of Robert Gib 2 vols. 1874 and 41 other works. d. 1 Bryanston st. Portman sq. London 16 Feb. 1876. N. and Q. 3 Ser. x 311, xii 274, 362, 421, 536 (1866–67), 4 Ser. i 37 (1868); Morgan’s Bibliotheca Canadensis (1867) pp. 140–50.

GIBBES, Sir George Smith (son of Rev. George Gibbes, R. of Woodborough, Wilts.) b. 1771; Commoner of Ex. coll. Ox.; B.A. 1792, M.A. 1795, M.B. 1796, M.D. 1799; fellow of Magd. coll. Ox.; candidate of coll. of physicians 1803, fellow 1804, Harveian orator 1817; physician to Bath general hospital 1804; physician extraord. to Queen Charlotte 1819; knighted by George iv. at Carlton house 10 May 1820; removed to Cheltenham about 1835, afterwards to Sidmouth; F.L.S. 21 May 1793; F.R.S. 18 Feb. 1796; author of A treatise on the Bath waters 1800 and other books. d. Sidmouth 23 June 1851. bur. family vault at Woodborough. W. Munk’s Roll (1878) iii, 13.

GIBBONS, David Octavius (eld. child of Edward Augustus Gibbons, who d. 20 Aug. 1834). b. 28 Oct. 1811; special pleader 1834; author of A manual of the law of fixtures 1836; A treatise on the law of dilapidations and nuisances 1838, 2 ed. 1849 and other books. d. 30 St. George’s sq. London 23 Oct. 1876.

GIBBONS, Sir Sills John, 1 Baronet (son of Richard Gibbons of Sittingbourne, Kent). b. Chatham 1809; hop merchant in London; alderman for Castle Baynard ward 1862–75, sheriff 1865–6, lord mayor 1871–2; created baronet 11 March 1872. d. Hastings 11 Jany. 1876. I.L.N. lix, 457, 458 (1871), portrait.

GIBBS, Sir Benjamin Thomas Brandreth (youngest son of Thomas Gibbs of Ampthill, Beds.) b. London 1821; steward of yard of R. Agricultural soc. 1839–42, hon. director 1843–74, vice president 1871–85; hon. sec. of Smithfield club 1843–85, presented with a silver candelabra 12 Dec. 1855; associated with agricultural sections of national exhibitions in London 1851 and 1862, in Paris 1855, 1867 and 1878, in Vienna 1873, in Philadelphia 1875; commander of order of Francis Joseph 1873; officer of Legion of honour 1878; knighted for his agricultural services, first person so rewarded, by the Queen at Windsor 27 Nov. 1878; sec. of Fisheries exhibition, London 1883; author of The Smithfield club, a condensed history 1857. d. Mossley house, Sinclair road, West Kensington park 2 June 1885. Journ. of Royal Agric. Soc. xxi, 611–20 (1885), portrait; The Biograph, March 1882 pp. 259–61; I.L.N. xxvii, 725–26 (1855), portrait.

GIBBS, James (son of Michael Gibbs of Walbrook, London, merchant). b. 25 July 1825; ed. at Merchant Taylors’ and Haileybury; entered Bombay civil service 1846; barrister I.T. 6 June 1864; judge of high court Bombay, Feb. 1866 to 1879; vice chancellor of Univ. of Bombay 1870–79; mem. of governor general’s council 10 May 1880 to 1885, pres. 1884; C.S.I. 1878; C.I.E. 1878. d. 58 Courtfield gardens, South Kensington, London 30 Oct. 1886.

GIBBS, Joseph. b. Staffordshire 1798; established extensive sawing and cutting works at Crayford Mills, Kent and London; invented “Gibbs’ elbow joint” chiefly used for construction of inlaid floors; erected much machinery here and in Holland for manufacturing purposes and lifting water; M.I.C.E. 6 April 1852; author of Considerations relative to sewage of London 1849; Cotton cultivation in its various details 1862. d. 11 Feb. 1864. Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. xxiv, 528–31 (1865).

GIBBS, Matilda Blanche (youngest dau. of Sir Thomas Crawley-Boevey, 3 Baronet 1769–1847). Founded St. Michael and All Angels’ Home for Consumptives at Axbridge 1878, St. Michael’s Home at Cheddar and St. John’s Convalescent Home at Tyntesfield, all in Somerset. (m. 1 Aug. 1839 Wm. Gibbs 1790–1875). d. Tyntesfield 22 Sep. 1887 aged 69, personalty declared at £483,683 7s. 4d.

GIBBS, Mrs. (dau. of Mr. Graddon). b. Taunton 1804; first sang at Vauxhall 1821, in Dublin 1823; first appeared in London at Drury Lane Oct. 1824 as Susanna in the Marriage of Figaro; second only to Miss Stephens in ballad singing and to Miss Paton in bravura singing; sang in New Orleans, Dec. 1835, in New York Nov. 1836, returned to England; re-appeared in New York 1855 with an entertainment of song and anecdote entitled The Lakes of Killarney. (m. about 1827 Alexander Gibbs of firm of Graddon and Gibbs, pianoforte makers); date of death not known. J. N. Ireland’s Records of New York stage ii, 180–1 (1867); Cumberland’s Minor Theatre vol. iii, portrait; Le Bal Costumé, polka composed by Mrs. Gibbs (1854), portrait.

GIBBS, William (2 son of Antony Gibbs of Exeter, merchant 1756–1815). b. 22 May 1790; partner with his elder brother as merchants in Cadiz and London, head of the firm on his brother’s death 21 Aug. 1842; held for some years monopoly of the guano islands; built the chapel at Keble college, Oxford, dedicated 25 April 1876. d. Tyntesfield near Bristol 3 April 1875, personalty sworn under £800,000, 2 Oct. 1875.

GIBSON, Alexander. b. Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire 24 Oct. 1800; M.D. Edin.; assistant surgeon H.E.I.C. service 1825; passed in Hindustani, Mahrati and Gujerati; superintendent of botanical garden at Dapuri 1838; conservator of forests in Bombay 1847–60; F.L.S. 19 April 1853; author of Forest Reports Bombay 1849–55; Bombay Flora 1861; A handbook to forests of Bombay 1863. d. 16 Jany. 1867. Proc. Linnean Soc. (1866–67) p. 33.

GIBSON, Alexander Craig. b. Harrington, Cumberland 17 March 1813; F.S.A.; L.M. Edin.; M.R.C.S. Eng. 1846; L.S.A. 1855; in practice at Branthwaite and Ullock 1841–43, at Coniston 1843–49, at Hawkshead 1849–57, at Bebington, Cheshire 1857–72; contributed to Kendal Mercury, Tait’s Mag., and to Trans. of Historic Soc. of Lancashire and Cheshire; author of The old man, or ravings and ramblings round Coniston, Kendal 1849; The Folk-speech of Cumberland, stories and rhymes in dialect of West Border counties, Carlisle 1869; wrote The Lockerbie Lycke, a ballad in Annandale dialect. d. Bebington 12 June 1874.

GIBSON, David Cooke. b. Edinburgh 4 March 1827; artist in Edin. 1844–52, in London 1852 to death; exhibited 5 domestic pictures at the R.A. 1855–57; wrote Angelo and Zelica and other poems. d. London 5 Oct. 1856. Struggles of a young artist, being a memoir of D. C. Gibson (anon. by W. Macduff) 1858, portrait.

GIBSON, George Stacey (only son of Wyatt George Gibson of Saffron Walden, Essex). b. Saffron Walden 20 July 1818; senior partner in firm of Gibson, Tuke and Gibson, bankers, Saffron Walden; clerk of yearly meeting of Soc. of Friends; added six species to the British flora, described in the Phytologist 1842–51; F.L.S. 1847; author of The Flora of Essex 1862. d. Temperance hotel, 12 Bishopsgate st. without, London 5 April 1883. Journal of Botany 1883, pp. 161–65, 2 portraits.

GIBSON, Rev. James. b. Crieff, Perthshire 31 Jany. 1799; educ. Glasgow univ.; licensed presbyterian minister 1820; travelled with Capt. Elliot in Portugal 1825; assistant in the College parish, Glasgow; built a ch. at Kingston, Glasgow, and was minister 1839–43; joined the Free church and had a chapel built for him at Kingston 1843; professor of systematic theology in Free ch. coll. Glasgow 1856; edited Church of Scotland Mag. 1834–37, and Scottish Protestant vols. i, ii, 1852; author of Marriage affinity question 1854; The public worship of God 1869 and other books. d. Glasgow 2 Nov. 1871. Wylie’s Disruption Worthies (1876) 261–64, portrait.

GIBSON, James. Called to bar in Ireland 1828; law adviser to general assembly of Irish presbyterian church; a comr. of national education in Ireland 1848 to death; chairman of Queen’s co.; chairman of co. Donegal to 1879; M.P. for Belfast, Aug. 1837 to March 1838 when unseated on petition; Q.C. 30 Jany. 1869. d. 35 Mountjoy sq. Dublin 5 Feb. 1880.

GIBSON, Sir James Brown, b. 1805; ed. at Univ. of Edin., M.D. 1826; M.R.C.S. Eng. 1826; hospital assistant in the army 14 Dec. 1826, surgeon 2 July 1841; served in Crimean war; body surgeon to Duke of Cambridge 1855; director general of medical department 7 March 1860 to 30 March 1867 when placed on h.p.; hon. physician to the Queen 16 Aug. 1859 to death; C.B. 2 Jany. 1857, K.C.B. 28 March 1865. d. Rome 25 Feb. 1868.

GIBSON, James Young (4 son of William Gibson of Edinburgh, merchant). b. Edinburgh 19 Feb. 1826; educ. Edin. univ. and at divinity hall of United Presbyterian ch. 1847–52, licensed preacher 1853, at Melrose 1853–59; travelled in Egypt and Palestine 1865 and in Spain 1871–72; settled in London 1872, at Long Ditton near Surbiton 1884; corrected proofs of J. Duffield’s Don Quixote 1881; translator and editor of Journey to Parnassus by Miguel de Cervantes 1883; Numantia, a tragedy by Miguel de Cervantes 1885. d. Granville hotel, Ramsgate 2 Oct. 1886. bur. Dean cemetery, Edin. The Cid by J. Y. Gibson, ed. M. D. Gibson, memoir by Agnes Smith 1887 pp. xxiii-lv, portrait; Illust. sp. and dr. news xxvi, 122 (1886).

GIBSON, Jane (2 dau. of John Gibson of Oakbank near Glasgow). b. Oakbank 22 May 1785; resided for many years in Edinburgh with Mrs. Grant of Laggan; founded the John Gibson bursaries in Glasgow Univ. at cost of £1000 in 1877. d. 9 Blythswood sq. Glasgow 25 Nov. 1887 aged 102 years and 6 months. Glasgow Herald 26 Nov. 1887 p. 4.

GIBSON, John. b. Newcastle 1794; ornamental and house painter and enameller in glass; painted church windows in Newcastle and neighbourhood; formed a gallery of paintings; sheriff of Newcastle 1853–4. d. the Leazes ter. Newcastle 25 Nov. 1854. Mackenzie’s Hist. of Newcastle (1827) pp. 345, 761.

GIBSON, John (son of a market gardener). b. Gyffin near Conway 19 June 1790; removed to Liverpool 1799; sent to Royal Academy Psyche drawn by Zephyrs 1816; came to London 1817; arrived in Rome 20 Oct. 1817; stayed there to 1844 where he studied under Canova and Thorwalsden; A.R.A. 1833, R.A. 1838; exhibited 33 works at R.A. 1816–64; his better known works are Mars and Cupid 1819, Hylas and the Nymphs 1826, Cupid tormenting the soul 1839, The Queen 1846, The tinted Venus 1854, Christ blessing little children 1862; revived the use of colour in statuary. d. Rome 27 Jany. 1866. bur. English cemetery, left £32,000 and the contents of his studio to the Royal Academy. Lady Eastlake’s Life of John Gibson (1870), portrait; W. B. Scott’s British school of sculpture (1871) 109–22; Sandby’s History of Royal Academy ii, 188–92 (1862); Illust. news of the world iii (1859), portrait.

Note.—The King of Bavaria placed his statue on the exterior of the Glyptothek at Munich and in the hall of the Walhalla near Ratisbon. There is a fine collection of about 20 casts from his best grouped statues at the Crystal Palace.

GIBSON, John (son of George Gibson of Leith, merchant). b. Leith 15 Jany. 1796; ed. at high school and Univ. of Edin.; writer to the Signet 1819; agent for the Buccleuch estates 1821 to death; legal adviser to Sir Walter Scott 1821–32; deputy keeper of the privy seal 1850; treasurer to Society of writers to the signet; published Reminiscences of Sir Walter Scott 1871. d. 29 Greenhill gardens, Edinburgh 14 Sep. 1877. A Mackie’s Review of the conduct of J. Gibson (1823).

GIBSON, John Thomas. Entered Madras army 1800; M.G. 23 Nov. 1841; colonel 1 European regiment 27 Feb. 1842 to death. d. Kotagherry, Madras 30 June 1851.

GIBSON, Solomon (younger brother of John Gibson, R.A. 1790–1866). Passed his life in Liverpool; modelled a small figure of Mercury when aged 16 which is his best work; exhibited 2 sculptures at R.A. 1816–22; a Greek, Latin and Welsh scholar; wrote many papers on ancient Welsh literature; lived chiefly on the bounty of his brother; fell down dead entering his hotel in Paris 29 Jany. 1866.

GIBSON, Thomas Milner (son of Thomas Milner Gibson, major 37 foot, d. 1807). b. Port of Spain, Trinidad 3 Sep. 1806; educ. Charterhouse 1819 and Trin. coll. Camb., B.A. 1830; M.P. Ipswich 1837–39; M.P. Manchester 1841–57; M.P. Ashton-under-Lyne 1857–68; a free trader 1837 and a prominent orator of Anti-corn law league; V.P. of board of trade 1846–48; P.C. 8 July 1846; moved vote of censure on Palmerston for his law of conspiracy bill which caused resignation of ministry 19 Feb. 1858; president of poor law board 1859; president of board of trade 1859–66; assumed additional surname of Milner 7 Feb. 1839; president of Assoc. for repeal of taxes on knowledge 1850, on repeal received testimonial 1 Oct. 1861; amateur yachtsman, navigating his own vessel, the last person who cruised in the Mediterranean with a pass from the dey of Algiers 1830. (m. 23 Feb. 1832 Susanna Arethusa only child of Rev. Sir T. G. Cullum, she was a leader in society and an advocate of mesmerism and spiritualism, d. Paris 23 Feb. 1885 aged 71). d. on board his yacht Resolute at Algiers 25 Feb. 1884. bur. Theberton churchyard 13 March. G. H. Francis’s Orators of the age (1847) 294–300; J. Evans’s Lancashire authors (1850) 101–5; I.L.N. 31 Dec. 1842 p. 541, portrait, 8 March 1884 pp. 217, 227, portrait.

GIBSON, Rev. William (son of James Gibson of Ballymena, co. Antrim, merchant). b. Ballymena 8 May 1808; Presbyterian minister of First Ballybay, co. Monaghan 1834; colleague of Rev. S. Hannay in Rosemary st. ch. Belfast 1840; professor of christian ethics in the assembly’s coll. Belfast 1847; moderator of the general assembly 1859; author of The position of the church of Ireland and the duty of presbyterians in reference to it 1835; The year of grace, a history of the Ulster revival of 1859, Edin. 1860; chief founder of the Banner of Ulster newspaper 1842. d. Dublin 8 June 1867.