George Bowran Gibson

George Bowran Gibson was born at Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, June 6th 1898, one of 9 children he was the eldest of 5 brothers and 4 sisters of whom only 7 survived, his sister Sarah Jane born in 1891 died in 1893 aged 2 years, Mary (May) born 1897 died in 1898. His father Thomas Dundas Spiers Gibson born at Houston, Renfrewshire Scotland, March 22nd 1862, married at Gateshead during the first quarter of 1889, Ellen Elizabeth Blackbird born at Felling in 1870. Newly married they lived at Havelock Street, Heworth where Thomas was an assistant school master. Ten years later he had abandoned teaching and was the hotel/pub manager of the Collingwood Hotel, Collingwood Street, Heworth, where he and the entire family lived in. By 1911 the family had moved to 4a, Jesmond Terrace, Whitley Bay, from where Thomas ran a glaziers shop for his own account, George (21) was employed in the glass trade as a glazier, John (14) as an assistant at a butchers shop.

George Bowran Gibson emigrated to Australian aboard the vessel Gneisenau, leaving Bremerhaven Germany bound for Fremantle, Western Australia, August 14th 1912, settling at Perth where he continued to ply his trade as a glazier. During WW1 he served with the 2/11th Australian Imperial Force, service number 7174 one of the first battalion to be formed.

The 2/11th following a brief period of training at Perth they were sent to Egypt undergoing intensive training and acclimatisation. April 1915 they were part of the invasion force on the Gallipoli peninsular, landing at Anzac Cove, in August they were in action during the Battle of Lona Pine. They were withdrawn from Gallipoli back to Egypt and split to help form the 51st Battalion. March 1916 they departed for the Western Front in France and Belgium where they stayed until November 1918 and were disbanded in 1919.

Having returned to Australia George married May 20th 1919 at Perth Elsie Elizabeth Wedderburn, an English immigrant born at Whitley Bay, Northumberland, July 14th 1891. Their daughter Ellen Elizabeth born at Victoria Park, April 2nd 1920 married William Kell in 1941 with whom she had a daughter Alison in 1946 who died that same year. Ellen Elizabeth Kell nee Gibson died October 8th 1974 at Perth. Son John (Jack) Gibson was born at Victoria Park. August 5th 1923, married in 1946 to Coralie Ada Brennan nee Malpass they had a son Robert George born October 27th 1947, their marriage ended in divorce. With his second wife Evelyn Maisie Johnson whom he married in 1952 he had a son Neil John born April 5th 1956 who died August 27th. During WW2 John Gibson served in the Army with the 2nd Australian Imperial Force, service number WX30056, he died at Perth Western Australia, August 2nd 2001.

George Bowran Gibson died August 27th 1958 aged 60 years, Elsie Elizabeth Gibson nee Wedderburn, April 10th 1972 aged 81 years , both registered at Canning, Western Australia.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.