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Duncan Gibb Snr

On 31st August 1898, Liverpool’s Necropolis Cemetery (Low Hill/Everton), was closed, due to an edict of the City Fathers, stating the unsanitary conditions spreading to surrounding neighbourhoods, plus the fact that the Cemetery was nearing its full capacity of 80,000 burials. The old headstones, were ‘dropped’ over the graves, and subsequently landscaped in the early 1910’s, to make ‘Grant Gardens’ a public park, which was opened by City Alderman J.R.Grant in 1914.

Grant Gardens

Headstones from ‘active’ private plots at the Necropolis, were removed to Everton Cemetery along with much older headstones and remains from Church Graveyards within the city boundaries, when public works, such as road widening or improvements to the riverside docks were undertaken in the early 1900’s, which cut into these old burial sites… This headstone is one of the aforementioned Necropolis stones.

The majority of standing Necropolis Headstones here at Everton Cemetery are in the centre of Section GEN6, however, there are a few of these headstones placed in other religious denomination sections of the Cemetery. Older ‘dropped’ Headstones and remains, from Churches within the City, (now long gone), are buried in the outer boundary sections of Everton Cemetery (CE32-38).

Everton Cemetery… Section GEN6 – the obelisk, Gibb memorial

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the Duncan Gibb memorial

In one of the back sections of Everton Cemetery, stands a lone obelisk memorial stone, from a time before the opening of the cemetery, for this stone is one of the ‘Necropolis‘ stones. Obviously too large to the ‘dropped’ and covered to make Grant Gardens, this stone was transported to the cemetery in the late 1800’s and stands as a testimony of a forgotten age and history. There are no souls buried under the stone, but in search of its owner, research was to take me out of Liverpool and over to the Isle of Man…

Duncan Gibb Snr

The first inscription on the memorial is to Mr Duncan Gibb.

Duncan was born in Greenock/Scotland on 19/04/1792 to William and Catherine Gibb and by working age, was working for Pollock, Gilmour & Co. importing timber from overseas (Nova Scotia). This was to give Duncan, the experience of the timber business, which was to dominate his life and subsequent wealth in the years to follow. at some time in his youth, Duncan moved to the bustling port of Liverpool, to begin his own business as a timber merchant, but remained an ‘agent‘ for PG&Co. who no doubt supplied him with timber, which he would then sell on to customers… especially in the boat building industry on the Liverpool waterfront.

Janet Gibb (nee Blake)

Duncan married a local heiress (Janet Blake) on 15/06/1830 and they had 1 living son (Duncan) and 4 daughters (Elizabeth, Catherine, Janet & Mary). The 1851 Census, shows the family living at… 31 Upper Parliament Street / Toxteth Park. This census does not show Duncan Jnr living at home, and research on this reveals him at a boarding school in Scotland.

Mr. Gibb was also instrumental in the founding and support of the ‘Liverpool Sailors Home‘ in which he was a trustee and subsequently supported the home for many years, with large donations from his own personal funds.

An interesting account of the 1929 Stock Market Crash, tells of how Mr. Duncan Gibb, the agent for Pollok, Gilmour & Co. hid a Canadian Entrepreneur named Edward Cunard, in a cottage, to escape his creditors, before providing a boat to row him to a steamer after it had left its mooring on the River Mersey, bound for Nova Scotia… Edward Cunard owed his creditors in excess of £130,000. but claimed he had assets totalling £275,000. in Nova Scotia…

Edward Cunard, must have been one of PG&co’s Nova Scotia timber suppliers, it would not have been in PG&Co’s (and Duncan’s) business interests for Edward Cunard, to be embroiled in legal actions from his creditors here in the UK at the time… Therefore, it was in the best interest of the company, to get him back to Nova Scotia, to keep supplying his timber… However… it is recorded that Edward appointed his son, to take charge of satisfying their UK creditors… and he did over time fulfil those claims on the business, selling off property etc in the Nova Scotia area… this would have been more challenging, if Edward had been declared bankrupt here in the UK, and had he not been spirited away during the Stock Market Crash of 1929, to continue the business…

The ‘Grove’ at Ramsey IoM

Whilst visiting the Isle of Man, on business in 1833, Mr. Gibb saw a bungalow called ‘The Grove’ in Andreas Rd. Ramsey, he was that impressed with its location, he bought the bungalow and promptly engaged an architect, and converted the bungalow with another floor plus more rooms etc, to how it is now (see picture) originally The Grove was used as a holiday home for the family, but in later years, it became Duncan & Janet’s permanent residence and Duncan was in fact, to die here… The house is now a Museum of Victorian Life.

One thing is for certain… Duncan Gibb Snr, is not buried in Liverpool Necropolis Cemetery or Everton Cemetery, and as such the inscription on the obelisk monument is in fact in Memorium only, as Duncan Gibb… is buried on the IoM, and I have the records and headstone to prove it… lol.

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The second inscription on the memorial is to William Gibb

Duncan and Janet, had four girls and three boys, during their marriage… the first son born, was Duncan Jnr (born 09/07/1839)… James (born 31/01/1843)… and William (born 10/03/1848). Sadly, James was to die 01/07/1843 aged 6 months and William died on 13/03/1848 just 3 days old. William is the son buried at Liverpool’s Necropolis Cemetery (now Grant Gardens).

News Publications of the day…

James Gibb’s birth announcement… Liverpool Mail 18/02/1843

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William Gibb’s birth announcement… Liverpool Mail 11/03/1848

 

William Gibb’s death notice… Liverpool Mail 18/03/1848

 

Duncan’s Second son, James, was born in Liverpool, but was buried in the IoM, after his short life… Duncan & Janet’s third son, was born in the family home at 31 Upper Parliament Street, and was buried in the Liverpool Necropolis Cemetery, a matter of days later… and is inscribed on the obelisk memorial stone.

 

 

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The third inscription on the memorial is to another Duncan Gibb

In the 1833 Asiatic Journal (page 203), dated June 17th, it is recorded that Duncan Gibb (age 24) took ill and died on the return journey from Bombay to Liverpool. The monument records, the fact that his body was preserved, for the passage home, and buried at Liverpool’s Necropolis Cemetery. However, more research is needed to reveal the relationship of this individual to Duncan Gibb Snr.