Harry Edward Gibbs was born in St. James’s Square, Notting Hill, London in 1874; the eighth child of James and Mary Elizabeth. After the family emigrated to New Zealand in 1878, he was educated at Nelson College and then at Edinburgh University where he graduated MB ChB in 1898. For a time he worked as house physician in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary [1898] and as a house surgeon in the Liverpool Children’s Hospital [1899]. He obtained an MD [Edinburgh] in 1900 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh in the same year.
Harry Edward returned to New Zealand in 1901, initially practicing in Hawera before becoming an Honorary Physician at Wellington Hospital 1902 – 06 and Honorary Surgeon 1906 – 14. From 1914 – 24 he was Honorary Children’s Surgeon at Wellington Hospital.
He was described as a man of wide interests; all pursued with vigour and was recognised as one of the old school of medical practitioners - guide, philosopher and friend to his patients. He had a deep sense of personal responsibility and a keen interest in the prestige of the profession.
He died in Wellington on the 23rd December 1953. His wife, formally Miss Annie M.W. Gardner from Edinburgh had died in 1945 but he was survived by two sons and a daughter with one of the sons, Edward G. Gibbs graduating MB ChB [1928], MD [1930] from Edinburgh University and gaining his FRCS Edinburgh [1931] before becoming a surgeon in Wellington.
Genealogical research into the Gibbs family reveals several descendants alive today, mostly in New Zealand and that several members of the family went on to have extraordinary lives in their own right with quite a few continuing to be involved with the medical profession - a truly remarkable family.
