Frederick William Gibbins
Encyclopedia
Frederick William Gibbins (1 April 1861 – 30 July 1937) was a Welsh
businessman and Liberal Party
politician.
the eldest son of F J Gibbins, a local Justice of the Peace
. He was educated privately but also attended the Quaker School in Scarborough. In 1898 he married Sarah Jennet Rhys, the daughter of Jenkin Rhys of Ysguborfawr, Breconshire. They had two sons. In religion Gibbins was a devout member of the Society of Friends.
manufacturing. He entered the tinplate trade in 1880 and was assistant manager at the Ynispenllwch works in 1884. In 1890 he erected and managed the Eagle Tinplate works at Melyn in Neath. He was regarded as a model employer in his industry. He provided his workers with a canteen, a lending library as well as other recreational facilities. He was also looked upon as fair-minded and was often asked to act as an arbitrator in trades disputes. He was one of the founders of the Welsh Plate and Sheets Manufacturers' Association and was its chairman from 1910 to 1922. In the years after the First World War however small, independent, tinplate makers faced difficult economic conditions and, like others in the trade, Gibbins withdrew from production. After 31 years in the business he sold out to Baldwin Ltd in 1921 making well over £100,000. He went on to develop interests in the insurance industry, becoming a director of the London and Scottish Assurance Corporation and he was sometime chairman of the Welsh Insurance Corporation.
, Samuel Thomas Evans
resigned his seat to take up the post of President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice
. This resulted in a by-election
and the Mid Glamorgan Liberal and Labour Association selected Gibbins to fight the seat. Gibbins was initially reluctant having given certain private assurances that he would not contest the election but he was prevailed upon to change his mind and having consulted his close friends (and perhaps getting the permission of his wife), he agreed to stand. The by-election was acrimonious because it signalled a rupture between the Liberals and organised Labour in the area, especially the South Wales Miners Federation. It also caused internal conflicts for the Liberal Party as the local Association had been put under pressure by the Liberal Chief Whip
, the Master of Elibank
. Elibank wanted the Liberals to stand aside in favour of a Labour
candidate in the interests of good relations with Labour at Westminster
where the Liberal government now depended on Labour and the Irish Nationalists
. However, the Liberals in Mid Glamorgan did not wish to yield the seat and determined to fight it. With tacit Unionist
support given to him in a campaign characterised by anti-socialist rhetoric, Gibbins held the seat for the Liberals with a majority of 2,710 against a strong Labour challenge from Vernon Hartshorn
a prominent miners’ official who later sat as Labour MP for Ogmore
.
However in the words of historian Brinley Richards, “the hurly-burly of Parliamentary life was not to [Gibbins’] liking.” He served as MP only a few months, standing down at the general election in December 1910. Thereafter he concentrated on business, industrial relations and philanthropy. Perhaps this was as well given another historian’s assessment of Gibbins as having no political talent or background.
and Edwardian Liberal political class. He served on committees, commercial and philanthropic. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace for the county of Glamorgan
. He was an ardent upholder of hospital work and a vice-president of the Welsh National Memorial Association. He served as High Sheriff of Glamorgan
for 1908.
In 1911 the Board of Trade
set up an Industrial Council to act as a National Conciliation Council in relation to labour and trade disputes. Gibbins was appointed to sit on the Council as one of the employers’ representatives.
In 1916, Gibbins was appointed a member of the Appeal Tribunal for Glamorgan under the Military Service Act 1916 which introduced conscription
. Under the Act those called up were entitled to appeal on grounds of conscientious objection or that they should be included in the reserved occupations (usually industrial but which also included clergymen and teachers). One factor in Gibbins' appointment could possibly have been his Quaker upbringing as he would have had expert knowledge of religious objection.
. He later moved again to Glynsaer, Llandovery
where he died on 30 July 1937 aged 76. He was buried at Cynghordy, near Llandovery.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
businessman and Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Family and education
Gibbins was born in NeathNeath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
the eldest son of F J Gibbins, a local Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. He was educated privately but also attended the Quaker School in Scarborough. In 1898 he married Sarah Jennet Rhys, the daughter of Jenkin Rhys of Ysguborfawr, Breconshire. They had two sons. In religion Gibbins was a devout member of the Society of Friends.
Career
Gibbins main business concern was tinplateTinning
Tinning is the process of thinly coating sheets of wrought iron or steel with tin, and the resulting product is known as tinplate. It is most often used to prevent rust....
manufacturing. He entered the tinplate trade in 1880 and was assistant manager at the Ynispenllwch works in 1884. In 1890 he erected and managed the Eagle Tinplate works at Melyn in Neath. He was regarded as a model employer in his industry. He provided his workers with a canteen, a lending library as well as other recreational facilities. He was also looked upon as fair-minded and was often asked to act as an arbitrator in trades disputes. He was one of the founders of the Welsh Plate and Sheets Manufacturers' Association and was its chairman from 1910 to 1922. In the years after the First World War however small, independent, tinplate makers faced difficult economic conditions and, like others in the trade, Gibbins withdrew from production. After 31 years in the business he sold out to Baldwin Ltd in 1921 making well over £100,000. He went on to develop interests in the insurance industry, becoming a director of the London and Scottish Assurance Corporation and he was sometime chairman of the Welsh Insurance Corporation.
Politics
In 1910 the sitting Liberal MP for the constituency of Mid GlamorganshireMid Glamorganshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Glamorganshire was a county constituency in Glamorganshire, Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:...
, Samuel Thomas Evans
Samuel Thomas Evans
Sir Samuel Thomas Evans GCB PC QC , was a Welsh barrister, judge and Liberal politician.-Background and education:...
resigned his seat to take up the post of President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
. This resulted in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
and the Mid Glamorgan Liberal and Labour Association selected Gibbins to fight the seat. Gibbins was initially reluctant having given certain private assurances that he would not contest the election but he was prevailed upon to change his mind and having consulted his close friends (and perhaps getting the permission of his wife), he agreed to stand. The by-election was acrimonious because it signalled a rupture between the Liberals and organised Labour in the area, especially the South Wales Miners Federation. It also caused internal conflicts for the Liberal Party as the local Association had been put under pressure by the Liberal Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
, the Master of Elibank
Alexander Murray, 1st Baron Murray of Elibank
Alexander William Charles Oliphant Murray, 1st Baron Murray of Elibank PC , called The Master of Elibank between 1871 and 1912, was a Scottish nobleman and Liberal politician. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury under H. H...
. Elibank wanted the Liberals to stand aside in favour of a Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate in the interests of good relations with Labour at Westminster
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
where the Liberal government now depended on Labour and the Irish Nationalists
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
. However, the Liberals in Mid Glamorgan did not wish to yield the seat and determined to fight it. With tacit Unionist
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
support given to him in a campaign characterised by anti-socialist rhetoric, Gibbins held the seat for the Liberals with a majority of 2,710 against a strong Labour challenge from Vernon Hartshorn
Vernon Hartshorn
Vernon Hartshorn was a Welsh trades unionist and Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament from 1918 until his death....
a prominent miners’ official who later sat as Labour MP for Ogmore
Ogmore (UK Parliament constituency)
Ogmore is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Boundaries :Taking its name from the River Ogmore, the constituency is situated close to the source of the river in the Ogwr valley and excludes the village of Ogmore-by-Sea, which is the...
.
However in the words of historian Brinley Richards, “the hurly-burly of Parliamentary life was not to [Gibbins’] liking.” He served as MP only a few months, standing down at the general election in December 1910. Thereafter he concentrated on business, industrial relations and philanthropy. Perhaps this was as well given another historian’s assessment of Gibbins as having no political talent or background.
Other appointments
Gibbins was typical of the late VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and Edwardian Liberal political class. He served on committees, commercial and philanthropic. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace for the county of Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
. He was an ardent upholder of hospital work and a vice-president of the Welsh National Memorial Association. He served as High Sheriff of Glamorgan
High Sheriff of Glamorgan
This page is a list of High Sheriffs of Glamorgan. Sheriffs of Glamorgan served under and were answerable to the independent Lords of Glamorgan until that lordship was merged into the crown. This is in contrast to sheriffs of the English shires who were from the earliest times officers of the crown...
for 1908.
In 1911 the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
set up an Industrial Council to act as a National Conciliation Council in relation to labour and trade disputes. Gibbins was appointed to sit on the Council as one of the employers’ representatives.
In 1916, Gibbins was appointed a member of the Appeal Tribunal for Glamorgan under the Military Service Act 1916 which introduced conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
. Under the Act those called up were entitled to appeal on grounds of conscientious objection or that they should be included in the reserved occupations (usually industrial but which also included clergymen and teachers). One factor in Gibbins' appointment could possibly have been his Quaker upbringing as he would have had expert knowledge of religious objection.
Death
In 1922, Gibbins went to live at Cwm Irfon Lodge, Llanwrtyd WellsLlanwrtyd Wells
Llanwrtyd Wells is a small town in the parish of Llanwrtyd in Powys, mid Wales, lying on the River Irfon.With a population of 601 people , it claims to be the smallest town in Britain, although Fordwich in Kent has a smaller population...
. He later moved again to Glynsaer, Llandovery
Llandovery
Llandovery is a market town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tywi and the A40 road.The town is served by Llandovery railway station, where there is a park and ride to Llanelli and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales Line...
where he died on 30 July 1937 aged 76. He was buried at Cynghordy, near Llandovery.