Auction Catalogue
Create new list‘Sir Walter was instrumental in raising the necessary funds and presenting to the British, French and Belgium Governments, upwards of 300 ambulances. He also presented a number to the British Red Cross Society, the War Office and the Territorial Forces Association of the County of Middlesex and donated the Willesden Auxiliary Hospital. To the British Red Cross he gave a hospital at Stourbridge Park and presented them with a cheque for one thousand guineas towards it’s upkeep. And he instituted a Red Cross Column consisting of 20 ambulances and maintained them for dealing with wounded at hospitals throughout London.’
Accompanying research, refers.
A unique K.B.E., O. St. J. group of thirteen awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Walter Gibbons, late Scots Guards and R.A.S.C. Motor Transport Volunteers: a notable philanthropist and theatrical agent, he was a Founder and Vice-Chairman of the Automobile Association and once owned the famous London Palladium
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, K.B.E. (Civil) Knight Commander’s 1st type set of insignia, neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; breast star, silver, silver-gilt and enamel; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight of Grace set of insignia (post-1926 type), neck badge, 58mm. diam., and breast star, 74mm. diam., silver and enamel, in case of issue; British War Medal 1914-20 (Lt. Col. W. Gibbons); Order of the League of Mercy, badge, silver-gilt and enamel; British Red Cross Society War Commemorative Medal 1914-18, unnamed; Romania, Order of the Star, 1st type, Officer’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, rosette on ribbon; Romania, Order of the Crown, 1st type, Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck cravat; Romania, Order of the Crown, 1st type, Officer’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, rosette on ribbon, minor damage to reverse; Belgium, Red Cross Decoration, silver and enamel, enamel damage; Romania, Medical Merit Cross, 1st Class breast badge, gilt base metal and enamel; Belgium, King Albert Medal, bronze; France, Medal of Honour, 1st Class, gilt; Russia, Provisional Government, Red Cross Badge, gilt and enamel, with ornate ‘ribbon’ suspension, medals mounted court-style as worn where applicable, in Spink, London leather case, generally very fine and better unless otherwise stated (15) £1600-1800
K.B.E. London Gazette 30 March 1920.
Knight of Grace of the Order of St. John London Gazette 1 July 1921.
Walter Gibbons was born on 14 May 1871 and was educated at St. Peter’s, Wolverhampton. A man of considerable wealth, he pursued many interests, charitable and otherwise, among them consulting engineer and theatrical manager - he once owned the famous London Palladium.
In 1905, he became one of the founders - and latterly the Vice-Chairman - of the Automobile Association. He was also onetime Chairman of the Royal Botanic Society.
During the Great War he served on the Home Establishment, onetime being attached to the 3rd Battalion, Scots Guards but otherwise serving as a Lieutenant-Colonel with command of the Royal Army Service Corps (Motor Transport) Volunteers, Middlesex. His military appointments aside, Gibbons was ‘donor of a large number of Red Cross Ambulances to the British and French authorities and a donor of Willesden Auxiliary Hospital’, as a consequence of which he was appointed K.B.E., a Knight of Grace of the Order of St. John and awarded numerous foreign orders and decorations - as described above and as confirmed in his Who’s Who entry.
During the railway strike of 1919 he was instrumental in the organisation of food supplies for London and during the Great Strike of 1921 he organised transport for London and the Home Counties. He was further honoured by being appointed one of H.M. Deputy Lieutenants for the County of London and was admitted to the Freedom of the City of London.
Sir Walter died on 22 October 1933, his financial affairs latterly having become ‘involved’; sold with copied photograph and copied research.
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