Tim Gibbs (1956F) | 1938 -2019

We say farewell to Tim Gibbs (1956F, below) who passed away on 21st May in Gloucester. His brother Ken (F, 1957) writes of Tim,

Tim never managed to acquire any technical qualification because he was involved in so many aspects of life in Southern Rhodesia/Zimbabwe that he never seemed to have the time to study.  He ran the family farm when our father became Governor of Rhodesia and continued after father was released after four years of house arrest, continuing till 1983 when the farm was sold.  He played a leading role in the Commercial Farmers’ Union; he took over the political party which stood in opposition to Ian Smith but never was able to win a seat in parliament; he played a role in the church; and around 1980, he was given a couple of gold mines which others found they could not manage.  He never was able to extract any gold but when pumping out the mines, he discovered many skeletons which were thought to be Matabele whom Mugabe had seen as a challenge and sent in his 5th Brigade (under the direction of Mnangagwa, The Crocodile), to ‘remove’ the problem.  What a gift !  Tim and his family moved to the UK in 1984 because living on a farm in Zimbabwe at that time was simply too dangerous." 

Our sincere condolences go to Tim's wife Sue and children David, Sarah, James and Caroline.