Edgar Gibson

Edgar Gibson

Edgar Charles Sumner Gibson (born 1848 in Fawley, Hampshire, England, died 1924) was the 31st Bishop of Gloucester.^[1] He was born into a clerical family ^[2] and educated at Charterhouse and Trinity College, Oxford.^[3] Ordained in 1872, his first post was as Chaplain at Wells Theological College, rising to Vice Principal in 1875. His next post was as principal of Leeds Clergy School and he later became Rural Dean of the area and Vicar of Leeds Parish Church.

He was appointed an Honorary Chaplain to Queen Victoria in early January 1901.^[4]

In 1905 he was elevated to the episcopate where he remained until his death 19 years later.

His obituary in The Times noted that, "[h]e was an administrator and organizer of remarkable grasp and distinction^[5]".

Family

Gibson was born at Fawley, near Southampton.^[6] He was the son of William Gibson (1804–1862), Rector of Fawley,^[6] and his second wife Louisanna Sumner (1817–1899). Louisanna was the eldest daughter of Charles Richard Sumner (1790–1874; Bishop of Llandaff, 1826–1827; Bishop of Winchester, 1827–1868) and Jennie Fanny Barnabine [Maunoir] (1794–1849). She was therefore the niece of Charles' elder brother John Bird Sumner who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1848–62. Arthur's father William, had married Arthur's mother in 1837, the year after the death of his first wife Eliza Maria, (1808–1836). Louisanna was in fact the first cousin of William's first wife with Eliza having been the third daughter of John Bird Sumner.

Edgar was born in Fawley, Hampshire where his parents had moved in 1840 and where William became Rector. Edgar had two older half siblings from his father's first marriage: Marianne ('May'; 1832–1845) and John Sumner (1833–1892). From his father's second marriage he had six older siblings, Ella Sophia (1838–1928); Emily Louisa (1840–1887); Ada Frances (1841–1893); and Edith Harriet (1842–1922); Arthur Sumner (1844–1927) and Herbert William Sumner (1846–1923). He also had four younger siblings, Walter Sumner (1849–1918); Rosa Fanny (1850–1904); Florence Jennie (1853–1911) and finally Alan George Sumner (1856–1922). His elder brother, Arthur Sumner Gibson was a rugby union international, playing in the first international match in 1871.

Written works

• Northumbrian Saints (1884)
• Self-discipline (1894)
• Commentary on the Book of Job (1898)
• The Old Testament in The New (1904)
• The Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England (1908)

External links

• Bibliographic directory from Project Canterbury

Notes

1. The Times, Friday, Jun 02, 1905; pg. 4; Issue 37723; col D Consecration Of Bishop of Gloucester
2. His father was a clergyman and his son Theodore Sumner Gibson was a long serving Bishop in two South African Dioceses
3. "Who was Who" 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 ISBN 0-7136-3457-X
4. The London Gazette: no. 27263. p. 81. 4 January 1901.
5. The Times, Monday, Mar 10, 1924; p. 18; Issue 43596; col B Bishop Gibson. Scholar And Organizer Obituary
6. rev-william-gibson.co.uk – the genealogy associated with Reverend William Gibson 1804-1862