Obituary MRS T. F. GIBSON

Press, Volume C, Issue 29415, 18 January 1961, Page 2

Obituary MRS T. F. GIBSON

A member of one of Canterbury's pioneer families, Mrs Lucy Mary Gibson, died at her home, *’Ashbrook,’’ Fendalton, recently. Mrs Gibson, the widow of Mr Thomas Firbank Gibson, a well - known Christchurch

busmessman, was the granddaughter of the Ven. Archdeacon Mathias, first archdeacon of Akaroa and Christchurch, who gave to the diocese the 20 acres of land on which St, Peter’s Church, Upper Riccarton, now stands. Mrs Gibson's father, Mr H. J. Mathias, was a son of the Archdeacon and with Mr Edward Maxwell, and later with his stepson, Mr H. A. Knight, owned Racecourse Hill, a station that at that time comprised 7300 acres. Mrs Gibson was born at Racecourse Hill and was educated at Mrs Bowen’s private school in Christchurch. After her marriage she lived for some years in Ashburton and later the family moved to Christchurch. An enthusiastic Red Cross worker during two world wars, Mrs Gibson was a member of the Merivale sub-centre until her death. Her kindness and hospitality will be long remembered by all who visited “Ashbrook” during her lifetime, and she will be sadly missed by a very wide circle of friends and relatives. She is survived by one son, Mr T. F. M. Gibson, and three daughters, Mrs E. G. Rhodes (Fendalton), Mrs J. McLean Reid (Kaikoura), and Mrs G. C. Oldham (Sydney).