William Gibbs (New Zealand politician)

William Gibbs (1819/1820 – 7 November 1896) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from the Nelson Region of New Zealand.

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1873–1875 5th Collingwood Independent
1875–1879 6th Collingwood Independent
1879–1881 7th Collingwood Independent

Gibbs migrated to New Zealand in 1851 and purchased a large block of land at Totaranui. Much of this land is now incorporated into the Abel Tasman National Park. He completed a large homestead there for his wife and eight children, where they lived until moving to Nelson in 1892 when Gibbs retired.[1]

His daughter Hannah Sarah Gibbs married Alexander Mackay at Collingwood in 1863.[2]

He narrowly lost (by three votes) the 1868 by-election for Collingwood.

He represented the Collingwood electorate from 1873 to 1881, when he was defeated for Motueka.[3] His son W. B. Gibbs stood in the Nelson electorate in the 1887 election, but came third against Henry Levestam and Jesse Piper.[4][5]

The town of Collingwood was originally called Gibbstown after Gibbs.

Gibbs died aged 76 at his home in Nelson on 7 November 1896,[6] and was buried at Wakapuaka Cemetery.[7]

References
  1. Nelson and Totaranui, Constance Astley's Trip to New Zealand, 1897-1898, Constance Astley, Victoria University Press, 1997, page 14 ISBN 0864733208, 9780864733207
  2. Armstrong, David A. "Alexander Mackay". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  3. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 199. OCLC 154283103.
  4. "The City Election". Nelson Evening Mail. XXI (222). 19 September 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  5. "The General Election, 1887". National Library. 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  6. "Death". The Colonist. 9 November 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  7. "Cemeteries database". Nelson City Council. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Arthur Collins		 Member of Parliament for Collingwood
1873–1881		 Constituency abolished


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