William Gibbons 1649-1728

William GIBBONS 1649-1728

Gibbons's bookplate (British Museum Franks Collection *453)

Biographical Note

Born 25 September 1649 at Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, son of John Gibbons (d. 1693) and Elizabeth, daughter of Roland Frith. He studied at Merchant Taylors' School, London and went to St John's College, Oxford, in 1668. BA St John's College, Oxford, 1672; MA 1675; DM 1683. Practised in London; joined the Royal College of Physicians 1691, fellow 1692, censor 1716. Lived in Covent Garden, died 25 March 1728.

Noted for attending the lord chancellor in 1697 and opposing the establishment of the Royal College of Physicans' Dispensary. He is anecdotally credited with the introduction of mahogany to England.

Books

He used an early armorial bookplate dated 1703 (Franks *453). Though he left money to various institutions for the purchase of books, nothing is known of the extent or disposition of Gibbons' own collection.

Characteristic Markings

None of Gibbons' books have been identified.

Sources

• Will of William Gibbons, Doctor in Physic of Saint Paul Covent Garden, Middlesex, The National Archives PROB 11/621/266.
• Creighton, Charles, and Patrick Wallis. "Gibbons, William (1649–1728), physician." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.