Sir Humphrey Gibbs | |
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![]() Gibbs in 1948 | |
8thGovernor of Southern Rhodesia[a] | |
In office 28 December 1959 – 11 November 1965[b] De jure: 28 December 1959 – 24 June 1969[c] | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Prime Minister | Sir Edgar Whitehead Winston Field Ian Smith |
Preceded by | Sir Peveril William-Powlett |
Succeeded by | De facto:Clifford Dupont (Acting Officer Administering the Government) De jure: Christopher Soames, Lord Soames (holding the reinstated office of Governor after 12 December 1979) |
Personal details | |
Born | (1902-11-22)22 November 1902 London, England |
Died | 5 November 1990(1990-11-05) (aged 87) Harare,Zimbabwe |
Spouse | |
Residence(s) | Government House, Salisbury |
Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
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Sir Humphrey Vicary Gibbs,GCVO KCMG OBE KStJ PC (22 November 1902 – 5 November 1990), was the penultimateGovernor of the colony ofSouthern Rhodesia, from 24 October 1964 described by its internationally unrecognised government simply asRhodesia, who served until, and opposed, theUnilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965.
Gibbs was born on 22 November 1902 in England, the third son ofThe Hon.Herbert Gibbs, later created, in 1923,The 1st Baron Hunsdon of Hunsdon. He was educated atLudgrove School,Eton andTrinity College, Cambridge. He moved toSouthern Rhodesia in 1928, buying a farm at Nyamandhlovu, nearBulawayo.[1]
He became active in farming administration and helped found the National Farmers Union. He was elected to theLegislative Assembly at thegeneral election of 1948 as aUnited Party member, representing the constituency ofWankie, serving one term before standing down in 1954.[2]
In 1959, QueenElizabeth II appointed Gibbs asGovernor of Southern Rhodesia and appointed him a Knight Commander of theOrder of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1960.
TheUnilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) by theRhodesian Front government (underPrime MinisterIan Smith) in November 1965 placed Gibbs in a very difficult position. He was intensely loyal toRhodesia, and was a close friend of Ian Smith, but he was also equally loyal to his office as the Queen'sviceroy. While understanding what had made Smith's government declare the UDI, Gibbs decided that final legality rested withthe Crown, not Smith and his government.
By the time Smith andDeputy Prime MinisterClifford Dupont called on Governor Gibbs after the UDI was signed,Whitehall had directed Gibbs to use hisreserve power to dismiss Smith and his entire cabinet from office. Gibbs complied with the order without hesitation. He declared that by issuing the UDI, Smith and his government had committed an act of treason.
However, Smith and his ministers simply ignored the dismissal, advising Gibbs that "in view of the new [Rhodesian] constitution..., he no longer has any executive powers in Rhodesia"—and therefore, his power to sack them no longer existed.[3][4]
Several high-ranking officers of the Rhodesian military went to Governor Gibbs earlier in the day, made a statement of loyalty to him, and asked Gibbs to issue a warrant so that they could arrest Smith and Dupont. However, Gibbs knew that the bulk of the officer corps, as well as the rank and file of the Rhodesian military, were solidly behind Smith's government and that such a move would lead to acoup d'état.
Gibbs announced that despite the UDI, he had no intention of resigning his office or leavingRhodesia, and that therefore, he would remain inGovernment House inSalisbury as the sole legal representative of Queen Elizabeth II.[5] With few exceptions, the international community continued to recognise him as the Queen's sole legitimate representative in the area—and thus, the only lawful authority in what London maintained was still the colony ofSouthern Rhodesia.[6]
In response, Smith declared that Government House was only "temporarily occupied" by Gibbs "in a personal capacity", and would be occupied by Dupont once it became available.[3] This action led to four years of harassment and petty afflictions by the Rhodesian government, resulting in making Gibbs and his wife virtually prisoners in Government House, by cutting off his telephone, electricity and water.[7]
It also took away his ceremonial guard and official cars, and sent him bills for the rent of Government House, which he refused to pay.[8] However, his supporters set up a Governor's Fund to pay for the upkeep of the building, and with the assistance of a small staff, led byJohn Pestell, he managed to remain defiant.[9]
While Gibbs continued to occupy Government House, Dupont and his wife held official receptions at Governor's Lodge in theSalisbury suburb of Highlands.[10] This had previously been used by Gibbs when Southern Rhodesia was part of theFederation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.[11] During this time, Government House had been the residence of theGovernor-General of the Federation.[12]
In 1967, on the second anniversary of UDI, Gibbs declared that his visitors' book would be open to all those who wished to show their loyalty toThe Queen, while Dupont, in response, announced that the visitors' book at his office, on the same street, would be open to all those who wished to show their support for UDI.[13]
In June 1969, Gibbs resigned after Smith's government held and won areferendum that year making Rhodesia a republic.[8] He remained in Rhodesia and lived the rest of his life on his farm. Throughout the 1970s he was known for supporting the cause of African nationalism, which brought him into conflict with the government of Ian Smith. Later he was appointed toHer Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council and was made a Knight Grand Cross of theRoyal Victorian Order (GCVO) by QueenElizabeth II. After independence in 1980 he decided to "stay on" and took up Zimbabwean citizenship. He stayed on his farm where he had been living since 1970 until 1983 when he moved toHarare, where he lived until his death in 1990.[14]
Gibbs died inHarare on 5 November 1990, with his funeral held at theCathedral of St Mary and All Saints, Harare.[15][16] In 2004 a memorial to Gibbs byLettering and Sculpture Limited was unveiled inSt Paul's Cathedral in London.
On 17 January 1934, Gibbs married Molly Peel Nelson (b. 13 July 1912,Johannesburg) in Bulawayo, and they had five sons together. Molly Gibbs (Lady Gibbs from 1960), was appointed as a Commander of theOrder of St John of Jerusalem (CStJ) in 1960, and a Dame Commander of theOrder of the British Empire (DBE) in 1969.[17][18] Following Gibbs' death in 1990, Molly Gibbs moved to England and died on 20 January 1997 inTunbridge Wells,Kent.
Member ofThe Most Honourable Privy Council | 1969 | |
![]() | Knight Grand Cross of theRoyal Victorian Order (GCVO) | 9 July 1969[19] |
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) | 18 November 1965[20] | |
![]() | Knight Commander of theOrder of St Michael and St George (KCMG) | NY 1960[21] |
![]() | Knight of theOrder of St John of Jerusalem (KStJ) | NY 1960[17] |
![]() | Officer of theOrder of the British Empire (OBE; Civil Division) | NY 1959[22] |
![]() | Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal | Coronation 1953 |
Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly | ||
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Preceded by | Member of Parliament forWankie 1948 – 1954 | Constituency abolished |
Government offices | ||
Preceded by | Governor of Southern Rhodesia 1959 – 1969 | Succeeded byas Officer Administering the Government (from 1965) |
Vacant Title next held by Lord Soames |