• Born: 1858, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ¹
• Married: 18 Oct 1882, All Saints' Church, St. Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ²
• Died: 4 Apr 1918, "Dittisham, " Orrong Rd., East St. Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ^{3 4}

  Research Notes:

Harry Browse Gibbs died aged 59 years.

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Harry B. Gibbs, architect, formerly of E. St. Kilda, probate 8 Jun 1918, Melbourne. ⁴

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"IN MEMORIAM. The Late Harry Browse Gibbs. Councillor Harry Browse Gibbs, who passed away at his residence, "Dittisham," Orrong road, East St. Kilda, on Thursday, 4th inst., was one of the leading architects of Melbourne and the senior partner in the firm of H. B. Gibbs and Finlay. He was a son of the late Mr. Richard Gibbs and was educated at Wesley College. In after years his architectural ability, and his eye for artistic effect was very pronounced and many prominent buildings in Melbourne and the suburbs were planned and carried out by his firm, the last of note from an artistic point of view in this district, we believe, being the Empire Cafe on the St. Kilda Esplanade which he designed for the Prahran and Malvern Tramway Trust and which is certainly an adornment to that popular spot. He was the architect for the National Bank and the English, Scottish and Australian Bank, and some years since designed and supervised the erection of the " Prahran Telegraph " printing offices. As a resident of St. Kilda, he took a warm interest in its progress, and fifteen years since was asked to come forward as a candidate for a seat in the council as one of the representatives of the North Ward in opposition to the retiring representative, Cr. T. G. Allen, and a largely signed requisition to that effect was presented to Mr. Gibbs. At that time St. Kilda, as a municipality, was financially dead, or slumbering might be the more appropriate term, but it was proposed to expend from £18,000 to £20,000 on the completion of the town hall. Mr. Gibbs came forward as a " reform " candidate in opposition to this proposal and won the seat by 644 votes to 271 for Cr. Allen, since when he has sat continuously as one of its representatives. Two years later he was elected Mayor and held that position also in the following term (1905-6-7).

It was during his mayoralty that the Government issued an Order in Council authorising the formation of the Foreshore Trust, representing the Board of Land and Works and the St. Kilda council for the improvement of the foreshore, the committee comprising Mr. R. G. McCutcheon, Captain A. Currie, Mr. C. Catini, Mr. F. Wimpole, Crs. H. F. Barnet, G. H. Billson and Edward O'Donnell, and the mayor. Cr. H. A. Gibbs, as chairman, with Mr. H. O. Allen, as secretary. The work of the Trust has been so fully set forth in these columns that it only remains to be said that Cr. Gibbs, as chairman, took the keenest interest in the progress of those improvements which are now nearing completion. Of recent years also he was a representative from the St. Kilda council on the Metropolitan Board of Works, a position for which his professional ability eminently fitted him, and he was likewise a member of the board of management of the Alfred Hospital. The bluff and kindly personality of the deceased gentleman made him at all times very popular, and his record stands for much excellent municipal work, attempted and done. During the past year or two he has suffered considerably and, from a remarkably fine looking man, fell away rapidly, his seat at the council table having been vacant for some months. He was sixty years of age at the time of his death and leaves a widow, three sons and two daughters. His remains were interred at the Brighton Cemetery in the presence of a large and representative concourse of personal friends and public men. At the assembling of the St. Kilda Council on Monday evening, the Mayor (Cr. O'Donnell) rose and said he regretted exceedingly to announce the death of Cr. Gibbs. He had occupied a seat in the council for the North Ward for 15 years continuously. He was mayor for two years, chairman of the Foreshore Trust, and representative of the council on the Metropolitan Board of Works. They were all deeply moved at losing such a very fine and able colleague. He moved that a letter of condolence be sent to the relatives of the deceased. Cr. Hughes, in seconding the motion, as one who had been associated with Cr. Gibbs during the whole of his municipal career, said that by his death the city had lost an able councillor, who had always given his personal and professional ability in the interests of the ratepayers. During his illness he had suffered intensely, and the fortitude with which he bore his illness was only an example of his character. The city had lost a man who took a keen interest in his work. The motion was carried by a rising vote, and the council adjourned out of respect to the memory of the late councillor."

The Prahran Telegraph, Saturday, 13 Apr 1918, p. 5