William Duff Gibbon was born 18 July 1837 in
Aberdeen, Scotland, the youngest of nine children to Rev. Charles Gibbon (1789–1871), the minister at
Lonmay, and Ann née Duff (1787-1867). He received his education at
Banff Academy and
Aberdeen Grammar School from 1848-1851, before studying at
Marischal College and then at the
University of Aberdeen. In 1855, at the age of eighteen, he left Scotland to grow coffee in
Ceylon under the tutelage of his brother-in-law, Robert Boyd Tytler, Tytler married Gibbon's older sister, Annie Grace (1830-1904). He commenced his planting career on the Madulkelle estate in the Kelebokka district. He then took over the management of the Oonoonagalla estate followed by the Madulkelle estate. In 1858 he took charge of the Hoolankanda estate. and youngest son, William Duff (1880-1955), who served as Lieutenant Colonel in the
Worcestershire Regiment, was severely wounded in the
battle of Sari Bair and went on to serve as the headmaster of
Campbell College. Gibbon was elected to the
Kandy Municipal Council for a number of years and was a
fellow of the
Royal Colonial Institute. Gibbon was a tea-planter and was
knighted in March 1912 for his 56 years developing the tea industry in Ceylon and for his services on the
Legislative Council of Ceylon. He also served as the Chairman of the Planters' Association of Ceylon in 1878 and was the organisation's first life member. He retired to England c.1911 and died on 19 March 1919 at Hathaway Cottage,
Bournemouth,
Hampshire at the age of 81. Gibbon was buried at the family plot in the
Lonmay churchyard,
Aberdeenshire, Scotland. == References ==