Sir Benjamin Thomas Brandreth-Gibbs (8 January 1821 – 2 June 1885) was an agriculturalist and horticulturalist who was

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for his services to both by

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in 1878.

Early life

Brandreth-Gibbs was born at Brompton Hall in London and baptized in 1821 in

Maulden Maulden is a village and civil parish located in the county of Bedfordshire. The village is located 1.5 miles east of Ampthill and about south of Bedford. It has about 1,250 homes and 3130 residents. Maulden is referred to in the Domesday Book ...

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, the youngest son of horticulturalist Thomas GibbsBenjamin Thomas Brandreth-Gibbs on the Silk Weavers and Stay Makers website
/ref> who founded 'Thomas Gibbs & Co., Seedmerchants' of Half-moon Street, London. Benjamin Thomas Brandreth-Gibbs studied under the Rev Henry Smith Pollard MA and Rev M Marcus MA and was about to enter St John's College, Oxford with intention of proceeding to the

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but suddenly decided to turn his attention to agricultural pursuits.''The Illustrated London News'' - 22 December 1855 pg 726

Career

He was a Superintendent in Class 9 - agricultural machinery, one of the largest sections - at

The Great Exhibition The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition (in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held), was an international exhibition which took pl ...

of 1851 and was a juror in the same class. He was one of the members of the Executive Committee formed after The Great Exhibition to set up a Memorial to the Exhibition which was to be in the form of "a testimonial of admiration and esteem" to Prince Albert, whose statue was to be its chief feature. The idea caused some embarrassment to Prince Albert and various other schemes were considered until the death of the Prince in 1861 led to his statue being put at the centre of the

Albert Memorial The Albert Memorial, directly north of the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington Gardens, London, was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband Prince Albert, who died in 1861. Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the Gothic ...

. Brandreth-Gibbs was engaged by the

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in superintending the selection of agricultural machinery for the British display at the

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of 1855; the display won five gold medals. He was a Superintendent on the Agricultural and Horticultural Committee of the

International Exhibition A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...

of 1862 when he oversaw the display of agricultural implements in the eastern uncovered annexe at

The Crystal Palace The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibit ...

. He was awarded the rank of Commander in the

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of Austria and Officer in the

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. He was

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on 27 November 1878 for services to horticulture. He was the Honorary Director of the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

for 32 years and was President in 1884. He was a Member of the

Royal Agricultural Society of England The Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) promotes the scientific development of English agriculture. It was established in 1838 with the motto "Practice with Science" and received its Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1840. RASE is bas ...

and was the Honorary Secretary of the

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for 35 years and a Vice-President from 1878 to his death in 1885.

Death

Benjamin Thomas Brandreth-Gibbs died in 1885 aged 64 years at his home Moseley House in West Kensington Park in London. He is buried in

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with his wife Catherine Mary (née Jackson) whom he married in 1870Lady Catherine Mary Brandreth-Gibbs - ''Dod's Peerage'' (1923)
/ref> and who died in 1937 aged 86, his daughter Catherine Alice who died in 1951 aged 78, and his infant sons Alsted (1876-1878) and Millard Brandreth-Gibbs (1880-1881). Another son was Villiers Gibbs.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brandreth-Gibbs, Benjamin Thomas 1821 births 1885 deaths English agriculturalists Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Royal Horticultural Society Burials at Brookwood Cemetery