Joseph’s eldest son, Herbert John, joined the business as a wheelwright’s assistant. He was described as a thin, delicate man, but his skills led to a considerable expansion around the turn of the century. Herbert was interested in new developmen…
John’s grandson, Herbert John Gibbs, continued the family tradition, designing many items including the horse-drawn marker seen here. This horse-drawn marker was used to mark out the fields so that the seed could be planted quickly and evenly.
The…
John Gibbs quickly realised that he could specialise in equipment for the expanding fruit and vegetable industry. One of his innovations was a lightweight cart for transporting strawberries. It was important that the fruit should arrive at market…
The load was then pulled to the road by horses and taken to the grower’s yard by steam engine. Here they were watered by hose to keep them fresh and taken to Covent Garden early next morning in wagons pulled by horses for speed.
When John Gibbs began the business, the horse was an essential form of transport and vital for most agricultural work. As Bedfont was in the middle of a busy farming area, there was plenty of work for the new firm, making and mending both horse draw…
The founder of the business, John Gibbs was born in Chalfont, Bucks in 1792. He began his working life in Cowley, Middlesex and then in 1844 he started his own business in Bedfont as a wheelwright and blacksmith. It is likely that he chose this are…
