Henry Parry Gilbey
Henry Parry Gilbey (1824-1892) of W. and A. Gilbey
Born at Bishop's Stortford, the son of Henry Gilbey (1789–1842) and his wife Elizabeth Bailey (died 1869).
After the Crimean war Walter Gilbey returned to London with his brother Alfred Gilbey they took advice of their eldest brother Henry Parry Gilbey, a wholesale wine-merchant, and started in the retail wine and spirits trade.
1851 Living at 27 Tuery Street: Henry P. Gilbey (age 27 born Bishop's Stortford), Wine Merchant Clerk; with his brothers Walter Gilbey (age 19 born Bishop's Stortford), Parliamentary Agent Clerk; and Alfred Gilbey (age 17 born Bishop's Stortford), Wine Merchant Clerk.[1]
1892 Died.
1892 Obituary.[2]
....Mr. H. P. Gilbey was the eldest son of the late Mr. Henry Gilbey, proprietor of the Bishop Stortford and London coach, and part proprietor, with a Mr. Lowe, of the Bishop Stortford and Saffron Walden coach, of North End, Bishop Stortford. was born on March 24th, 1824, and consequently was in his 69th year at the time of his death. He was educated at Christ's Hospital, and was very proud of the fact that he was a Bluecoat boy. For many years he was a life governor of the hospital.
He early became associated with the wine and spirit trade, and in 1836 he entered the firm of his relatives, Messrs. Smith. Bailey, and Co. 1851 he entered into partnership with Mr. Edwards Southard, under the style of Messrs. Southard, Gilbey, and Co., at John-street, Crutched Friars, and afterwards at St. Dunstan's-hill. About this time, seeing the possibility of the development of the wine trade in new directions, he directed the energies of his younger brothers, Mr. Walter Gilbey, Elsenham Hall, and the late Mr. Alfred Gilbey, of Wooburn Place, Bucks, to the formation of a house which has become of world-wide importance, that of Messrs. W. and A. Gilbey, of the Pantheon, Oxford-street.
In 1864 Mr. H. P. Gilbey began to take a more active part in the firm of winch was virtually senior partner, and since then the business has grown with rapid strides, much of the success being due to his wise counsels, which were in constant requisition by the members of the family which constituted the firm. His better known brother Walter has all times expressed his great obligations to Mr. Henry Gilbey for his success in life; and there has always been between the two brothers - as indeed between all the partners - the strongest bond of mutual affection and regard.
Mr. Henry Gilbey's friends and acquaintances, whose name legion, all speak of him in the warmest and most cordial terms. With delicate consideration he has helped with purse and counsel many who were poor and struggling, and wanted only capital make a career. His genial and happy nature endeared him all. Of a quiet and retiring disposition, never leant towards a public life. In 1890 he was president of the Wine and Spirit Trades Benevolent Society, and during his chairmanship the funds the charity were increased by £2,740. In 1873 he materially assisted in the formation of the Bishop Stortford Working Men's Club, and was elected president. Under his chairmanship, the club grew with such rapidity that Mr. Gilbey purchased the clock tower and some of the buildings used at the Royal Agricultural Show at Kilburn, which re-erected at Bishop Stortford for the use the club. The Great Hall, which was opened by the late Lord Rosslyn, is capable of holding upwards 800 persons, and has become the most useful building in the town. A few months back efforts were made by his many friends get him placed on the commission of the peace. Mr. Gilbey became aware of this through the press, and discouraged the movement owing to age and pressure of business. In spite of this, he was appointed, and has since been a useful member the Stortford bench. For the poor and suffering his heart was always particularly tender : and all his efforts social reform during the whole his long and useful life were for the benefit the million. One his his acts as justice of the peace was pay visit to the Workhouse and make inquiries as the welfare the inmates. subscribed "liberally a large number of charities, and real case distress brought his notice ever went unrelieved him. Mr. Gilbey leaves a widow, a son, and two daughters. The son engaged farming in Devonshire, and the daughters are married respectively to Mr. Riviere and to the Hon. Richard Bellew, son of Lord Bellew, an Irish peer....