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Having expected to go to Sherborne School, Jerry was a slightly reluctant new man but once he arrived at Lancing he put roots down that would last for life. He spent four happy years at the College and later sent his two sons to Lancing (despite his disappointment that the College had ‘gone soft’ by putting carpets in the Gibbs’ junior dormitory). After leaving school he immediately started work as an apprentice underwriter at Lloyd’s of London, where he would remain for his entire career, owning his own syndicate from 1984 and officially retiring in 1999 but continuing as a nonexec director and board member for some years after. With his working life over, he embarked on the university education he missed out on in his youth, gaining a BA in General Arts and an MA in Modern History. His interest in the arts, drama, music, wine, antiquities and, in particular, history gave him a substantial cultural vocabulary, and he could speak with passion and authority on any subject you could mention. His voracious appetite for knowledge kept his mind active and well stocked throughout his life: he chaired arts groups, and gave U3A lectures on history and the arts right up to his death in February. He was a regular attendee at sports, drama, music and OL events at Lancing. He held choral performances in particular affection while his sons were choristers, and long after they left the school. Jerry died almost two years to the day after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was genial and stoic to the end and will be remembered and missed by those who knew him as an erudite, witty bon viveur and a gentleman. Before he died he wrote a memoir of sorts that included recollections of College life including the following extract: ‘On entering my pitt one day after lunch I heard a strange squeaking noise coming from the corner. Pulling back the easy chair I was confronted by a large rat. Not wanting to be savaged by this creature, who displayed a collection of yellow teeth, I advanced cautiously with a pair of dividers. I successfully managed to skewer the beast and hurled the corpse out of the window.’
Will Nice (Gibbs’ 1988–1993)