Death
By 1905, Georgina Gibbons had died, as Stanley re-married again in October 1905. His fourth wife was Bertha Barth. In 1908, Gibbons was back in Ceylon and found in the archives there is a newspaper cutting headed, "Death of Lady Visitor to Ceylon: Wife of famous collector." This refers to Bertha, who had died in the General Hospital there from cancer of the liver at 35 years old. Gibbons returned to England shortly after the death of his fourth wife. On 16 January 1909, he married Sophia Crofts. However, it is possible that he and Sophia separated before his death in 1913 as his will makes no mention of her. Made in July 1912, from his address, ‘Selsey’, 63 Stanhope Road, Streatham, his estate is left to 'a dear friend', Mabel Hedgecoe.
Gibbons' death was recorded on 17 February 1913 at his nephew's apartment at Portman Mansions, just off Baker Street, although it was rumoured he had died in the arms of a lover at the Savoy Hotel and was subsequently transported to his nephew's house. His death certificate gives his occupation as, "A retired Stamp Collector" and the cause was stated as, ‘Coma, Haemorrhage of the Brain, secondary to Extensive Valvular Disease of the Heart with Atheroma of Endocardium and the Blood Vessels accelerated by enlarged prostate’. He is buried in Twickenham cemetery.
Gibbons' string of wives, all but one of who died relatively young, his swift remarriages and his background in pharmacy has given rise to suspicions of ill-doing on his part, however, there is no evidence for this.
Read more about this topic: Edward Stanley Gibbons
Famous quotes containing the word death:
“I used to think of death ... like I suppose soldiers think of it: it was a possible thing that I could well avoid by my skill.”
—Stendhal [Marie Henri Beyle] (1783–1842)
“Fatigue dulls the pain, but awakes enticing thoughts of death. So! that is the way in which you are tempted to overcome your loneliness—by making the ultimate escape from life..—No! It may be that death is to be your ultimate gift to life: it must not be an act of treachery against it.”
—Dag Hammarskjöld (1905–1961)
“For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.”
—Bible: New Testament, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22.