The Genealogical Chart shows that nothing is known of the Gibbins family further back than 1682, when according to the Friends' register Thomas Gibbins (or Gibbons), of Dudley, was born.

About 1814, it is believed, the late William Gibbins, who died in 1843, endeavored to trace the connexion between his ancestors and families of a similar name of an earlier period. He also set inquiries on foot respecting the coat of arms and crest which belonged to the family of Gybons. In an old pocket-book was found the following memorandum:—

At the Heralds' Office I find that the Crest of Gybons or Gubones, viz. a lion Gamb erect and erased holding a Cross Patted Fichee, should have the Cross Or. That in the Coat of Arms the 3 Crosses should not be fitchee, but simply pattee, as I have made the alteration. This coat of arms was adopted by Brueton Gibbins and some of his brothers, and also the motto ' Ubi Libortas ibi Patria'. The memorandum continues: There is a record at the Heralds' Office of the Gybons family of as late a date as 1653 or 1683, extending back 6 generations. At that time the only surviving male branch was Abraham, aged 13, residing at Coventry, where it appears the family then lived. By application to one or more

    ' Here lyeth in hopes of a joyful resurrection the body of Henry Gibbons, who departed this life June 30th, a.d. 1704, aged 70.'
    ' Robert Gibbons, died July 30, 1776, aged 35.'
    'In memory of Frances, wife of Joseph Gibbons, died Feby. 6, 17-9, aged 38 years.
    And the above Joseph Gibbons, who died April 19th . . . aged 76 years.
    Also of their child................
...................................................................................................................Ann Gibbons
relict of.....................
.....Mr. Joseph Gibbons, and mother of the above named, who died March 3rd, 18—, aged 73 years.
    Also of Martha Gibbons, daughter of the above Ann Gibbons, who died June 29th, 1834, aged 62 years.'
He adds:—
    The Register of St. Michael's at Coventry goes back to 1698 only, the part before having been burnt in a fire; there is, however, a copy at the Diocesan Registrar's office at Lichfield, The register at Trinity Church goes back to 1561. I searched among the births there to find the birth of Abraham Gybons, thro' the years 1639, 1640, 1641; 1669, 1670, 1671—but unsuccessfully. St. John's register only goes back about 150 years, viz. 1752. They say at Lichfield they have not the part previous to 1698 of the St. Michael's, Coventry, register.
The late Charles Gillett, of Banbury, writing in 1874, says:—
My mother tells me that Ann Gibbins, of Coventry, searched out much of their family pedigree. It was she who during her researches found that the family was in this country before the Conquest.

From The Holders of Holderness, by Chas. F. Holder (an American book), pp. 22, 23.
'In 1656 several women went to Barbadoes. . . . Sailed in the Speedwell of London.' The writer found the old shipping list in the
Massachusetts colonial records, which is given entire. The name of each Friend is marked with a Q, the master evidently expecting trouble through his devout passengers. In the list appear :
' Sarah Gibbins, Q, of Bristol, aged 21, ' and a footnote, ' She was drowned in Providence while landing, and was buried in Rd. Scott's (father-in-Law of Chris. Holder) orchard.' From Bowdoin's History of Friends in America.
Sarah Gibbons. ' The Narrative of the visit of the little company of gospel messengers to Boston in 1656, first introduces the name of this friend to our notice. After her expulsion from Connecticut in
the early part of 1658 she appears to have been engaged for some months within the limits of Rhode Island, from whence in company with Dorothy Waugh, the aged Breud, and three other friends she proceeded on religious service to Barbadoes. In 1659 we find her again in Rhode Island; her earthly pilgrimage, however, was nearly accomplished, and its term was an awfully sudden and affecting one. Whilst attempting to land from a sloop at Providence, she was drowned. The melancholy accident is thus referred to in a letter of William Robinson's, under date of Fifth mo. 1659. " As they came near the shore, near that town, there came a man in a canoe to fetch them from on board, wherein they went with some others, not minding that the canoe was a bad one, and soon after they were in it, the canoe filled with water and did sink. All that were in the canoe did escape and got to shore except Sarah Gibbons, who was drowned. When it was low water they found her and the next day buried her in Richard Scott's orchard." William Robinson adds, " Herein were we comforted that she was kept faithful to the end." '

Extract in Richard Richardson's handwriting, who was Recording clerk in London from 1681-2 to 1689:—
'Sarah Gibbons of Bristoll, a judicious young woman, travaild into America in ye servise of truth and was greatly beloved among them that feared god. And going in a boat, which having overset and leakd was lost, she might have been saved but a wicked man, a Baptist, would not help her.'

To return to the Genealogical Chart, we see that Thomas, the son of the first Thomas Gibbins, was the youngest of eight children, and was born at Stourbridge in 1727. An elder brother, Josiah, lived and died at Coventry. He married Mary Hyatt, of Stow-on-the-Wold, and had six children, but left no descendants. His marriage certificate is reproduced as being of special interest, as it contains the signatures of his father, the first Thomas, and his brother, the second Thomas. It was Josiah's daughter, Anne, who interested herself in the Gibbins genealogy, and it is said she found the connecting link with former generations which is now lost. The three daughters of Josiah, viz. Elizabeth, Anne, and Mary, resided at Coventry and were by trade shroud-makers. Through old letters we learn that the late Thomas Gibbins (born 1796) had charge of their affairs and was their kind adviser. After their deaths he was their executor, and also residuary legatee. Two pieces of needlework come from this branch of the family—the framed tapestry in the Milton House drawing-room, and the Mary Hyatt sampler in the hall.
To return to the younger brother, Thomas, born at Stourbridge in 1727. He married Ann Bradley in 1754, and had two children—Joseph and Susannah. After the death of Ann he married Mary Winter and had four children. His second wife, Mary, travelled in the ministry, and the late Frederick J. Gibbins, of Neath, copied long extracts from Montlily Meeting Minutes respecting her service. The first is a notice of removal from Monmouthshire Monthly Meeting, held at Pontymole, the 7th of 1st month, 1784, and is addressed to Morley Monthly Meeting in Cheshire. It explains that Thomas and Mary Gibbins removed to Monmouthshire from Chadwick Monthly Meeting, in the county of Worcestershire, but brought no certificate. The minute goes on to say :--

    We have . . . unity with their conduct whilst here, and also unity with Mary as a minister amongst us, she being at times engaged in that service, not largely as to words, but we think under a degree of the feeling sense of truth. We may also inform you that whilst here they were great sufferers for our Christian testimony against the payment of Tythes.
    We desire their comfortable settlement after the many tossings they have met with.
    With the Salutation of Brotherly love,

We remain your Friends, and Brethren.

    The eldest son of Thomas and Mary Gibbins was named Thomas. He lived with his uncle and aunt Routh (Martha Routh was a sister of Mary Gibbins, and also travelled as a minister).
    This young Thomas met with a tragic death, and in a letter dated from Manchester, 6th month, 27th, 1782, Martha Routh, writing to her brother and sister Winter, gives an account of the circumstance. She explains that she and her husband had gone to Warrington to attend a Quarterly or Monthly Meeting. She had attended meetings for seven hours, and while still sitting with the women Friends, she records that,
    A Man Friend, coming into the women's meeting with some papers for us to sign, said he thought it might not be amiss to mention that our friend Robert Valentine, who had intended to proceed forward, was, on further consideration, most easy to go back to Manchester. No sooner had he spoken than a very unusual sadness, like a dart, struck through my whole frame, so that it was with difficulty I sat till the business was done, and could not refrain from telling my aunt I believed something had fallen out at Manchester since we left it yesterday, which was the cause of Robert's going back. She tried to put it from me, believing it was only a turn in his own mind that he did not feel quite clear of us ; but the intelligence in my soul waxed louder and louder, that before we were well out of the meeting-house the voice said plainly, ' Thy nephew is dead !
" I then told my aunt again, who seeing me very sorrowful, said, 'My dear, do not afflict thyself so, but have patience and faith till inquiry can be made.'

I said, ' My dear aunt, I do not afflict myself, but am distressed, and not without a cause/ I then looked inward to see if he was removed by any kind of fit, or accident in the warehouse; but the answer was, * No ! he is sunk in the deep water !
' I turned into a Friend's house,
and sat me down in as much stillness as I could, but in great agony of spirit, which the Friend observing, queried if anything was amiss. I told her my nephew was dead. She seemed much astonished ; for she knew him well, and was willing to hope it was not so, and tried to comfort me, but I could receive none till a second intimation was sounded in the ear of my soul—' Be not over-much troubled ; he is taken from the evil to come, and is entered into the kingdom of rest and peace.' Nature then got some present relief by tears, which were soon renewed by my dear husband coming in, who was then informed of the event, and deeply affected therewith. We got home that night in a carriage, and found the remains of our adopted son laid out, a fair corpse, having been found with his head downwards, in what is called a whirlpool, near the usual place of bathing.
    At the funeral, as they stood around the grave, Robert Valentine addressed them m these words, ' Sorrow not, my friends, for I feel an evidence all is well with the young man.'
    Martha Routh adds :—
    What cause have we to be thankful that we feel a continuance of this evidence, and it so bore up my mind, when following him, that I did not drop one tear, but in the solemn sitting was enabled to bear an honest testimony on behalf of deceased. He had a strong will, and undaunted courage, which might be some apparent cause of his now being a corpse, and by some it might be styled an untimely end, but I durst not call it so. I fully believe he was taken from the evil to come. He had been preserved in innocence of conduct and conversation, so that I never heard an unguarded expression drop from his lips. He had a strong will, and also an inclination to have followed others in some matters of dress, but I had found it my duty to remove their first appearance, as the ' little foxes ', so that I had cause to hope the tender vine was not hurt thereby. This reflection afforded me great peace. Our loss of him will be great.
    To return to the first family of Thomas Gibbins, by his wife Ann Bradley. There were only two children—Joseph

and Susannah. The latter married M. C. Hands, and left a family, Joseph, born in 1756, after his mother's death became the adopted child of his aunt, Elizabeth Brueton, who was a younger sister of his father's, and who had no children of her own. Very strong mutual affection bound Joseph Gibbins and his uncle and aunt Brueton ; he became as their own son, and their declining days were cheered by his devotion and affection. After the death of his second -wife, Thomas Gibbins removed to Birmingham, and spent the last years of his life at the house of his son Joseph, where he died in September, 1803, and was interred in the Bull Street graveyard.

The Meeting House at Eatington