Alexander Gibb

Who was Alexander Gibb?

Brigadier-General Sir Alexander Gibb GBE CB FRS was a Scottish civil engineer.

Gibb was born in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, the son of the civil engineer, Alexander Easton Gibb, and the great-grandson of John Gibb, an early member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was educated at the High School of Dundee, Rugby and University College, London, although he left the latter after a year to become articled to the prominent Civil Engineers John Wolfe-Barry and Henry Marc Brunel. Having completed his training, he became resident engineer on the Metropolitan District Railway's Whitechapel and Bow Railway extension. After two years he left to join his father's company, Easton, Gibb & Son, of which he later became managing director.

In 1916, Gibb was appointed Chief Engineer Ports Construction to the British Army in France, with the rank of Brigadier-General. In 1918 he became Civil Engineer-in-Chief to the Admiralty and the Admiralty M-N Scheme, was one of his major projects. Then in 1919, he became Director-General of Civil Engineering with the new Ministry of Transport.