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Menu Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon GIBBONS, John Martin Born: fl. 1922 Died: 1937 Architect Gibbons was born in Kimberley and studied architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand from 1922 until 1925. After working for two years in Johannesburg he left for Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) but returned after a short time and worked in Boksburg. He registered as a member of the ISAA in 1928 from an address in Durban. In 1931 he won the competition for the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society in Durban in 1931. The clients brought in their own architects from Australia, HENNESSY & HENNESSY of Sydney. It is not certain how much of his plan was adopted by this firm. The building remains among the best examples of the so-called Art Deco style in Durban. The South African Architectural Record (March 1931:37) reported that Gibbons intended 'going overseas to keep in touch with the latest developments in modern architecture'. Nothing much further is yet known about this architect. He must have returned to South Africa as he was working in Johannesburg in a salaried position in 1937-1938. ISAA 1928. (ISAA Ybk 1937/38; SAB Apr 1931:23; SAB Feb 1932:39; SAAR Mar 1931:37) All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.