Carl Alexander Gibson-Hill
Encyclopedia
Carl Alexander Gibson-Hill (23 October 1911 - 18 August 1963) was a British
medical doctor, naturalist
, ornithologist
and curator
of Singapore
’s Raffles Museum. His main interest, area of expertise and legacy of published knowledge was the natural, geographical and cultural history of Malaya
, Singapore and the historically associated Christmas Island
and Cocos (Keeling) Islands
.
Gibson-Hill was born in Newcastle upon Tyne
, England
, grew up in Birmingham
, and was educated at Malvern College
in Worcestershire
and Pembroke College, Cambridge
. In 1933 he graduated with a Second in Natural Science Tripos, and subsequently enrolled at the King's College Hospital Medical School
.
In 1938 Gibson-Hill married a fellow houseman
, Margaret Halliday, before departing to serve as the resident medical officer on Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean
. He was there from September 1938 to December 1940, following which he moved to work on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands for another ten months, where he was joined by his wife after she had completed her medical training. During his time on these islands he studied the local fauna, making collections of specimens for the Raffles Museum.
Towards the end of 1941 the couple went to Malaya where she found a job at the Alor Star
general hospital while he was appointed a health officer in Singapore’s health department. He was also made Assistant Curator of the Raffles Museum. However, he had arrived in Singapore only four days before it fell to Japanese forces
, and was soon interned in Changi
as a prisoner of war
, though his wife had managed to escape.
Three months after being released from internment, in 1945 Gibson-Hill boarded a whaler
bound for South Georgia on an expedition to collect specimens for the Falkland Islands Museum
, and to photograph Antarctic
seabird
s. In March 1946 he finally returned to England on an oil tanker
on which he served as health officer. He returned to Singapore in 1947, becoming Curator of Zoology at the Raffles Museum. For two years he was also Acting Professor of Biology at the Singapore College of Medicine. In 1956 he succeeded Michael Tweedie as Director of the Museum.
Gibson Hill also served in the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
, which he had joined in 1940 and which was closely associated with the Museum, as Assistant Secretary and Treasurer (1947–1948) Secretary (1950–1955), Editor of its journal
(1948–1961) and as President (1956–1961).
Gibson-Hill’s health began to deteriorate in the late 1950s; he was a diabetic and a heavy smoker
and was often hospitalised for cerebral
and general oedema
. He was found dead at his home in Singapore shortly before he was due to retire as Director of the Raffles Museum. He was the last expatriate Briton to hold that position.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
medical doctor, naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
and curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
’s Raffles Museum. His main interest, area of expertise and legacy of published knowledge was the natural, geographical and cultural history of Malaya
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
, Singapore and the historically associated Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
and Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
The Territory of the Cocos Islands, also called Cocos Islands and Keeling Islands, is a territory of Australia, located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Christmas Island and approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka....
.
Gibson-Hill was born in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, grew up in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, and was educated at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
and Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
. In 1933 he graduated with a Second in Natural Science Tripos, and subsequently enrolled at the King's College Hospital Medical School
King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry
King's College London School of Medicine is the medical school of King's College London, and one of the United Hospitals...
.
In 1938 Gibson-Hill married a fellow houseman
House officer
House officer may refer to:*Foundation house officer, a doctor in the first two years after qualification in a British hospital, undergoing the postgraduate Foundation Programme...
, Margaret Halliday, before departing to serve as the resident medical officer on Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. He was there from September 1938 to December 1940, following which he moved to work on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands for another ten months, where he was joined by his wife after she had completed her medical training. During his time on these islands he studied the local fauna, making collections of specimens for the Raffles Museum.
Towards the end of 1941 the couple went to Malaya where she found a job at the Alor Star
Alor Star
Alor Setar, known as Alor Star between 2004 and 2008, is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia, and Kota Setar District's Administrative Centre. It is also a distribution center for manufacturing and agricultural products such as paddy, and the royal seat of the Kedah state since the establishment...
general hospital while he was appointed a health officer in Singapore’s health department. He was also made Assistant Curator of the Raffles Museum. However, he had arrived in Singapore only four days before it fell to Japanese forces
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
, and was soon interned in Changi
Changi Prison
Changi Prison is a prison located in Changi in the eastern part of Singapore.-First prison and POW camp:...
as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, though his wife had managed to escape.
Three months after being released from internment, in 1945 Gibson-Hill boarded a whaler
Whaler
A whaler is a specialized ship, designed for whaling, the catching and/or processing of whales. The former included the whale catcher, a steam or diesel-driven vessel with a harpoon gun mounted at its bows. The latter included such vessels as the sail or steam-driven whaleship of the 16th to early...
bound for South Georgia on an expedition to collect specimens for the Falkland Islands Museum
Falkland Islands Museum
The Falkland Islands Museum is housed in Britannia House in Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is run by the Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust , which is a registered charity. The Museum has no formal collections policy, but it covers the natural...
, and to photograph Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
s. In March 1946 he finally returned to England on an oil tanker
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
on which he served as health officer. He returned to Singapore in 1947, becoming Curator of Zoology at the Raffles Museum. For two years he was also Acting Professor of Biology at the Singapore College of Medicine. In 1956 he succeeded Michael Tweedie as Director of the Museum.
Gibson Hill also served in the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
, which he had joined in 1940 and which was closely associated with the Museum, as Assistant Secretary and Treasurer (1947–1948) Secretary (1950–1955), Editor of its journal
Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
The Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society is a scholarly journal published by the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society or MBRAS. The journal covers topics of historical interest concerning peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan and Singapore...
(1948–1961) and as President (1956–1961).
Gibson-Hill’s health began to deteriorate in the late 1950s; he was a diabetic and a heavy smoker
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
and was often hospitalised for cerebral
Cerebral edema
Cerebral edema or cerebral œdema is an excess accumulation of water in the intracellular or extracellular spaces of the brain.-Vasogenic:Due to a breakdown of tight endothelial junctions which make up the blood-brain barrier...
and general oedema
Edema
Edema or oedema ; both words from the Greek , oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body that produces swelling...
. He was found dead at his home in Singapore shortly before he was due to retire as Director of the Raffles Museum. He was the last expatriate Briton to hold that position.
Publications
Gibson-Hill was a skilled sketcher and photographer, talents he used to illustrate his many publications. He produced numerous scientific papers, often published in the Bulletin of the Raffles Museum and the Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Books or book-length papers authored by him include:- 1936 – Warwickshire. Frederick Muller: London. (Under the pseudonym of John Lisle).
- 1947 – British sea birds. Witherby: London.
- 1947 – Contributions to the Natural History of Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean. Bulletin of the Raffles Museum, No. 18.
- 1949 – Birds of the coast. Witherby: London.
- 1949 – The Malayan landscape: seventy camera studies. Kelly & Walsh.
- 1949 – An Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Malaya. Bulletin of the Raffles Museum, No. 20.
- 1952 – Documents Relating to John Clunies Ross, Alexander Hare and the establishment of the Colony on the Cocos-Keeling Islands. Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol. 25, parts 4 and 5.