South Yorkshire Times December 13, 1958
Obituary- Mr. H. Gibson
Veteran Denaby Newsagent
By the death .of Mr. Harry Gibson of “Grasmere,” Elm Green Lane, Conisbrough, in Cogshill Lodge Hospital. Doncaster, on Saturday Denaby and Conisbrough have lost one of their most colourful personalities.
A former President of Mexborough and District Newsagents’ Federation for almost 30 years, he was believed to have been one of the oldest newsagents in Yorkshoire.
Mr. Gibson, who was 86, who entered Cogshill Lodge Hospital last Monday, died after a short illness. He leaves a widow, Mrs. Susie Gibson (79) and two sons, Messrs. G. and H. Gibson who jointly manage the newsagent’s business which their father built up over a period of nearly 60 years.
A native of York, the oldest son of a wiremaker, Mr Gibson was by trade a hairdresser.
When still a young man he moved to Doncaster, where for several years he worked at his trade before coming into Denaby as a journeyman barber, soon after he set up as a dresser and newsagent.
In 1906 he was married at Conisbrough Parish Church, and shortly after, he formed the business into a limited company. As Denaby group, so the business flourished, the more so as Mr Gibson took it on himself to stamp on the late racing results – before the days of wireless.
Mr Gibson himself was a keen devotees of “the sport of Kings,” and it was his claim that for over 60 years he never missed a race meeting at Doncaster or a St. Leger.
Soon after the end of the first World war he became President of the Mexborough and District Newsagents’ Federation, a position be relinquished in favour of his son, Mr George Gibson, some 10 years ago. It was about this time that ne gave up his control of the business and retired apart from a sentimental attachment” to his life’s work.