Gilbert Hinds Whitehead

Gilbert Hinds was born on 26 May 1866, the fifth child of James Whitehead and Mercy Matilda Hinds.

He married Helena Emmeline Langford in 1901.

In 1890, he became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers and a Freeman of the City of London — see his profile in the archives of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers. His application to be a Freeman has his signature:

The book Armorial families by Fox-Davies (1905) (p 2079) has:

Gilbert Hinds Whitehead, Esq., late Capt. 8th Vol. Batt. Rifle Brigade, b. May 26, 1866, d. 1908; m. April 10, 1901, Helena Emmeline, d. of the late H. A. Langford of Plymouth, and has left issue — Margaret Joy [m. Lieut. John Brett, R.N.]. Res.— Newhaven, Eltham.

Gilbert was the assignee of a 1903 patent for interleaving printed sheets of paper with tissue paper.

Martin Brett:

He and his younger brother together ran a lithographic printing company — hence the invention for interleaving plates with tissue paper. Their big sellers were one of the versions of Holman Hunt’s Light of the World and a rather terrifying print of a heavily tattooed Maori woman, both found very widely in the nurseries of their acquaintance. […] Entry into a livery company was standard for moderately prosperous commercial families, I think, and it was largely formulaic. I don’t believe Grandfather W. ever had any significant interest in fruit-selling.

The address in the armorial is the house which was built for them by Gt Grandfafher James, where Granny W. lived (except for part of the second war) until her death in 1951. I was born in the Eltham hospital when Granny Joy, Sue and Jen were looking for a permanent home, and my father was long at sea, and we returned there from Devon in (I think) early 1947. After Granny Whitehead’s death the house was sold and we moved to Surrey.

Gilbert died of pneumonia on 18th December 1908, age 42. Martin Brett remembers a family account that Gilbert had recovered enough to walk round the garden, but then relapsed and died.

See Whitehead family grave and BMD record.