This is their story of events which led to them being sent away to boarding school and the eventual presentation to the school of the Gibbs Cup at a dinner party held at The Wynnstay Hotel in 1950, corroborated by 90 year-old friend David Tomley who was, along with others from School, a guest at the party.

By June 1940 France had capitulated to Germany, and war was raging in Europe. Britain was preparing itself for a possible invasion as towns and cities throughout the country came under fire from German Luftwaffe bombers.

In Birmingham Mr and Mrs Gibbs were running a thriving newsagency business which was situated near the main entrance of the Austin Motor Works in Longbridge. In 1940 the motor company was ordered to stop making vehicles other than those for the services, and to start making Spitfire engines and other aircraft parts vital for the war effort. The Spitfire was our fastest and most manoeverable fighter plane, and in high demand from the airforce. When in August 1940 bombing started in earnest on Birmingham, fearful that their part of the city would be heavily targeted, they decided to send their two small boys out of harm's way to the sanctuary of Oswestry School for the duration of the war where they could further their education in safety, hopefully without the fear of it being compromised by bombardment from the air.

On arrival at school in 1941 Barry, aged 9 and Peter, 7, discovered a fairly spartan lifestyle but soon adjusted to the regime of a boarding school. Both boys enjoyed sport and went on to represent the school at cricket and football, and gained their school certificate of education. When David Tomley became a boarder in 1942, aged 8, he found himself in the same Form as Peter, and they struck up a friendship which exists to this day, and they are planning to hold a reunion lunch during the summer of 2025.

Later on they played together in the 1st XI cricket team when Peter became Captain, and in the photograph below, taken by David at an away match against Ruthin School in 1949, Peter is pictured seated, fourth from the right.

The school 1st XI outside Ruthin pavilion in 1949.

Barry left Oswestry School in 1948 to make his way in life, but he returned regularly to play for the Old Oswestrians, and is seated, far left in the photograph below, amongst a group of Old Boys during a later game against the school.

Barry, bottom left, amongst fellow Old Boys.

A curious situation arose during Speech weekend of 1950 when Peter, as Captain, found himself pitted against older brother, Barry, in the annual contest against The Old Oswestrians. On this occasion School beat the OOs thanks, largely, to the innings played by Captain PJ Gibbs.

David Tomley was playing that day for the School, and he took the pictures below which capture the moment at the end of the match as the players were leaving the field of play.

As described by David, the top picture shows N Harris, cap in hand, and R Hayward of the victorious School team approaching the pavilion to the applause of their teammates. Behind them umpire DGW Felton is clutching the stumps under his left arm at the close of play. followed at a distance by the Old Oswestrians.

The second photograph shows a tired and disconsolate OO team as they trudge off the cricket square heading for the pavilion, and, from left to right, their names are 'Ticker' Elder, R Evison, P Whitehead, Barry Gibbs, and his great friend, G Hinde.

Peter Gibbs was due to leave school at the end of Summer Term, 1950, and during that same Speech weekend, to celebrate Peter and Barry's time at School, during which Mr and Mrs Williamson acted in loco parentis for their boys, Mr and Mrs Gibbs hosted a surprise dinner party at The Wynnstay Hotel as a special thank you to the Headmaster and his wife. Others present at the gathering were staff members Mssrs DGW Felton, D Lewis, and R Ollerhead (OO), together with Old Boys Barry Gibbs and D Barclay, Prefects Peter Gibbs, Melvin Turner, and David Tomley, and other friends Brian Bailey, P Hey and C Teece. 

There was yet another surprise in store during the meal for those present, and in Part 2 I will reveal more about this, as described by Richard R Oakley, OO, in his splendid book A History of Oswestry School.