Thomas MacGibbon d.1596
Thomas MACGIBBON or MACKGIBBON or ROBERTSON d.1596
Biographical Note
MacGibbon was schoolmaster and later Master of the grammar school of Dundee. In 1553 the Abbot of Lindores attempted to replace Macgibbon, as he allowed for the free discussion of reformed ideas amongst pupils at the grammar school. MacGibbon was supported by the town’s council and remained in his position, though the dispute between the abbott and the council lasted until the reformation. In 1567 Macgibbon was succeeded by Thomas Ramsay.
In 1567 MacGibbon was briefly minister of Auchtergaven in the presbytery of Dunkeld before transferring to Moneydie in the presbytery of Perth. He was later minister at Kilmoveonaig (before 1576), returned to Moneydie (1583), moved to Moulin (1595), and returned to Moneydie. In 1567 he married Barbara Justice, with whom he had 3 children. MacGibbon was an alias for Thomas Robertson, the name of which his will and Fasti entry are recorded under.
Books
Margaret Sanderson’s work on the last will and testaments of Scottish ministers lists MacGibbon as having owned Calvin’s Institutes and commentary on Exodus, a commentary on Genesis by Musculus and a Hebrew grammar, as well as classical authors including Cicero, Pliny, Virgil and Ovid. He is known to have lent his books extensively to friends, and also to have left some in pledge with friends for loans.
At least three of his books have survived:
A copy of Herodianus' Roman History Herodiani historici Graeci… (Paris, 1539) bound with Institutiones Oratoriae (Paris, 1544), now held at Dundee Central Library. The title page has the additional provenance of James Robertson (d.1623), first minister of south church in Dundee who inscribed the title page “Jacobus Robertsone pastor deidonenis”
MacGibbon’s volume of Alciati Emblemata (Lyon, 1551) survives at Traquair House E.39 and his copy of Justin’s history of Pompei (Lyon, 1551) resides at Torwoodlee house.
Characteristic Markings
Surviving volumes from MacGibbon’s library have variations of his name tooled in gold on the front board. His book in Dundee central library has “THOMAS” on the upper, and “MAKGIBBON” on the lower front board, tooled in gold. His copy of Justin’s Ex Trogo Pompeio Historia (Lyon, 1551), whose last known location was in Torwoodlee house (Durkan,1981), has “Spes mea Deus” stamped on the covers, alongside “Thomas MAKGIBBONE.”
Sources
- 1598 Robertsoun, Thomas. Wills and testaments Reference CC8/8/31, Edinburgh Commissary Court. National Records of Scotland
- Durkan, J. & Ross, A. Early Scottish Libraries. Glasgow, John S. Burns, 1961.
- Durkan, John. ‘Further Additions to Durkan and Ross: Some Newly-Discovered Scottish Pre-Reformation Provenances’ The Bibliotheck; a Scottish Journal of Bibliography and Allied Topics 10, 4; (1981)
- Ewan, Elizabeth. ‘Schooling in Town, c.1400- c.1560’ in Robert Anderson, ed. Edinburgh History of Education in Scotland, Edinburgh University Press, 2015 39-56
- Sanderson, Margaret H B. ‘Service and Survival: The clergy in late sixteenth-century Scotland’ Scottish Church History, 36 (2006): 73-96
- Scott, Hew et al. Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae: The Succession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation, 9 vols, new edn. Edinburgh, Oliver & Boyd, 1915–61. Vol. 4