Sir Leslie Bertram Gibson (14 May 189621 September 1952) was a British lawyer and judge. He was Chief Justice of Hong Kong in the late 1940s.
Early life
Gibson was the son of George F Gibson of Coventry. He was educated at King Henry VIII School, Coventry. He obtained an LLB from the University of London.Gibson's Who's Who 1953 entry.
Service in Malaya
Gibson joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1920 and served in Malaya until 1937. He was at one time official assignee at Penang.The Straits Times, 24 December 1929, Page 12 He also served as Crown Counsel and Assistant Legal Adviser, Malaya.The Straits Times, 24 September 1952, Page 8 While working in Malaya, he studied for the bar and was called to the Bar of Gray's Inn in 1930.The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884–1942), 16 June 1930, Page 10
Legal career
In 1937, Gibson joined the Colonial Legal Service and in 1940 was appointed Attorney General of Trinidad. He was made a King's Counsel in Trinidad in 1942.London Gazette, 27 October 1942, p.4655
He served in that position until 1944 when he was appointed Attorney General of Palestine.
In 1948, he was appointed Chief Justice of Hong Kong upon the transfer of Henry Blackall to Africa. Gibson was knighted in the same year.Gibson's Who's Who 1953 entry.
In 1950, he returned to England, where he was appointed legal adviser to the Foreign Office Administration of African Territories. In 1951, he was appointed assistant legal adviser, Colonial Office and Commonwealth Relations Office.Gibson's Who's Who 1953 entry.
Death
Gibson died on 21 September 1952 in Godalming, Surrey.The Straits Times, 24 September 1952, Page 8
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