Mr Gibson was a native of County Down, Northern Ireland, having been born in Dromore in 1840. He was an apprentice to James Crozier, a watchmaker, of North Street, Belfast and subsequently opened his own business in the same street. The business was wrecked in the 1864 riots and in 1865 he acquired new premises on the corner of Donegall Place and Castle Place, which became familiarly known as Gibson's corner. He bought out the businesses of Hugh McCormick and Joseph Lee, both successful jewellers, and established his own business as one of the foremost jewellers of its day. This business was registered as Messrs. Gibson and Co., Ltd. in 1891 and continued to be the leading firm in the trade, not only in Ireland but also in the UK.
Gibson had factories in Clerkenwell, London, and Rue Martel in Paris, and in 1891 purchased the business and retail shops of Mappin Bros. of Sheffield and London. The Company exhibited in Philadelphia, Paris and Chicago and Gibson was awarded the cross of the Legion d'Honneur.
Messrs. Gibson and Co., Ltd. was the largest manufacturer of fine jewellery, silver and electro-plate in England. They produced only the highest class of goods and enjoyed the patronage of influential people. The warehouse, in Donegall Place and Castle Place, was the chief source of supply in Belfast for everything connected with the watch and jewellery trades. Their showrooms displayed gold and silverware, watches, clocks, gem jewellery and works of art.
Messrs. Gibson and Co. was also manufacturers of gold and silver medals for the Commissioners of Intermediate Education, Ireland. The Company received many prize medals for 'originality in high class jewellery and fine watches'.
In 1880 Gibson went into partnership with John Langman and founded the Goldsmiths' and Silversmiths' Company, of Regent Street, London. In 1898 it became the Goldsmiths' and Silversmiths' Co. Ltd. Their hallmark was originally W.G.and J. L. and then became G. and S. Co. Ltd.
The Company was a major concern producing diamonds, jewellery, bridal gifts, watches, clocks and silver and electro plate. It had substantial premises covering a quarter of an acre, on the corner of Regent Street and Glasshouse Street, which included a tea room for the benefit of its clients. In 1928 premises were totally rebuilt and went on to become the designated house of Garrard and Co. Ltd., the Crown jewellers, with whom the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co. Ltd. amalgamated in 1952.
Gibson died at the age of seventy four on 1st November 1913 at the Princes Hotel, Hove, Sussex, leaving an estate in the UK valued at £305,601. After several bequests including £10,000 to Queen's University for establishment of special agricultural scholarships, Gibson directed that the residue of his property (about £150,000) should be used, "for the purpose of assisting poor and deserving farmers and holding farms in County Down and County Antrim, Ireland".
Gibson spent a lot of his time at the Villa Lisnacrieve in Cannes and he also had a house overlooking Hyde Park, London. He was a Unitarian and a Unionist, although he did not take an active part in politics. He was a member of the Ulster Reform Club.