The Short History of Large & Gibson
We have been meeting the legal needs of people in Hampshire and beyond, for over 110 years. ARTHUR EDWARD LARGE first came down from London in 1899 to set up practice in Portsmouth.
Mr Large was a 25 year old bachelor when he first took a small office suite over Drinkwaters, the drapers at 94 Palmerston Road, Southsea (where the Co-Op store is today). He practiced in the name of "ARTHUR E. LARGE" and is reputed to have taken £100 in his first year!
The practice gradually became established and moved into a more professional sounding address in Capital & Counties Bank Chambers, still in Palmerston Road, roughly where Woolworths was until its liquidation in 2008. Capital & Counties was absorbed by Lloyds Bank and in 1928 Mr Large moved across the road to Lloyds Bank Chambers at 20/24 Palmerston Road.
In 1932 Mr Large was joined by FRANK ARCHIBOLD STANLEY GIBSON. "Archie" Gibson was born on 15th July 1898 and had qualified as a Solicitor at the end of the Great War after articles to Mr Fred G. Allen.
The need for Solicitors was so pressing at the time that ex-servicemen could qualify after one year post articles and that is what Archie did. Mr Large acted for the Gibson family in Southsea and that is how Archie eventually came to be invited to join the practice. He was taken into partnership in 1934 and the practice then became known as LARGE & GIBSON, the name which has remained ever since. Mr Large later moved to semi-retirement in Calne, Wiltshire and after his health deteriorated he died on 3rd February 1938.
During the Second World War Mr Gibson, a great patriot, volunteered for service in the Royal Navy and served on the staff of the Commander in Chief, Portsmouth, throughout the War years. It is reputed that when Mr Gibson left the office he gave the staff caretaking it a cheque for £50 with instructions to close down when the money ran out - fortunately it didn't happen!
The practice was left without a Solicitor but Miss Watkins arranged for Mr Lyndhurst Groves to give any necessary professional support while she and Leslie Hollamby were left in charge. Because of their responsibilities they were excused the call-up into the Forces but were required to perform other duties such for the ‘war effort’. Mr Hollamby became an air raid warden and joined the Home Guard, whilst Miss Watkins milked cows twice a day at Sheepwash Farm, riding over Portsdown Hill on horse-back before and after her office work every day.
Naturally, with the evacuation, the call up and dangers of living in Portsmouth at the time, the work of the practice inevitably dwindled. There were several air raids and on 20/21st January 1941 came a fire bomb raid. The greater part of Palmerston Road including the firm's office was destroyed. The large safe in our present reception office at Kent House fell from the top floor into the Bank's vaults and was red hot. It was a month before it could be opened. Most of the documents in the safe were destroyed but fortunately the Wills held by the firm had been stored elsewhere.
The practice moved temporarily into a large room in Mr Gibson's sister's house at 2 Bruce Road, Southsea where the staff struggled on until Mr Gibson returned at the end of the War. He took offices at Britannic House, 114 Victoria Road North, Southsea, where he was joined on 1st February 1946 by DUDLEY JAMES WARD, then aged 31, after his War service in the Army.
Mr Ward soon became a Partner and he and Mr Gibson practiced together for the next 23 years. Mr Gibson retired from practice in 1969 and died six years later on 2nd October 1975. Mr Ward then practiced alone until 1974 when RICHARD WOOTTON joined as his Partner straight from articles with Birmingham firm Wragge & Co.
Mr Wootton, then in his late 20's, rejuvenated the firm and the ensuing years saw a period of rapid expansion. On 13th May 1974 the firm moved to the present office at Kent House, 49 Kent Road, Southsea. Kent House is a listed building designed by Thomas Owen, a noted local architect in the 19th Century. The firm first occupied only half the building but soon expanded to the whole of it.
Mr Wootton became Senior Partner when Mr Ward retired to consultancy in 1984 although he remained actively involved in the practice until two years before his death on 18th November 2007, aged 93. We are proud to have benefitted from his many years of legal experience and depth of knowledge. He was one of the longest practicing solicitors anywhere in the country having held a practicing certificate for over 60 years! Mr Ward’s expertise were in Wills, Trusts and Estate Administration and this remains an important area of practice for the firm. Our current Board room at Kent House (which for many years was Mr Ward’s office) is known as the ‘Ward Room’ and dedicated to his memory. Mr Ward leaves a widow, Peggy, who lives just a few doors along from our office.
PETER DYMOCK a graduate of Bristol University joined the practice in 1987 having trained in articles with a large local firm. He was taken into partnership in 1990. Mr Dymock has developed the firm's expertise in the field of litigation, both civil and criminal and now Large & Gibson undertakes virtually all types of cases with Mr Wootton, the current Senior Partner, heading the non-contentious team specialising in conveyancing, company and commercial work. We regularly deal with property transactions from flats and houses to factory units and large industrial parks.
The firm has a dedicated and professional team of staff who are well trained at all levels. Over the years Large & Gibson has set out to build a reputation for best quality service to our Clients and to provide a friendly and personal approach. We feel this has been our strength over the years. We are proud to be able to say that much of our new work is recommended by our existing clients.
Legal practice has changed out of all recognition from the days when Mr Large first started the practice in Portsmouth. We look forward to an exciting future and will strive to develop the practice and continue to serve our clients needs throughout Portsmouth, Hampshire and beyond.