The Hibbs Family

The Hibbs family can be traced all the way back to the 18th century in Swanage. Where David Hibbs was a royal garrison artillery volunteer going on to become a lifeboat oarsman later in life.

It was in 1899 when Herbert Bruce Hibbs was born in Swanage, taking the mantle of a shop which at the time was known as “Savage’s” in 1927. It was here that HB Hibbs was first introduced to the world as well as Herbert’s son, Neville. Herbert succesfully ran the shop for 53 years untill 1980 where Neville sold it.

PeverilPoint 1884 Swanage Royal Garrison Artillery – David Hibbs

David Hibbs

Neville Hibbs

Neville (Left) – Bruce (Right)

A Biography of H.B. Hibbs 1899 – 1981

1899

Born in Swanage

Herbert Bruce Hibbs, known to family and friends as ‘Bruce’, was born to a Swanage family at the turn of the last century. He had 5 brothers and sisters and grew up in the boarding house named ‘Castleton’ in New Swanage.

1915

RAF aerial photographer

From an early age, Bruce was interested in gadgets such as cameras. He joined the air force in 1915 where his notebooks show his detailed studies of various aerial cameras and photographic techniques.

1920-30s

Head waiter

Although Bruce continued to take photographs professionally in his own studio after the war, he was attracted to the seasonal jobs on offer in his home town, and became the Head Waiter at the Beach Café on Ulwell Road.

The Hibbs Family

Bruce was married to Lilian Grace, ‘Lily’ Benfield from Langton in 1927 and soon enough the only son, Neville, was born in 1936.

Neville and his wife Gerti eventually had 2 children, Richard and Sonia, who loved their summer holidays visiting Grandad in his shop.

21 High Street, Swanage

Bruce and Lily took over the shop at 21 High Street in 1934 when it became ‘H.B. Hibbs’, and Bruce became known for his reliable newspaper deliveries and well stocked shelves.

He ran the shop until his old age. The shop was sold in 1982 but in 2021 it was bought back by his grandson, Richard. Since the shop was sold, there have been two more generations of the Hibbs family. Richard and Tom, Neville’s son and grandson who purchased the shop once again in 2022 in the hopes of returning it to it’s former glory and standing within the community. Tom says “I’m working towards that rare achievement in life where you feel you’re making an ancestor happy”