WILLIAM WELLER.... from Hugh Robins

My grandfather, Frederick Gibbs, worked for Short Brothers from the early 1920’s through to the end of the war. It was while living at Sheerness that he first had contact with Oswald short whom he greatly admired.

After the company transferred to Rochester he moved to live in Strood and began working at the Esplanade Works, initially as an machinist. A reference letter included in David Smith’s recollections (Short Boy) and relating to his father Harry Smith, is signed by my grandfather, showing him as Foreman of the Millwrights Dept. The menu below dated Feb 1921 is signed by Harry Smith, but also contains Eustace and Oswald’s signatures.