Olive Gibbs

Olive Gibbs on being appointed Sheriff of Oxford in 1965

Politics and protest in 20th-century Oxford: The remarkable life of Olive Gibbs

Olive Gibbs was born in the ‘tough but full-blooded’ parish of St Thomas’s in West Oxford in 1918. She went on to become a redoubtable local Labour politician, peace campaigner, and founding member of CND. During her long political career she helped to stop the building of an inner relief road through Christ Church Meadow, prevented the mass clearance of housing in Jericho and was instrumental in the demolition of the infamous Cutteslowe Walls. She protested against the Spanish Civil War with Denis Healey and later led anti-nuclear marches with Marc Bolan, Joan Baez and Donovan. In this talk we will learn more about Olive’s extraordinary life and legacy.

“I have heard Olive Gibbs’s name so many times and to learn about her life and achievements was wonderful. You delivered the talk really well and I left feeling that I would love to have known Olive – what an amazing lady!”  Stephen Dawson, Oxford Preservation Trust, October 2018

Contact me on 01865 242760 or liz@lizwoolley.co.uk to book this talk.

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