Sir Philip Gibbes, 1st Baronet

Sir Philip Gibbes, 1st Baronet, also Gibbs (1731–1815) was a planter in Barbados.

Gibbes was born in St James' Parish, Barbados, on 7 March 1731 and baptised that same year. His parents were Philip Gibbes (died 1763) and his wife Elizabeth Harris. He went back in the male line to Henry Gibbes of Bristol, whose son Philip (died 1648) settled on Barbados, through Philip (died 1697) and Philip (died 1726).

In London at the Middle Temple, Gibbes studied law , before returning to the West Indies to take up his father's sugar estates. He was appointed to the Barbados legislature, advising the island's governor in Bridgetown on legal matters. He spent, however, time in Great Britain, and is considered an absentee owner.

The Gibbes baronetcy was created on 30 May 1774. The associated place name or seat is given as Fackley, with a query added by George Edward Cokayne as Tackley; or Faikley.

Gibbes had discussions in Paris with Benjamin Franklin on the American Revolutionary War. They may first have met in London, in 1774/5. Once the Revolutionary War broke out, Barbados was in an exposed position. In 1777 and again in 1778, Gibbes visited Franklin. The role taken on by Gibbes has been described as "a self-appointed mediator". Franklin moved away from the acceptability of some form of federal system with Great Britain, as is documented in his correspondence with Joseph Priestley. He also reported on the content of these discussions to Arthur Lee. At this time — early 1778 — the king was warning Lord North about Gibbes ahead of an anticipated interview, saying he had heard Gibbes was a "doubtful character". Gibbes was received by the Prime Minister as the head of a group representing the interests of the Caribbean plantation owners,

In 1777 Gibbes joined the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. At the height of the Gordon Riots, on 7 June 1780, Gibbes was quoted in the London Courant as favouring the formation in Marylebone of a volunteer militia unit.

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