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Patricia Gibberd

Lady Patricia Nanette Gibberd (née Spielman; October 17, 1926 – September 19, 2006) was a British patron of the arts, campaigner and social activist who made a considerable contribution to the development of Harlow New Town, Essex.

Early life
Born in Bristol, England, she went to Badminton School. Her parents were Jewish.

After school moved to London where she worked as a technician on public information films made by the Ministry of Information. This early career in the film industry gave her a lifelong passion for the arts.

Harlow
Whilst living in London before she married she joined the Labour Party, helping work towards its victory in the 1945 election. When she moved to Essex with her first husband, Patricia Fox-Edwards as she was then known, ...

In 1947, the postwart Labour Government ordered the building of a completely new town at Harlow, Essex.

In 1948 she was elected for Labour to Epping Rural District Council.

Harlow Arts Trust
In 1953, the Harlow Arts Trust was founded.

In 2010, Harlow Arts Trust and Harlow's Newhall developers William Moen commissioned two pieces of sculpture for Harlow in memory of Lady Gibberd. The pieces are Sophrosyne I by Ekkehard Altenburger and Methuselah by Nick Turvey.

The Gibberd Garden
The Gibberd Garden at Marsh Lane, Harlow, Essex is her physical memorial. It was designed and made by her husband Sir Frederick Gibberd.

Charity work
As a married woman, Gibberd was an active member of many committees. These included arts organisations such as Gainsborough's House in Sudbury, Suffolk, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Eastern Arts Association (now the Arts Council) and the Crafts Council.

In addition, she was the first chairwoman of the Harlow Health Centres Trust.

Personal life
In 1946 she married the naturalist Gerald Fox-Edwards. They moved to Potter Street, a village in Essex. They divorced in the 1960s.

On 29 March 1972 she married the architect Sir Frederick Gibberd, becoming Lady Gibberd. She moved into his home at Marsh Lane, Harlow, Essex, now known as the Gibberd Garden, where she lived until her death.

She died on 19 September 2006 after a short illness leaving one daughter, Deborah, and one grandson.