Olive Gibbs was a larger than life character who served Oxford with great distinction for many years.

Born in 1918, she became well known as a city councillor, offering valuable service to the community.

She was also highly regarded nationally, as a peace campaigner and founder member of CND, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

READ MORE: Nutella thief is handed a community order 

Now her immense contribution to the city and nation has been recorded in a 50-minute film entitled Olive Gibbs, a Remarkable Woman.

It has already attracted capacity audiences at the Ultimate Picture Palace in East Oxford and is now to be shown at St Barnabas Church in Jericho on Saturday, 30th November.

The film is by Helen Sheppard and Christopher Baines, who thought of the idea when they visited an exhibition by photographer Helen Muspratt at the Weston Library in Oxford.

(Image: Oxford Mail) They write: “We were particularly struck by a 1941 black and white portrait of Olive Gibbs. Knowing nothing about her, we became fascinated by Olive’s story and decided to make a documentary about her life.

“With the help of historian Liz Woolley, we were introduced to Olive’s two sons, Simon and Andrew, who spoke to us about their mother and generously lent us photographs, press cuttings, correspondence and even home movies for the film.

“We interviewed family members, former colleagues, historians and local residents, and shot the film on location in Oxford and Lee-on-Solent, where Olive’s family took regular holidays.

“We came to admire Olive as a brave and exceptional person whose story still seems very relevant today.

“She is remembered for her outspoken passion, lively sense of humour and spirited dedication to improving the lives of ordinary people.”

Historian Ms Woolley adds: “Olive believed passionately in educational opportunities for people of all talents and abilities and was an energetic chair of the College of Further Education as it was then.”

READ MORE: Chairwoman to step down from cycle campaign group 

Olive, as she was always known (only in official circles would she be called ‘Mrs Gibbs’), died aged 77 in 1995 after serving on both the city and county councils.

Her many campaigns included the battle to stop an inner relief road being built across Christ Church Meadow in Oxford and support for the demolition of the infamous Cutteslowe walls, separating council and private homes on the North Oxford estate.

The City of Oxford College in Oxpens Road hosted a display of her life in 2018 to mark the centenary of her birth.

She lived with her husband Edmund, a leading Oxford accountant, in Iffley Road, but her heart was always in the area of the city she represented as a councillor, West Oxford.

The film makers are well established in the industry - Helen Sheppard is a BAFTA award-winning freelance director who works for the BBC and many independent production companies, while Christopher Baines is a professional filmmaker and photographer.

For tickets for the film show at St Barnabas Church, starting at 7pm, go to https://olive-gibbs-film.eventbrite.com

Help support trusted local news 

Sign up for a digital subscription now: oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe 

As a digital subscriber you will get:      

          
  • Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website   
    •       
  • Advert-light access       
    •       
  • Reader rewards       
    •       
  • Full access to our app 

About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.