Daniel Gibson [commonly known as Dan Gibson] was born in Bassinthorpe, Lincolnshire, England on 20 September 1865 and was articled to Smith & Broderick in Hull. In c.1889 he became an assistant to Richard Knill Freeman (1840-1904) in Bolton, Lancashire and was sent as resident architect to Graythwaite Hall near Windermere where he met the landscape architect Thomas Hayton Mawson (1861-1933) with whom he collaborated on a number of architectural gardening projects.
In 1892 Gibson moved to London and was briefly employed in the office of Ernest George & Peto, before returning to Windermere the following year, where he established an independent architectural practice with William Henry Ward (1865-1924) as his assistant.
In 1897 Gibson resumed his association with T.H. Mawson with whom he formed a partnership. During his association with Mason, Gibson designed a number of substantial houses in the Windermere area, as is evident from examples of his work illustrated in 'The Studio' May 1903 (pp.258, 259, 260). The Mawson & Gibson partnership was dissolved in c.1899 or 1900, however, the pair continued to collaborate on projects after this and Gibson resumed his independent architectural practice in Windermere, employing William Ledsham Dolman (1875-1939) as his assistant from 1902.
In addition to his work as an architect, Gibson also designed jewellery, book bindings and interiors. He designed the altar and reredos for St. Margaret's Church in Prestwick.
Gibson died in Kendal Westmorland on 19 June 1907. Following his death, Dolman continued Gibson's practice in Windermere.
Architectural work by Gibson included the Pavilion in Hanley Park, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire (1894); the entrance lodge at East Park, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire (1895-96); the bandstand at East Park, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire (1896); the conservatory at West Park, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire (1897); the summerhouse at Cringlemire in Troutbeck, Windermere (1897); the Ballimore Otter Ferry at Loch Fyne, Argyll, Scotland (1898); Slains Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland (1898); the gatehouse at The Flagstaff, Colwyn Bay, Wales (1898-99); Red Braes in Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland (1899); Brockhole in Windermere (1898-1900); The Willows in Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, Lancashire (1899); Beechmount, near Sawrey, Hawkshead (1900); Wood House in South Towton, Devon (1900-05); choir stalls and reredos for Church of St Margaret in Prestwich (1902); Dawstones in Lickbarrow Road , Windermere (1903-04); White Craggs in Clappergate, near Ambleside (1904); twin lodges and a gateway at Brooklandwood House, near Baltimore, Maryland (1907); and Birkett House, Winster, near Windermere (1907-10).
Armstrong, Barrie and Armstrong, Wendy. The Arts and Crafts movement in the North West of England: a handbook. Wetherby, England: Oblong Creative Ltd., 2006
Hyde, Matthew and Whittaker, Esmé. Arts and Crafts houses in the Lake District. London: Francis Lincoln Limited, 2014
Mawson, Thomas H. The Art and Craft of Garden Making. London: B.T. Batsford, 1900