Amount of Images in current collection: about 500 Aleck Martin Gibbs was born in London in 1905, the son of an acclaimed Engineer and incidentally a keen amateur photographer (as was his father before him). Upon leaving school, Martin went to London University to study Engineering. Although he was doing well, he was simply bored with the subject and decided to leave and get a job. However, due to the post-World War One depression, jobs were in short supply, vacancies being held predominantly for ex-servicemen. Martin did nevertheless hear that the Bank of England was recruiting applicants who could pass the rigorous entrance exam. In those days, working for the Bank of England was one of the most esteemed careers open to a young man. He passed the exam and began working at the Bank. Royal Family with Sir Pierre van Ryneveld and General Smuts at Army College