The early history of the company is slightly unclear. Thomas Gibbons set up a locksmith business in 1670. His company was taken over by subsequent generations of the Gibbons family. 1750 - James Gibbons name first used. The date of establishment used on the company's advertising is given as 1750. The company kept the name of James Gibbons of Wolverhampton until 1970 when it changed to James Gibbons of Wolverhampton Ltd. Around 1975 the company was bought by Radiation and then Tube Investments and the company ceased to be a family firm.