Henry Gilbert was the son of William, grandson of Joseph, of Pewsey Vale. Joseph emigrated to South Australia in 1839 and established himself on land in the Barossa Valley, calling his large property Pewsey Vale. He raised sheep and cattle, bred thoroughbred horses and planted extensive vineyards. His only son William had a large family. Henry, born in 1880 was the eldest. Henry was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide and Melbourne Universities before undertaking further training as a doctor in London. He established his practice in Adelaide in 1907, and in addition to his private practice, spent much time working in an honorary capacity at the Adelaide Children's Hospital. He died in 1947.
The Gilbert Family has donated many of the children's books, toys and games to the Children's Literature Research Collection, including two boxes of birds' eggs collected by Henry as a young boy. In the 19th century the collecting of birds' eggs was fostered as a healthy outdoor activity with a scientific bent. The careful arrangement, identification and labelling of the eggs was an approved hobby of the time. Henry's collection of sundries includes a crocodile egg (mis-labelled alligator egg), a bird's nest, birds' eggs and some pieces of coral. He received an award for this collection at the Williamstown exhibition of 1888. Perhaps he was assisted in the collection of some of the more exotic pieces by relatives who travelled more widely than an eight-year old boy might.
