He was born the only son of Joseph Gilbert (1800–1881) of Pewsey Vale near Lyndoch and his wife Anna née Browne (1812–1873).
[1] In 1872 he helped Ted Bagot (1848–1881) and his foster-brother James Churchill-Smith (1851–1922) drove 1,000 head of cattle from Adelaide to the MacDonnell Ranges where he had acquired three leases centred on Owen Springs Station and Edward Meade Bagot another two, on Emily Gap and Undoolya Stations; this was recognised as one of the great droving feats of Australian pastoral history.
When his father died he disposed of Owen Springs, the freehold of 32,000 acres at Mount Bryan, and the Oriecowe run on Yorke Peninsula in order to concentrate on stock improvement at Pewsey Vale.
Shortly before his death in North Adelaide, he transferred the Wongalere property near Williamstown to his son William, who had been developing its vineyard.
William junior sold Pewsey Vale shortly after inheriting it to pay probate duties.