Complex sentence: London-born Colonel Gibbes (1787-1873) had been the Collector of Customs for the Colony of New South Wales since 1834 and was also a Crown-nominee member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.
Split into simpler sentences: London-born Colonel Gibbes (1787-1873) had been the Collector of Customs for the Colony of New South Wales since 1834. He was also a Crown-appointed member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.