This family line is the easiest for me to research at the moment (as long as they stay in Northamptonshire) as I live only a short distance from the Northampton Record Office. As I get further back, things start getting a bit difficult.......
The latest generation of our Mitchell family can be found scattered from Northamptonshire to South Africa. The four grandchildren of Sydney Mitchell having been born in north west London have moved to Northampton, Flitwick, Welwyn Garden and soon to South Africa.
Sydney Mitchell was a prominent Grocer (provisions merchant) and held office in the London & District Grocers Association. I have obtained the text of an article about him from the journal 'Counterwise'. My Great Uncle 'Reg' (actually Arthur Reginald Mitchell) was a prosperous furniture retailer in Wellingborough (or was it Kettering)
We also have a sporting hero in the family, my Great Grandfather William James Mitchell was a leading Bowls player, at local, county and National levels. My Uncle, Ken Mitchell, has written to various Bowls clubs and has a list of his acheivements together with some historic photographs.
Beyond this I do not have many details, we had a couple of Shoe/Boot makers and a 'Higgler' in the 1800's most of whom could not write.They could be found in the villages of Little Harrowden, Isham, Finedon and Cranford St. John. After 6 generations my daughter was born not 15 miles from her 6 x Great Grandfather
The furthest back I can trace at the moment ( this hasn't changed after several visits to the NRO) is to a James Mitchell who was living in Cranford St John about 3 miles east of Kettering in Northants. In 1765 James and Sarah Smith were married in the parish of Sudbury (now known as Sudborough) a couple of miles north of Cranford. They had seven children between 1766 and 1780. His son James was married in Burton Latimer. James Snr. was Clerk to the Parishes of Cranford St. John & Cranford St. Andrew from about 179? to 1803 when he died, he managed to witness most of the marriages at Cranford from 1772 onward until his death.
According to family tradition there is a link to a scottish clan, possibly Clan McInnes, but there is no trace of this yet.
The name MITCHELL is variously spelt as MICHELL, MISCHEL and MITCHEL, depending on who was writing it down
A Ged2html list of Mitchells and associated people
A Ged2html list of Surnames associated with the Mitchells
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This site was last updated on Sat 28 Mar. 1998 by Dave Rossiter