Thomas Mitchell (merchant)

Thomas Mitchell (1798–1871) was a Scottish merchant and ship owner in Glasgow.[1][2]

He was born in Perth, Scotland, 24 May 1798, the eldest child of Stewart Mitchell and his wife Jean Jack.[3] The family later moved to Glasgow where he lived at Kingston Place, Govan,[4] and later Parkview, Pollokshields.[2] In 1860 his name was used in a case of forgery.[5] Crew on the "Thomas Mitchell" are thought to have introduced the parasite Jiggers to West Africa from Brazil in 1872.[6]

Ships built

He was a ship owner, naming ships after his children or his wife. One of his ships, the barque Flora Kerr carried settlers to the Australian colony in the 1850s. She caught fire and was wrecked in 1858 with the crew rescued.[7] The Jane Jack Mitchell was wrecked off Calcutta in 1866 with loss of some of the crew.[8]

Date Name Builder Location Note
1838 British Isle Archibald P McFarlane Jnr & Co Dumbarton Wood Sailing Vessel 3 Masted Barque[9]
1840 Flora Kerr Hedderwick & Rankin Glasgow Wood Sailing Vessel 3 masted Barque[10][11]
1848 Robina Mitchell Archibald McMillan & Son Dumbarton Wood Sailing Vessel 3 Masted Ship[12][13]
1851  Thomas Mitchell Archibald McMillan & Son Dumbarton Wood Sailing Vessel 3 Masted Ship[14][15]
1853  Margaret Mitchell Archibald McMillan & Son Dumbarton Wood Sailing Vessel 3 Masted Ship[16][17]
1855 Jane Jack Mitchell  Archibald McMillan & Son Dumbarton Wood Sailing Vessel 3 Masted Ship[18][19][8]

Personal life

On 9 October 1826 he married Florence 'Flora' Kerr[20] the eldest child of Norman Kerr and Margaret Young.[21][22] They had three daughters: Margaret (1827–1885),[23] Jane Jack (1829–1920) who married William McOnie, and Jemma (1831–1902).[24] His second marriage on 1 November 1841 in Gorbals was to Robina Lochhead. He died 28 October 1871.[25]

References

  1. ^ "Thomas Mitchell (1798-1871)". Grace's Guide To British Industrial History. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b Thomas Mitchell. 22/12/1871. MERCHANT AND SHIP OWNER IN GLASGOW, SOMETIME RESIDING AT KINGSTON HOUSE THERE, AFTERWARDS AT PARKVIEW, POLLOKSHIELDS, SPOUSE OF ROBINA LOCHHEAD. Scotlands People SC58/42/39
  3. ^ "Thomas Mitchell. Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950". Family Search. 3 June 1798.
  4. ^ The Post Office Annual Glasgow Directory for 1849-1850 (PDF). William Collins. 1849. p. 214.
  5. ^ "Clever Capture of a Forger". Stirling Observer. 19 April 1860. p. 4 – via British Library Newspapers.
  6. ^ Morgan, E (1922). "Notes on Some Diseases in South America Transmissible from Animals to Man". The Veterinary Journal. 78 (12): 453–461. doi:10.1016/S0372-5545(17)52809-6 – via Science Direct.
  7. ^ "Loss of Flora Kerr". Liverpool Albion. 12 April 1858. p. 22.
  8. ^ a b "Loss of the Jane Jack Mitchell". Liverpool Mercury. 27 December 1866 – via British Library Newspapers.
  9. ^ "BRITISH ISLE". Clyde Ships. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  10. ^ "FLORA KERR". Clyde Ships. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Launches". Shipping and Mercantile Gazette. 25 April 1840. p. 3. Glasgow April 20. Launched from the building-yard of Messrs. Hedderwick & Rankin, at Kelvin Haugh, this day at half-past three o'clock PM, a splendid barque, named the Flora Kerr. She has a full poop, and will bear a comparison with any of our Clyde ships. She Registers 416 tons (N.M.) and takes the berth for Singapore.
  12. ^ "ROBINA MITCHELL". Clyde Ships. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Launch at Dumbarton". Glasgow Herald. No. 4753. 18 August 1848. Retrieved 5 February 2024 – via British Library Newspapers. At half-past two o'clock yesterday there was launched from the ship-building yard of Messrs. Archibald McMillan & Son a splendid new ship, of 563 tons register, named "Robina Mitchell", the property of Thomas Mitchell, Esq., ship-owner, Glasgow, which is intended to sail as consort to the "Flora Kerr" in the East India trade. She is to be commanded by Captain James McNidder (late of the Flora Kerr). The ceremony of christening was gracefully performed by Miss Jemima Mitchell, daughter of the owner, when the "Robina Mitchell" glided majestically into her destined element, amidst the cheers of a respectable concourse of spectators.
  14. ^ "THOMAS MITCHELL". Clyde Ships. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Scotland". Greenock Advertiser. 21 February 1851. p. 4.
  16. ^ "MARGARET MITCHELL". Clyde Ships. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Launch". Paisley Herald and Renfrewshire Advertiser. 5 November 1853. p. 2. Retrieved 5 February 2024 – via British Library Newspapers. On Wednesday, at high water, there was launched from the building-yard of Messrs. A. McMillan and Son, Dumbarton, a fine ship, named the Margaret Mitchell by Miss Jane Mitchell, daughter of Thomas Mitchell, Esq., Glasgow, the owner. She is intended for the West India trade
  18. ^ "JANE JACK MITCHELL". Clyde Ships. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  19. ^ "The War". Glasgow Courier. 22 March 1855. p. 4.
  20. ^ "Thomas Mitchell. Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910". Family Search. 9 October 1826.
  21. ^ "Antique Scottish Sampler, 1808, by Flora Kerr, Glasgow". Madelina. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024.
  22. ^ "Florence Kerr, Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950". Family Search. 22 February 1798. Birth 22 Feb 1798
  23. ^ "Marriages". Glasgow Herald. 24 December 1858. At Kingston House, on the 23d inst., by the Rev. John Caird, M.A., of Park Church, Alexander Fergusson, Esq., to Margaret, daughter of Thomas Mitchell, Esq
  24. ^ "Marriages". Belfast News-Letter. 5 September 1851 – via British Library Newspapers. At Kingston House, Glasgow, on the 3d instant, by the Rev. Dr. Barr, of St. Enoch's, William Bell, Esq., merchant, Belfast, to .Jemima, daughter of Thomas Mitchell, Esq., merchant, Glasgow
  25. ^ "Deaths". Renfrewshire Independent. 4 November 1871. p. 5.