Basic Biographical Details Name: | Henry Mitchell | Designation: | | Born: | 1864 | Died: | 23 December 1932 | Bio Notes: | Henry Mitchell was born in 1864 at Renton/Cardross (Reg dist 494, entry 122), the son of Francis Mitchell, gem and seal engraver, and his wife May Liddel. He was articled to Campbell Douglas & Sellars from 1884, studying at the Glasgow School of Art and winning several medals. After Sellars's death in 1888 he worked as draughtsman to Honeyman & Keppie for five years before forming a partnership with William Tait Conner, who had been articled to Campbell Douglas & Sellars at the same time. The partnership did not prosper although both were excellent draughtsmen, most of their time being spent entering competitions. Conner emigrated to Johannesburg in 1902 and Mitchell merged his practice with that of Charles Edward Whitelaw whom he had known at both Campbell Douglas's and Honeyman & Keppie's. The partnership took the name of Mitchell & Whitelaw and prospered rather better, partly through Whitelaw family connections and ship interior work. It had Vernon Constable as draughtsman and was assisted part-time by Alexander Wright from 1907. About 1907 Thomas Lennox Watson, with whom Mitchell had worked briefly on the interiors of the Steam Yacht Margarita and on competition designs for the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Glasgow & West of Scotland Technical College at the beginning of the century, offered Mitchell a partnership. Mitchell's partnership with Watson was brief.
The practice seems to have run out of work as a result of the Finance Act of 1909: by 1914 the St Vincent Street office had been been closed and Mitchell was practising alone from his house at 20 Sutherland Street, Helensburgh.
Mitchell was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects, of which Mitchell had been a member since 1907. He continued to practise from his home in Helensburgh until at least 1929. He died of angina at Tighnloan, Helensburgh on 23 December 1932. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 187, West Princes Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1885 | 1888 | | | Free Church Manse, Renton, Dunbartonshire, Scotland | Private | 1888 | 1890 | | | Scotstoun Villa, Whiteinch, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1890 | After 1895 | | | 121, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1894 | 1899 or 1900 | | | 166, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1900 * | | | | 2, Thornfield, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Scotland | Private | 1902 * | | | | 219, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1904 | After 1911 | | | 20, Sutherland Street, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Scotland | Private/business | Before 1911 * | After 1931(?) | | | Tighnloan, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Scotland | Private | 23 December 1932 * | | Place of death |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | John Bennie Wilson | 20 July 1911 | for Licentiateship - as President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Additional research by Iain Paterson (birth, death and addresses) | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v19 no1465 |
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