Henry John Mitchell (1842 – 1912)


A genealogical presentation of the life and times of the ancestors and descendants of William Henry Mathews (1880 – 1964) and his wife Sara Louisa Florence Mitchell (1889 – 1972).

THE MITCHELL FAMILY LINEAGE
– the children of John and Susannah (Sarah) –

Henry John Mitchell (1842 – 1912)

Henry, who was born in 1842, spent his childhood in Shoreditch, London, often relocating as his family grew. When he was 10 years old, he, along with his father and older brother William, emigrated to the antipodes to secure a base before the rest of the family came to join them.

His exact arrival in Melbourne is unknown but the men had established themselves as carpenters/ builders of Arthur Street, South Yarra [1] by 1856.

Whilst his mother had happily settled in Melbourne, his father believed there were better opportunities in New Zealand. So, at 19 years of age Henry, his father and his younger brother John set sail for Wellington, with their final destination being Dunedin.

Just like they had done a decade ago in Melbourne, the Mitchell’s speculated in land, either purchasing undeveloped plots or leasing existing properties in the Caversham, Anderson Bay and St Kilda districts around Dunedin. A site was selected for each of the children [2], Henry’s being a residence that became the Parkside Hotel on Parkside Road in Caversham.

Henry Mitchell at the Parkside Hotel, Caversham.
Otago Daily Times, 21 December 1869.

Unlike his mother who had happily become the innkeeper of the nearby Bay View Hotel, Henry was happiest when working in a trade, so after forgoing his lease and licence, set off to start afresh in the north island, finally settling in the Kāpiti Coast area south-west of Palmerston North.

Aided by contacts secured by his sister’s father-in-law Thomas Goodisson, Henry began his own building and carpentry business.

On the 28th of March 1870, 27-year-old Henry married 17-year-old Charlotte GOODISSON (1853 – 1911), the wedding celebrated in St Pauls Church, Wellington.

Charlotte had given birth to an illegitimate male child (to a Mr Houten) in July 1869 and following her marriage, her boy became Henry's stepson, Henry John Jnr. Upon reaching adulthood the boy changed his name to Henry Houten [3].

Henry and Charlotte raised eleven more children; Charlotte Elizabeth (1871 – ????), Elizabeth Sarah (1873 – 1879), Emily Mary (1874 – 1944), Thomas Edward (1876 – 1944), Robert William (1877 – 1953), Margaret Frances (1880 – 1938), Francis Marshall (1882 – 1926), Victoria Caroline (1884 – 1958), Constance Maude (1885 – 1968), Neil Richard (nee Robson; 1889 – 1966) [4], and Louis Claude (1890 – 1928).

Henry’s carpentry business centred mostly in the Palmerston area, but he did take on projects back in Dunedin from time to time. By the beginning of the 1890’s New Zealand, like Australia was heading towards depression and whilst Henry now had his son H.J. Junior to help, clients were not paying their bills, and it was not long before Henry’s business became overextended.

Henry John Mitchell Snr. is declared bankrupt on December 12 1894.
New Zealand, Bankruptcy Notices, 1893-1904.

Henry and Charlotte Mitchell at the wedding of their daughter Emily.
9 November 1896, Palmerston North.

Whilst his mother’s death in 1889 was upsetting for Henry, his father’s second marriage to Louisa COOPER (nee BOSTON; 1829 – 1900) a year later, had unsettled the Mitchell family harmony. The deaths of his younger brothers John and Marshall in 1892 and 1893 respectively meant that no male Mitchell heir remained in Melbourne to administer their family’s substantial real estate portfolio.

Upon receiving word from his sister Emma, who was now residing in Melbourne, that their father was in poor health Henry returned to Melbourne in time to attend his father’s funeral in 1895 and claim his entitlement from his mother’s inheritance, Henry having been left No. 9 Tyrone Street, South Yarra.

In 1902 Henry and his Tyrone Street neighbour, sister Emma, sold their properties with the proceeds of sale sufficient to clear both family’s outstanding debts back in New Zealand.

While Emma went back to Palmerston, Henry moved to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The 1903 and 1906 Australian Electoral Rolls lists him as a carpenter.

Henry's death was recorded in Fremantle in July 1912 and his body returned to Melbourne for burial.

Henry’s wife Charlotte lived with her son Thomas in Palmerston North, until her death in 1911.

References
  1. The 1856 Australian Electoral Roll has John registered as a carpenter of Collins Street, Melbourne with a freehold on Arthur Street, South Yarra.
  2. The Mitchell family holdings in Caversham, Dunedin included a one-acre section on Andersons Bay Road which became known as the Bay View Inn. A ¼ acre section and dwelling in Tainui, Andersons Bay which became known as the Taieri Village Inn. A section on Parkside Road which became known as the Parkside Hotel. Three sections (24, 25 and 26) of land on Mornington Road and a house on Russell Street, Central Dunedin.
  3. When Henry John Mitchell was declared bankrupt in 1894, the family business suffered greatly, and the next year, Henry Snr. went back to Melbourne, leaving Henry Jnr. to manage on his own. It was during this period that he started using and trading under his birth name, Henry HOUTEN. His death and burial at the Terrace End cemetery in Palmerston North are recorded under the name Henry Mitchell Houten.
  4. Neil Richard Robson was born to Harriet, the sister of Charlotte Mitchell (née Goodisson), and Tom Robson. After his mother passed away during childbirth, he was adopted and raised by Charlotte and Henry. He was referred to as Dick Mitchell.