• William Mitchell
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William and Catherine Mitchell

William Mitchell
William Mitchell

William was the first member of the Mitchell family to be bought out of the family partnership. In a Deed of Conveyance dated 10th August 1857, James, Joseph and Henry Mitchell and Eli Allen paid ₤300 to William for his share of the land. The partnership was dissolved by mutual consent. James, Joseph, Henry and Eli continued the business under the trade name 'Mitchells & Allen'.

William built a hotel on the corner of Abel Smith and Taranaki Streets and named it The Royal Tiger after the British '65th Regiment of Foot the First Battalion the York and Lancaster Regiment' (the 65th or 'Royal Tigers') that had barracks nearby. The hotel had three gable windows at the base of a steep slate-covered roof. Two posts supported a lamp facing the entrance.

 

Royal Tiger Hotel
Royal Tiger Hotel, 1866


"The hotel or inn was the last resort of the soldiers (already 'well lit-up'), some of whom stayed there drinking until they became incapable and until the Round-up Picket Guard made their usual nightly calls at the hotels and trundled them to the barracks in wheelbarrows. Some have been seen by old residents being carried (sometimes head downwards) pinioned by a soldier at each armpit, while another held his legs to the accompaniment of discordant yells of pain or an uproarious ditty." [Louis Ward recorded in Old Wellington Hotels, Some History, Personalities and Anecdotes by Pat Lawlor, The Millwood Press, 1974, pg 58]

William remained proprietor and licensee for some time. He was still listed as the proprietor in the 1872-3 Wises Directory. By 1876-77 the hotel at 1 Abel Smith Street was owned by John Staples.

Wellington City Council records for the Te Aro Ward (1874-75, and 1976-77) show William Mitchell was the owner of Town Acre number 108, Abel Smith Street. His occupation was listed as farmer. Where did William farm? The birth place of one of his sons may give us a clue. Arthur Alexander Mitchell was born on 20.8.1866 in the Wairarapa at west Taratahi. The Provincial Government Gazette of the Province of Wellington, New Zealand defines the Taratahi area as "bounded north by the Waingawa River; East by the Ruamanga River; South by the Waiohine River; and west by the Tararua Range. Excepting always the Township of Carterton." [1859, pg 81]

In the Sheep Inspector's reports of sheep in the Wairarapa and East Coast Districts, there is mention of W. Mitchell owning or being in charge of sheep at Taratahi between 1863 and 1876. [These reports are published in the above mentioned Gazette.] For the first couple of years, his sheep were having problems with scab.

The Gazette also records various purchases of farm land in the Wairarapa area with W. Mitchell purchasing some by himself but mostly in partnership with Moritz Hirshberg.

Family recollection is that William Mitchell gave each of his adult sons a number of acres to farm. For example, John Thomas Mitchell was given a farm at Moutoa near Foxton; George James Mitchell was given land by the Hutt River near the entrance to Stokes Valley; and Arthur Alexander Mitchell was given land in Otaki.

William retained ownership of, and lived in, the house (called 'Holly House') at 1 Abel Smith Street until he died 10 months after his wife in 1902 - Catherine was 72 and William 82. They'd had 11 children, 9 of whom lived past the age of 22.

 

Photo of William Mitchell kindly provided by Alexander Turnbull Library (Wellington, New Zealand) from Cyclopedia of New Zealand Vol 1, Wellington.

Photo of Royal Tiger Hotel: Ref: F90392 1/2 41, Wellington Hotels, Royal Tiger. 1866. Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of their images.