Assistant Surgeon James Mitchell (1792-1869)

Born : 1792

Where Born :Fife,Scotland.

Occupation : Medical Officer

Date Arrived : November 1821

Ship Arrived on :"John Barry"

Rank on Discharge : Assistant Surgeon

Date of Enlistment : 1810

Where Enlisted :

Transfer Date : June 1823

Transfer to : Colonial Medical Department

Date of Discharge : September 1837

Where Discharged : Sydney

Died : 1/2/1869

Where Died / Buried : Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney

Parents Names : David Mitchell (.b.....d.) and Margaret (Low) (.b.....d.)

Spouse's Name : Augusta Maria Scott

Date Married : 22 August 1833

Where Married : St. James' Church, Sydney

Spouse's Parents : Dr. Helenus Scott (.b.....d.) and Mrs. Augusta Maria Scott (.b.....d.)

Born :

Where Born :

Occupation : Home Duties

Date Arrived :

Ship Arrived on :

Died :

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Area Settled :

Children :
1 . David Scott Mitchell (b.......d) who donated his collection of Australiana Books. The Australian Subscription Library was to become known as the Mitchell Library Sydney and then the State Library of New South Wales.

Assistant Surgeon James Mitchell Arrived in Australia in November 1821, on board the ship "John Barry": His military career was to commence in 1810 when he enlisted in the Army Medical Department.After serving in the Penninsular Wars in Spain, New Orleans and in the Medical Hospital at Brussels during the Waterloo Campaign,he was appointed Assistant Surgeon in June of 1820.
Transferring from the 48th Regiment he joined the Colonial Medical Depatrment in June of 1823. Mitchell began to carry out his own medical practice as well as for the Department he was appointed to.This was frowned upon by the Government and he was dismissed from service in September of 1837. James Mitchell was later reinstated for a period of one day,this allowing him to resign.: Following his discharge he obtained land at Burragorang and in the Hunter Valley. He was very active in
Mining, salt works & the manufacture of Tweed. As part of his very public life he took up the position of president of the Australian Subscription Library in 1856 serving in this role until 1869. It was to the Australian Subscription Library that his son David Scott Mitchell donated his collection of Australiana Books. The Australian Subscription Library was to become known as the Mitchell Library Sydney and then the State Library of New South Wales.
He was not awarded the General Service Medal .: e- mail address
bmchapman@iprimus.com.au