Albert Ernest MITCHELL

1883 - 1973  (90 years)

• Name	Albert Ernest MITCHELL  [1]
  Born	1883  [2]
  	He was 90 years old when he died in 1973.
  Gender	Male
  Notes for biography	Albert and his younger Bob grew up on their father's farm 'Clifford Farm' near Linton - a small farming community near Ballarat, Victoria Albert left home at an early age to seek his fortune away from the parental farm. In still in their early teens, the boys stowed away on a ship going to New Zealand, spending a few years there earning their living doing odd jobs. Bob later returned home to Linton and, on the death of his father, became the owner of 'Clifford Farm‘. But Albert went on to America where he joined the Army - as he could be sure of getting a good meal that way! Eventually he applied for and was accepted by the British Government for a position in China with the Chinese Maritime Customs. As he was a man of exceptional intelligence he quickly became fluent in Chinese languages and rose to a very high position in the Customs Department where he stayed until the invasion of the Japanese in World War ll. It was on one of his visits back from China to Linton to see his family that he met again (both families were friends) and married on September 17, 1921 Elsie Willaton - taking her back with him to Shanghai, China. Soon after his return to China Albert was posted to Tien Tsin - further north in China - where Bill was born. They had one other child - John Robert (Jack) - who was born in Ahn Dung on April 27, 1924. About 1928, Elsie brought both the boys back to Ballarat for their education. Albert was made a prisoner-of-war and had very little communication with his family in Australia. Through circumstances, Albert and Elsie did not see each other again. He was repatriated to Durban, South Africa, on the first exchange ship between the British and Japanese Governments of prisoners-of-war. Being then an elderly man he spent the remainder of his life there. He was very active and would regularly go for long hikes up the Drakensberg Mountains near Durban - almost until the time of his death at 90 years of age on November 16, 1973.   [3]
  Died	16 Nov 1973	Durban, South Africa   [2]
  Person ID	I333	Mitchell
  Last Modified	13 Feb 2021

  
  

  Father	Frederick MICHEL
  Mother	Isobel Antoinette MCDOUGAL
  Family ID	F110	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elsie Margaret WILLATON,   b. 1889,   d. 18 Mar 1978  (Age 89 years)
  Married	17 Sep 1921  [1]
  Children	+ 1. William Willaton 'Bill' MITCHELL,   b. 15 Oct 1922, Tien Tsin, China ,   d. 16 Jul 1996  (Age 73 years) + 2. John Robert 'Jack' MITCHELL,   b. 27 Apr 1924, Ahn Dung, China
  Last Modified	13 Feb 2021
  Family ID	F109	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Albert, aged 86 yrs, climbing Drakensberg Mountains
  		Albert Mitchell
  		ww - Bill on Albert's shoulders
  		ww - Elsie, Bill, Jack & Albert - possibly in 1928 before mother and the boys left China for Australia
  		Albert Mitchell

  
  

  Documents

  Albert Mitchell & Elsie Willaton - wedding on 17th Sept 1921 * Date: 17th September 1921 * Place: 90 Horsburgh St & Murray St Malvern?? * Groom: Albert Ernest Mitchell, bachelor, aged 35, born Linton, occupation Chinese Customs Official, present residence Provincial Hotel Ballarat, usual residence Chinese Customs Shanghai, son of Isobel Antoinette McDougal and Frederick Mitchell, farmer. * Bride: Elsie Margaret Willaton, spinster, aged 32, born Ballarat, cutter & designer, residence Talbot St Ballarat, daughter of Marjory Jane Bate and John Willaton, miner. * Witnesses: Bene?? Willaton & Samuel J Taylor * Rites: By licence, Methodist Church by Charles Tregear??, minister * Registration: District of Malsan??, Number 900 in 1921

  
  

• Sources

  [S6] 'Bill Mitchell - This Is Your Life', Page 6. [S6] 'Bill Mitchell - This Is Your Life', Page 7. [S6] 'Bill Mitchell - This Is Your Life', Page 6 & 7.