Death of Alderman Mitchell

Transcript

DEATH OF ALDERMAN MITCHELL

Forty-Four Years a Member of Windsor Town Council

With regret we record the death of Alderman George Mitchell, one of Windsor’s most respected citizens, who passed away at his home, Ingledene”, Frances Road, Windsor, on Friday. He had been in indifferent health for some time past. He was in his 79th year. He leaves one son and two daughters, with whom there is much sympathy.

All through his life Alderman Mitcholl was known for his charm of manner, an unfailing kindliness to all, and a generosity in his utterances, whether in public and private, which never allowed his outward calm to be disturbed. Whatever the subject of debate, when difficulties had to be faced and overcome, he exercised the same quiet and unruffled bearing, which gave to him a dignity that his many friends will remember all the more now that his familiar presence has gone. His death has removed the figure of one who walked daily in the town to the welfare of which he devoted so much of his energy. He was born in Eton and spent nearly the whole of his life in the Royal Borough. In his youth he entered the service of the Vacuum Brake Company and rose to the position of managing director. He remained a director of the Company until his death. From his youth he was connected with the Eton Excelsior Rowing Club and took the keenest interest in rowing and sculling. He had a double-sculling skiff of his own which he gave to the Club when he was no longer able to enjoy his favourite pastime. For many years he was a vice-president, and he took over the presidency of the Club in succession to the late Sir George Peters.

As long ago as 1892 he identified himself with the public life of the town and from then his period of voluntary services was unbroken. He was first elected a councillor on the Windsor Town Council on 11th May 1892, and was appointed an alderman on 9th November, 1907. He served the office of Mayor in 1901, and was the senior alderman at the time of his death, chairman of the Public Health Committee, and a member of the Streets, Waterworks and Finance Committees. Alderman Mitchell was the returning officer for the Castle Ward elections, the Council’s representative on the East Berks Regional Planning Committee, the govern-ing bodies of the Windsor County Boys’ and Girls’ Schools, the Joint Committee for the appointment of Thames Conservators, the New Windsor Royal Free School Charity, the New Windsor Ladies’ School Charity, an original manager of the Windsor Modern School, now named the Clarence Road Council School, and the Council’s repre-sentative on the Committee of the H.R.H. Princess Christian’s Maternity Home, Alma Road. For many years he also served on the Windsor Education Committee, and latterly was a vice-president of the Windsor Allotment Holders’ Association. He had been a justice of the peace for the borough since 17th December, 1917.

Alderman Mitchell was a generous supporter of the King Edward VII Hospital and one of its valued voluntary workers. He occupied the chairmanship of the Finance Committee, served on the General Committee, the Weekly Board, and the Extension and Appeals Committee. He asked there should be no flowers at his funeral, but the members of the family thought it would be his desire that contributions be sent to the Hospital to help the funds by anyone wishing to do so.

In other directions he was a director of the Royal Benefit Building Society, a vice-president of the Windsor, Eton and District Chrysanthemum and Horticultural Society, a vice-president of the Windsor branch of the Junior Imperial League and a member of the Windsor and Eton Bowling Club. He was a successful exhibitor at Windsor Rose Show. In 1933 he won outright the Ronald Vickers Cup for six blooms, his previous successes being in 1929, 1930 and 1932.

He was a life-long Conservative, one of the vice-presidents of the Windsor Conservative Club, the Chairman of committees for seven-teen years and President of the Royal Borough Conservative Association for sixteen years. He had been connected with the Club for over forty years, in fact ever since it opened. He was the president of the Benefit Society of the Club from its commencement.

He was a Past-Master of the Castle Lodge of Freemasons, passing through the chair in 1904. In 1905 he held the office of Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works for Berkshire and was a generous supporter of Masonic charities.

Alderman Mitchell was Chairman of the Windsor Constitutional Club, and one of the original members.

The Funeral.

The funeral took place on Monday, and was private. Before the cremation, the service at St. John’s Woking Crematorium was taken by the Vicar of Windsor (Rev. C. H. Hamilton) and was attended by Mr. W. G. Mitchell (son) and a number of friends from London. Afterwards the ashes were brought to Windsor, and the casket was placed in the grave where Mrs. Mitchell was buried thirty-two years ago. The committal sentences were read by the Vicar of Windsor. There was only one tribute, a sheaf of lilies from the family.

Alderman Mitchell will be remembered at Windsor Parish Church on 5th April, when the Mayor and Corporation, in accordance with custom, attend the first Sunday morning service in the month.

PUBLIC TRIBUTES.

At the Windsor Borough Police Court on Monday the Chairman (Alderman A. Harris) referred to the loss the Court had sustained by the death of Alderman Mitchell, who had been a magistrate acting in the Court for a period approaching twenty years. He was always merciful, and if he could at any time show leniency he was only too glad to do it. The Court had lost a very faithful and careful magistrate, and he asked the clerk (Mr. F. T. Ryland) to convey from the Bench to the relatives an expression of their deepest sympathy.

At a special meeting of the Windsor Town Council on Wednesday evening the Mayor (Councillor Lieut. Colonel A. E. Churcher) said this was the first meeting of the authority since the death of Alderman Mitchell, who devoted over forty-four years of his life to the public service. He was elected to the Town Council in 1892, since when he had served on most of the committees and was always eager to take his part in any work for the benefit of the town. He was the Council’s representative on many public bodies outside the Council. He filled the office of Mayor in 1901 and was a Justice of the Peace since 1917. In the name of the Council, he asked the Town Clerk to send a letter conveying their sincerest sympathy to the members of his family.

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Please see the Curator’s Notes.

Curator's Notes

Curator: please note that when including this newspaper clipping, we found it to be incomplete. The following two snippets comprise the complete article as presented 90 years ago. These are from the Windsor, Slough and Eton Express of 27 Mar 1936.

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