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Ancestor Table of Richard Harry Mitchelson, Jr.

We briefly summarize here, without documentation, everything we know of the ancestry of the late Richard Harry Mitchelson, Jr., of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. For further information on his paternal line, and a discussion of the difficulty that he seems to have been born more than five years before the marriage of his parents, see our account of The Mitchelson family. For fuller, documented accounts of some of the families figuring in these notes see Bell, Hackett, Fogg, and Britland.

    Generation I

  1. Richard (“Dick”) Harry Mitchelson, Jr., b. 31 Dec. 1914 (according to his own statement, but there is no birth on file in Manitoba under this name), probably at Winnipeg, d. 13 Feb. 1998 at Vancouver, B.C. (during a visit to a daughter), aged over 83 years, and buried in St. Vital Cemetery. As to Richard Mitchelson’s parentage, he distinctly stated to us that he was the son of Richard Harry Mitchelson and Kathleen McBride. After his death, we discovered that they were not married at the time of his birth, and no evidence has been found that his mother was even in Canada at the time of his birth, serious doubt remains as to whether he was actually the child of both his alleged parents. He m. 15 August 1937, Jean Margaret Kennedy, b. 13 June 1917, d. 4 Jan. 2000 at Winnipeg, aged over 82 years, only child of John Kennedy (V), of Melita, Manitoba, by his wife Susanna Samantha Helena Young. Richard Mitchelson served in the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve and in the Second World War on both the HMCS Prince Henry and the HMCS Prince Robert, serving throughout the entire war, from 1939 to 1945. He became a locomotive engineer with the Canadian National Railway (CNR) by 1946, retiring in 1979. Richard and Margaret Mitchelson were living at 228 Balmoral Street, Winnipeg, in 1946-47, and at 426 Robertson from 1948 to 1972. About the end of 1972 they moved to 22 Greenwood Avenue, where they lived until the time of their deaths. They have five children, all still living as of 2000.

    Generation II

  2. Richard Harry Mitchelson, b. 22 April 1887 at Shepherd’s Bush, Hammersmith, Fulham, Middlesex (now in Greater London), d. 25 May 1973 at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, aged over 86 years, and buried there in Ocean-view Cemetery. “Richard Henry Mitchelson,” carpenter, aged 23, of English nationality, came to Canada in 1910, sailing on the Royal George from Bristol on 21 July and arriving at Montréal, Québec. However, he has not been found in the 1911 census. He served in World War I in the 44th (subsequently renumbered 8th) battalion of the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, enlisting on 17 Dec. 1914, receiving a medical discharge on 7 Aug. 1918, and being disembarked at Halifax, Nova Scotia. His military record distinctly states that he was unmarried at the time of his enlistment. At the time of his marriage in 1920 he was an electrician, living at 561 Sargent Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, his religious denomination being given as Church of England and his marital status as bachelor, while his wife was a maid, living at 348 Colony Street, Winnipeg, her religious denomination being given as Roman Catholic and her marital status as spinster. Richard appears as “R. Mitchelson” of 561 Sargent Avenue in the city directories of Winnipeg in 1920 and 1921, but has not been found in that of 1922. He next appears in the city directories in 1923, when he was living at 627 Cathedral Street. By 1929 he was an employee of Winnipeg Electric, and remained with that firm as a terminal operator until his departure from Winnipeg ca. 1953. In 1940 he and his wife moved to 626 Jessie Street, apartment no. 14, and were still there in 1953, after which year he no longer appears in the city directories. They must have removed immediately afterward to Vancouver (where they spent the rest of their lives), as Kathleen’s death certificate states she had lived there for 15 years prior to her death. He and his wife were not married until nearly six years after the birth of their son Richard (no. 1 above). He m. 13 Aug. 1920 at no. 353 St. Mary Avenue, Winnipeg (i.e. the home of the witnesses, Frank Casew and John Ryan), by Roman Catholic rites,
  3. Kathleen McBride, b. 4 Nov. 1884 at Killen in Newtownstewart, co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland (registered under the name of Catherine), d. 1 Oct. 1968 at Vancouver, aged 84 years, and buried there in Ocean-view Cemetery. If her death record is correct in stating the length of her residence in the country as 60 years, she arrived in Canada in 1907 or 1908. However, this is subject to doubt as she has not been found in the 1911 census.

    Generation III

  4. Richard Newton Mitchelson, of Shepherd’s Bush, Hammersmith, Fulham, Middlesex (now in Greater London), b. 25 Oct. 1855 at Abbey Yard, Spalding, Lincolnshire, d. between 17 Dec. 1914 and 16 July 1915. He was still living unmarried with his widowed mother at Derby, Derbyshire, in 1881, when he is called a railway clerk. But within a few years he had moved to Fulham, and at the time of his marriage he was described as a “fruiterer & green grocer,” of 98 Gold Hawk Road, Shepherd’s Bush, aged 29 years, and she a “tailoress,” of 44 Parliament Street, Darley, aged 27 years, both parties being single at the time. The witnesses were Richard Henry Bell and Eliza Bell, whom we know to have been the bride’s siblings. He was still a fruiterer, of 98 Gold Hawk Road, in April 1887, when his son Richard was born, was at the same address at the taking of the 1891 census, when he is called a greengrocer, and in 1901, when he is called a “fruiterer, greengrocer, and furniture remover.” He is still listed there in the 1901 postal directory. He is mentioned as “Richard Mitchelson, 5 Richmond Road, Staines, Middlesex, next of kin” in the enlistment record of his son Richard, dated 17 Dec. 1914, but he had died by 16 July 1915, when a second enlistment record shows this son’s next-of-kin as “Mrs. L. Mitchelson, 5 Richmond Rd., Staines, Middlesex.” He is posthumously called a salesman in the 1920 marriage record of his son Richard. He m. 29 March 1886 in St. Luke’s Parish Church, Darley, near Matlock, Derbyshire,
  5. Lydia Maria Bell, b. 25 Jan. 1858 at Little Rowsley, in the parish of Darley, Derbyshire, and bapt. 28 Feb. following at Great Rowsley (in the parish of Bakewell), still alive on 1 Oct. 1915 and apparently also on 7 July 1918. Lydia Bell is called a “tailoress” in 1881, when she is listed in a household in Derby with five of her siblings.
  6. James McBride, of co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, b. about 1846-47 (aged 22 in 1868, 53 in 1901) in co. Tyrone, d. some time in 1901-1911. His children’s birth records call him a flax scutcher (1870, 1872) and a laborer (1875, 1877, 1878, 1882, 1884, 1887), and give his address as Tivey in Newtownstewart (1870, 1882), Fyfin in Castlederg (1872, 1875, 1877), Meahey in Newtownstewart (1878), and Killen in Newtownstewart (1884, 1887). He appears with his family at Breen, Altaclady, co. Tyrone, in the 1901 census, in which he is called a laborer. He is however called a farmer in the marriage record of his daughter Kathleen. As James McBride, of Fyfin, servant, aged 22 years, he m. 21 Nov. 1868 in the Roman Catholic chapel, Carncorn/Carncorran, parish of Urney, co. Tyrone,
  7. Mary Sharkey, b. probably about 1850-52 (aged 22 [!] in 1868, 48 in 1901, 65 [!] in 1911) in co. Tyrone. At the time of her marriage she was a servant, residing at Brucklass, aged 22 years. She appears as a widow with some of her children in the townland of Stoneyfalls, and parish of Ardstraw, in the 1911 census.

    Generation IV

  8. Richard Mitchelson, of Spalding, Lincolnshire, b. about 1816-17 (his age is stated as 32 in 1850, 31 in 1851, and 45 in 1861), probably at Thistleton, Rutland (per 1851 census), d. 1861-71, who had been a valet, according to his son Richard’s marriage record. In their marriage record he is called a horse-keeper and his wife a dress-maker, and both were single at the time. He was enumerated at Red Lion Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire, in the 1851 census, in which he is called an ostler, his father-in-law John Newton (no. 18) appearing in the household as a “visitor.” Richard and his children were enumerated at Vine Street, Spalding, in the 1861 census, in which he is called an ostler; his wife Harriet was absent from the time as she was visiting her mother, who had been widowed only a few days earlier. He m. 25 Aug. 1850 in the Independent Chapel, Stamford, Lincolnshire,
  9. Harriet Newton, b. probably in 1826 (aged 24 years in 1850, 34 in 1861, 55 years in 1881, 74 years at her death in 1901), bapt. 28 May 1826 in the parish church of St. Mary, Duddington, near Wansford, Northamptonshire, d. 23 Nov. 1901 at no. 11 Abbey Street, Derby, Derbyshire, of stomach disease, aged 74 years. The widow Harriet Mitchelson, a stay-maker, is found with several children at Abbey Yard, Spalding, in the 1871 census. She was living with her two children at no. 16 Sitwell Street, Derby, Derbyshire, in 1881, when she is called a housekeeper (but as she was the head of her household and had a lodger, this probably meant simply that she was keeping her own house). She was living with her son Richard in 1891, when she was said to be “living on her own means.” We have not located her in the 1901 census. In the record of her death she is called “widow of Richard Mitchelson, outrider” — this term perhaps being used in its sense of “commercial traveller.”
  10. Joseph Bell, of Matlock, Rowsley, and Great Longstone (in the parish of Bakewell), Derbyshire, b. 1819-20 (aged 31 in 1851, 41 in 1861) at Manchester, Lancashire, d. (intestate) 28 June 1868 at Great Longstone. Joseph Bell is found in the 1841 census of Matlock, his age being given as 20-24 years; he was serving as an assistant to the grocer Anthony Leeys. He was the only person of this surname in the area. At the time of their marriage in 1846 Joseph Bell is called a miller, of Matlock, and his wife’s residence is given as “Scarthin Wick,” an error for Scarthinick, a hamlet in the parish of Matlock. Joseph Bell and his wife were at Matlock Cliff in 1846-49, as stated in the baptismal records of their first three children; these give the father’s occupation variously as a miller (1846), a waggoner (1848), or a laborer (1849). They appear in the 1851 census of Matlock, his occupation being given as “railway labourer” and his address as Starkholmes. They appear at New Inn, Little Rowsley, the parish of Darley, Derbyshire, in the 1861 census, in which Joseph is called a railway guard. They were at Rowsley, Derbyshire, in 1858-62, and at Great Longstone, in the same county, in 1866-67, again as indicated by the places of birth of their children. The name “Rowsley” actually refers to two distinct places: Great Rowsley, in the parish of Bakewell, and Little Rowsley, in the parish of Darley, the two hamlets not always being clearly distinguished in records. In his daughter Lydia’s birth record of 1858 he is called a “railway guard,” of Little Rowsley. In the very carelessly-written record of this same daughter’s marriage in 1886, in which his occupation seems to read “hotel-master,” Joseph Bell is not called deceased; however he had actually died in 1868, when letters of administration were granted for the estate of “Joseph Bell, of Great Longstone,” mentioning his wife Lydia. He m. 31 May 1846 in Matlock parish church,
  11. Lydia Hackett, b. probably in 1827 (aged 24 in 1851, 33 in 1861), bapt. 10 Feb. 1828 at Cromford, a chapelry in the parish of Wirksworth, Derbyshire, living 1891. Lydia Hackett is found as an unmarried girl, aged 13 years, living at Cromford with her widowed father, in the 1841 census. In 1881 she, then a widow, appears in the census of the city of Derby as a “monthly nurse,” being listed in household of a Boyce family, of 4 Uttoxeter New Road, with whom she was apparently in service. In 1891 she and four of her children were living at no. 4 Arthur Lane, St. Alkmund parish, Derby; her occupation is given as “living on her own means.” We have not located her in the 1901 census.
  12. Robert McBride, labourer, whose name is known only from the marriage record of his son James (no. 6).
  13. Francis Sharkey, labourer, whose name is known only from the marriage record of his daughter Mary (no. 7).

    Generation V

  14. William Mitchelson, aparently of Thistleton, Rutland, at the birth of his son Richard about 1816-17, laborer, whose name and occupation are known only from his son Richard’s marriage record. He m. by 1818,
  15.  
  16. John Newton, of Duddington, Northamptonshire, b. 1791-92 (aged 50-54 in the 1841 census, 59 in the 1851 census, and 69 in 1861) at Stamford, Lincolnshire, d. 4 April 1861, aged 69 years, of “natural decay,” and buried 8 April following in St. Mary’s parish churchyard, Duddington. He was likely the one of this name bapt. 7 Oct. 1791 in the parish church of All Saints, Stamford, son of Stephen and Elizabeth [Clay?] Newton (IGI). He and his wife came to Duddington some time after the birth at Stamford, Lincolnshire, of their son John, Jr., in 1819 or 1820; this was probably between the baptism of an Elizabeth Ann Newton at Stamford in May 1822, and that of a Maria Newton at Duddington in Dec. 1824, but as these children cannot be assigned to them with certainty, we cannot be sure. John Newton, shoemaker, is listed in the 1841 census of Duddington, but somehow the rest of his family is missed altogether, not appearing anywhere in the town. He is called a “cordwainer” (i.e. shoemaker) in the 1850 marriage record of his daughter Harriet aforesaid, and a master shoemaker in his own death record. He and his wife Elizabeth are found in the 1851 census of Duddington (in which he is called a boot and shoemaker), but he is also enumerated as a “visitor” in the household of his daughter, Harriet (Newton) Mitchelson (no. 9), at Red Lion Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire. He m. by 1811 (the latest possible birthdate for their daughter Emily),
  17. Elizabeth [Crick?], b. 1791-92 (also aged 50-54 in the 1841 census, 59 in the 1851 census, 69 in 1861, 73 in 1865) at Tixover, near Uppingham, Rutland, d. 6 July 1865 at Duddington, aged 73 years, of “natural decay,” and buried 10 July 1865 in St. Mary’s parish churchyard, Duddington. Unfortunately her death record does not supply her maiden surname, but she named a son John Crick Newton, suggesting that she was the Elizabeth Crick who was b. 26 Dec. 1791 and bapt. 1 Jan. 1792 in the parish church of Ketton-cum-Tixover, Rutland, daughter of John and Sarah Crick.
  18. James Bell, of Manchester, Lancashire, printer, alive in 1819 (the earliest possible date of birth of his son Joseph), whose name is known only from the 1846 marriage record of his son Joseph (no. 10). We cannot find a match for him in the 1841 or 1851 censuses, and there is no James Bell of this occupation listed in Pigot’s General and Classified Directory of Manchester and Salford (Manchester, 1841).
  19.  
  20. Richard Hackett (Sr.), of Cromford, in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, a book-keeper and later a manager in a cotton-spinning mill, b. 1794-95 at Cromford (no baptismal record found), d. (testate) 10 Feb. 1862 at Cromford, aged 67 years, of “disease of the heart,” and buried 12 Feb. following in St. Giles’ churchyard, Matlock. He appears in the censuses of Cromford for 1841 through 1861, his age being given as 56 years in 1851 and 66 years in 1861. In his will, dated 7 Nov. 1861 and proved (very belatedly) 30 May 1868, he names, among others, “my daughter Lydia Bell” (our no. 11). He m. (1) 13 Sept. 1813 in the parish church of Wirksworth, Derbyshire,
  21. Lydia Fogg, b. 1791, bapt. 20 Nov. 1791 in the Cathedral, Manchester, Lancashire, as a daughter of William and Lydia Foggs (sic), d. 6 March 1839 at Cromford, aged 47 years, of a paralytic stroke, and buried 9 March 1839 in St. Giles’ churchyard, Matlock. She is called “of Cromford” in her marriage record. Although no baptismal record has been found for her, her parentage may be inferred with high probability from the fact that her future husband, Richard Hackett, served as a witness to the 1811 marriage of Dorothy Fogg, a daughter of William and Lydia (Britland) Fogg, of Cromford. In her death record she is called “wife of Richard Hackett.”

    Generation VI

  22. (Mitchelson)
  23. (probably) Stephen Newton, of the parish of St. Michael, Stamford, Lincolnshire, b. 1751-52, d. at the age of 85 years shortly before 24 April 1837, when he was buried at All Saints parish church, Stamford. We have not found a corresponding baptism in the IGI. He is said to have m. 1783 at Stathern, Leicestershire, Elizabeth Clay, but we have not personally examined the evidence for this statement. Certainly his wife’s name was Elizabeth. He m. by 1785,
  24. (probably) Elizabeth (Clay?), b. 1755-56, d. at the age of 80 years shortly before 26 Jan. 1836, when he was buried with her husband.
  25. (Bell)
  26. John Hackett, of Cromford, in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, at the birth of his son Richard in 1794-95, called a “white-smith” (i.e. tinsmith) in the record of this Richard’s second marriage on 12 Dec. 1841. This record does not necessarily imply that he was then alive, and he does not appear in the 1841 census of Wirksworth hundred, Derbyshire, which includes Cromford. It is possible he was the John Hackett, of Matlock, buried there on 20 Jan. 1808, aged 62 years (thus b. ca. 1745-46), and that the Susannah Hackett, from Cromford, buried at Matlock on 12 Oct. 1834, aged 84 years (thus b. ca. 1749-50), was his wife. If so, he was probably also the John Hackett who m. 30 July 1772 at Bakewell, Susannah Renshaw.
  27.  
  28. William Fogg, of Cromford aforesaid, b. ca. 1762-63, but for whom no baptismal record has been found, d. May 1835, aged 72 years, and buried 27 May 1835 in Wirksworth churchyard. He and his wife are called “of Cromford” at the baptism of their daughter Dorothy in 1789. However, between 1789 and 1799 there are no children recorded for them in the registers of any parishes in the Wirksworth area, suggesting they may have been absent during that period. Records mentioning his occupation variously refer to him as a whitesmith or cutler. He m. (1) 26 Dec. 1785 in Wirksworth parish church,
  29. Lydia Britland, bapt. 22 Sept. 1765 in the parish church of Wirksworth, who as “Lydia, wife of William Fogg of Cromford,” was buried 29 April 1804 in Wirksworth churchyard.

    Generation VII

  30. (Hackett)
  31. (Fogg)
  32. William Britland, of Cromford, in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, bapt. 19 Oct. 1739 at Wirksworth, living 1784 (when his youngest child was baptized). He was probably one of the two men named William Britland, of Cromford, who died in 1795, one being buried on 7 June and the other on 4 August of that year. As “William Britland, of Wirksworth, miner [i.e. minor, since he was under the age of 25],” he m. 16 Jan. 1764 in the parish church of Matlock,
  33. Lydia Limb, of Matlock at the time of her marriage, who as “Lydia, wife of William Britland, of Cromford,” was buried 18 Feb. 1810.

    Generation VIII

  34. Robert Britland, of Cromford, b. say 1715, living 1758, was probably the one of this name buried 5 March 1782 in Wirksworth churchyard. He m. 26 July 1739 at Wirksworth,
  35. Mary Holmes, of Cromford at the time of her marriage, who as “Mary, wife of Robert Britland, of Cromford” buried 26 Dec. 1783 in Wirksworth churchyard. She was probably the Mary Holmes, daughter of Samuel Holmes, of Cromford, bapt. 23 May 1712 at Wirksworth, as she named a son Samuel.
  36. (Limb)

    Generation IX

  37. (probably) Samuel Holmes, of Cromford, living 1706-20 when he baptized six children at Wirksworth, the name of his wife unfortunately not being given in the records.
  38.  

From the Genealogy Page of John Blythe Dobson
URL = cybrary.uwinnipeg.ca/people/Dobson/genealogy/ff/Mitchelson-AT.html
This page written 28 April 1999
Last revised 1 March 2011