MITCHELL is a family name that is first found in Romsey in the 17th century and has been around for at least 350 years.

That said, it is not easy to work out which ones were related to each other. For example it seems unlikely that the Henry who was whipped for fraud in 1674 was related to Joshua who was vicar between 1684 and 1690.

Much more recently, one branch of the family was involved in the motor trade for most of the 20th century. I think the business was started by George Mitchell and his brother. Before the First World War it had a shop premises in The Hundred, next to the cut through to Love Lane, and a works at Fox Mill at the southern end of Palmerston Street. At the shop you could buy petrol in gallon cans (4.5 litres) or oil, arrange for battery charging or the purchase or care of tyres, or storage of your vehicle. They also hired out vehicles.

In the 1920s they acquired a large piece of land on the southern side of Middlebridge Street and moved their business there. One of the features of this premises was the water wheel that was turned by the neighbouring stream and supplied electricity for the garage, although at one stage they had a diesel generator.

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In the 1930s the garage not infrequently collected crashed cars and a number of photographs of these accidents are held by the local history society.

Advert for Mitchell Bros before 1914 (Image: Contributed)

In the Second World War the business contributed to the war effort by housing the town’s ambulance, holding a supply of petrol for the town’s ambulance, and supplying drivers whenever required.

As a family they were much involved in civic affairs. Albert Mitchell was mayor of Romsey in 1970, and his sister, Mrs Honor Quick in 1976. Members of the family also played a role in local associations such as the Conservative Club and the Comrades Club.

Meanwhile, what of George? At the age of 99 he was the first gardener to plant potatoes in an allotment provided by the Borough Council especially for the growing of potatoes. He also planted some in the following year when he was 100 years old. He died later in 1944 at the age of 101. In his latter years he lived with his daughter May at 56 The Hundred where she kept a shop in the premises that had previously been run as part of the motor company.

Several of George’s descendants lived into their 80s, a good age in the mid-twentieth century although none lived longer than their father had.