John Grunwell Mitchell

John Grunwell Mitchell lived in Fulbourn around 1876 to 1883, probably at 1 High Street

Birth

John Grunwell Mitchell was born in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire (near March) in 1839.

Marriage - 1860

He married Eliza Tompkins in 1860, she was baptised on the 25th December 1836, and her parents were James Tompkins and Mary Anne Tompkins.

Children

They had several children together:

• John Joseph James Mitchell (1861 - 1922)
• William Mitchell (1862 - 1880)
• Eleanor Mary Ann Mitchell (1865 - 1940)
• Eliza Kate Mitchell (1870 - 1945)
• Alfred Harry Mitchell (1876 - 1946)

1871 onwards

On the 13th May, 17th June, 1st July, 5th August and 19th August 1871, John was trying to let a house in Fulbourn, in the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, 13th May 1871:

FULBOURN
To Let,
A TEN ROOMED HOUSE, with Garden, Stable, and Coach-house, very pleasantly situated, with immediate possession; five minutes'
walk from the railways station, and four miles from Cambridge.
For particulars enquire of J.G.MITCHELL. Balsham.

The description might match 1 High Street, but there are a couple of discrepancies - it might not have had ten rooms, and it's more like 10 minutes' walk from the station.

In 26th February 1870 it was reported that a Charles Hancock French was bankrupt to the tune of £6,164, as part of that examination "the bankrupt stated that he had borrowed £300 of Mr. Mitchell, corn merchant, of Balsham, for which he believed he had paid £900 as interest in the course of two years!"

On the 9th February 1878:

Amelia Bradford, married woman of Fulbourn, was brought up, under remand, charged with stealing a
quantity of coals, of the value of fourpence, from the coal yard at Fulbourn Station, at 5:30 a.m. on the 2nd
inst., the property of Mr. J. G. Mitchell, merchant, of the same place. The case was clearly proved by p.c.
Jacklin, and she was sentences to 14 days' imprisonment.

In 1879 Kelly's Directory lists "Mitchell Jhn. Grunwell, corn&coal mer" in Fulbourn, and under "Coal Merchants" and "Corn and Flour Merchants" he is listed as being in Balsham, Cambridge; & Fulbourn.

In 1879 John was a witness at an inquest, written in the Bury Free Press, 12th July 1879:

FULBOURN
SUICIDE.- On Sunday morning last a widower, named William Cowles, foreman of the corn factors
business for Mr. Mitchell, at Fulbourn, committed suicide by handing himself in the meal-lodge. The
principal evidence given at the inquest on Monday was that by Mr. Mitchell, who said that he had mills
adjoining the station at Fulbourn ; he also had a farm at Bradley, Suffolk. He discharged the
deceased on Saturday evening last for dishonesty. Deceased always appeared dull, as if he was in debt.
On Saturday morning witness examined the accounts, and then told deceased he could not be allowed to 
take any more money, but that he might go to Bradley until he (deceased) for a better place. He begged 
hard to be forgiven but witness refused. Deceased was found hanging by a rope in the meal-lodge to one
of the rafters. He was between 40 and 50 years of age, and was at lodgings. The Jury returned a ver-
dict "That deceased committed suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind."

And from the Cambridge Independent Press 12 July 1879:

FULBOURN.- Suicide.- On Monday Mr. C.W. Palmer held an inquest at the Railway
Tavern, Fulbourn, on the baby of William Cowles. James Websdal said he was in the employ of Mr.
Mitchell, merchant of Fulbourn. He knew the deceased, who was employed by Mr. Mitchell ; he
was foreman of the corn factors - part of the business. He never noticed anything strange in 
the deceased's manner, and he had seen him nearly every day for nine years. He saw him a few
minutes before six o'clock last Saturday evening, and he noticed no difference. Deceased came to
the mill to take a little money witness had taken for flour. On Monday morning, about five minutes
before eight o'clock, he (witness) went in the the meal lodge on the premises, and saw the deceased's
hat lying on the sacks, and the knife produced also. The deceased was hanging from one of the 
rafters, with a rope around his neck. He fetched assistance, and the body was cut down. - Thomas
Hunt, a retired police-officer, said he went to Mr. Mitchell's premises, where he saw the deceased 
hanging from one of the rafters in the meal lodge, dead. He cut him down.- Harriet Brown, house-
keeper to the deceased, said he was between forty and fifty years of age, She last saw him on Satur-
day morning ; she didn't think any one had slept in the deceased's bed on Saturday night.- Mr J.G.
Mitchell said the deceased was in his employ ip to the previous Saturday evening, when he was 
discharged for dishonesty ; he seemed very much down and cut up about it.- Mr. C.E. Walker, 
surgeon, residing at Fulbourn, said he had examined the body of the deceased, and found that
the cause of death was asphyxia, caused by suffocation. The jury returned a verdict "That the
deceased committed suicide while in an unsound state of mind."

In 1881 he was living in Fulbourn, the census doesn't give the exact address, just listing it as Church Street. However it is between "The Hall" and William Knights house on Church Street, and then "The Harrow" and then Apthorpe Street (which misses out a lot of places). Other evidence suggests it might be 1 High Street, but it's still circumstantial (the High Street used to be called Church Street).

The 1881 census says that John G. Mitchell was 42, a Merchant, born in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire (near March). He was living with his wife Eliza (44, Cambridge), sons John J.J. (20) and Alfred H. (4), and daughters Eleanor M. A. (16), and Eliza K. (10). Also in the house were three servants, a governess, a cook, and a housemaid.

This puts his date of birth around 1839.

Previously in 1871 he was living on the High Street in Balsham, where he was a Corn and Coal merchant.

All his children were born in Balsham, apart from Alfred who was born in Fulbourn and was 4 years old in 1881, which means John moved to Fulbourn somewhere between 1871 and 1877.

The first documentation linking John to Fulbourn came on the 20th July 1875, in the Bury and Norwich Post:

COUNTY COURT, Tuesday July 13
[Bofore E. P. Price, Esq., Q.C., Judge.]
MITCHELL v. WAINWRIGHT
This was an action brought by John G. Mitchell, merchant of Fulbourn, near Cambridge, against Alfred Wainwright, of
Unduly-hall Lakenheath, to recover 8l. 17. 1d. for 7 tons 14cwt of "hards" coals supplied in November, last year - 
The defendant resisted the demand on the ground that he never had any dealings with the plaintiff ; that he gave the
order for the coats to Mr. William Mitchell, who was indebted to him ; that on his asking payment from Mr. Mitchell he
confessed his inability to let him have the money, but solicited an order for some coals ; with the view lessening the debt
which Mr. Mitchell owed him, he gave him the order in question ; that on receiving the coals, there remained something 
due by him (defendant) to Mr. Mitchell, which ha had always been willing to pay if accounts were settled between them;
...

On the 31st January 1882 Mrs Mitchell placed an advert for:

WANTED a GENERAL SERVANT, who understands Plain Cooking ; not under 20 years of age. - Apply to Mrs. Mitchell, Fulbourn, Cambs

And on the 23rd December 1882, in the Cambridge Independent Press:

WANTED.- MILLER must be good Stone Dresser.- Apply J.G. Mitchell, Fulbourn, Cambs.

In Kelly's Directory of 1883, in both the "Coal Merchants" and "Corn & Flour Merchants" sections it lists "Mitchell John, jun. Fulbourn, Cambridge.

Bankruptcy - 1883

On the 30th January 1883 he was starting liquidation:

In the London Bankruptcy Court
In the Matter of Proceedings for Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with Creditors, instituted by
John Grunwell Mitchell, of Fulbourn, in the county of Cambridge, and Great Bradley, in the county of Suffolk,
Corn, Coal, Seed, Cake, and Salt Merchant, Miller and Farmer, also carrying on business as a Corn, Coal, Salt,
and Flour Merchant, and also as a Commission Agent for the Sale of Farm Produce, at Stratford New Market, in
the county of Essex. ...
... SALMON and SON, Bury Saint Edmund, Solicitors for the said John Grunwell Mitchell.

From the Ipswich Journal, 17th February 1883

LONDON BANKRUPTCY COURT.
Thursday, February 15.
(Before Mr. Registrar Brougham.)
IN RE J. G. MITCHELL
The debtor, who has filed a petition for liquidation, is described as of Fulbourne, Cambridge ; of Great Bradley,
Suffolk ; and of Stratford Newmarket, Essex, coal, seed, cake, and salt merchant, miller and farmer, He estimates
his liabilities as £12,000.
The care was now brought before the Court under these circumstances : The debtor was tenant from year 
to year of a farm of 359 acres at Great Bradley, belonging to the authorities of St. John's College, Cambridge.
The rental was £300 per annum, and the sum of £450 was due to the College for arrears. A distress had been
put in on behalf of the College, but they did not desire to do anything that would prejudice the general body of
the creditors, so long as their rights were protected. 
...

This process carried on through March 1883, by July 1883 it had been taken to the County Court of Cambridgeshire. And by the 16th September 1884 they are still asking for creditors to come forward. By 17th January 1885 it was announced that creditors would get a final dividend of 4½d in the pound.

On the 28th April, and 5th & 12th May 1883 an advert was placed in the Cambridge Independent Press, which might possibly refer to the house based on the description (and also the relative position in the census):

Fulbourn Cambridgeshire.
Mr. J. CARTER JONAS
Has received instructors from the Mortgagees to 
SELL BY AUCTION, on THURSDAY, May 24th, 1883, at the Red Lion Hotel, Cambridge, 
at Five o'clock, the following highly valuable
FREEHOLD PROPERTIES,
In the parish of Fulbourn, in the occupation of Mr. J.G. Mitchell,
COMPRISING a DWELLING HOUSE
in the village, situate a short distance from 
the church, and fronting the Main Street, with
Stable, Chaisehouse, and Outbuildings; a brick built and slated 
STEAM CORN MILL,
near to Fulbourn Station, with Four Floors, 
driving Four Pairs of Stones, and fitted up with all
the necessary gearing and modern appliances, 
corn chambers, and stowage ; Two LABOURERS' 
COTTAGES, brick and slated Granary, with four 
floors, outbuildings, and Garden, the whole con-
raining about One Acre ; and one the south side
of the Wilbraham-road, a Field of 
FREEHOLD ARABLE LAND,
containing about Eight Acres ; also a Copyhold
COTTAGE and GARDEN in the village, let to
Carter.
Particulars and conditions of sale may be had 
of Messrs, GUNN and MATTHEW, solicitors, 63,
St Andrew's-street ; and of Mr. J.Carter Jonas, 
land agent, Cambridge.

Death of Eliza, his wife

Eliza Mitchell died on the 21st April 1883 in Fulbourn, she was 46 years old.

The Bury and Norwich Post of 8th May 1883 said:

FULBOURN
The funeral of Mrs. J. G. Mitchell took place on Thursday, the 26th ult., at the chapel, when the shops 
were closed and blinds drawn down ; nearly all the village (and we also noticed several friends for neigh-
bouring villages) turned out to show the last tribute of respect to one who had endeared herself to many by
her willingness to help and sympathise with the afflicted. Much sympathy was felt and expressed for
the family whose loss of one so near and dear must be irreparable.

The juror book for 1883 lists John Grunwell Mitchell as a merchant and freeholder in Fulbourn.

On the 16th March 1887 he married Ann Sampson. Family stories suggest that she was his children's governess, and indeed there was an Annie Sampson living with the family in 1881 as the governess, who was ten years younger than him. In 1891 he and Annie are living in Great Yarmouth, and he is a licensed victualler (pub landlord).

Death

John Grunwell Mitchell died on the 4th December 1914 at the age of 75, and at the address 38, Camperdown, Great Yarmouth. Probate was granted to Annie Mitchell (wife). He was buried on the 9th September 1914 at Gorleston Old Cemetery.