William Mitchell (Australian politician)

William Mitchell (March 1850 - 21 May 1923) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

William Mitchell
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Maryborough
In office 27 August 1904 – 2 Oct 1909 Serving with John Norman, John Adamson
Preceded by	Henry Garde
Succeeded by	Edward Corser
Personal details
Born	William Mitchell March 1850 Falkirk, Scotland
Died	21 May 1923 (aged 73) Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
Resting place	Maryborough Cemetery
Political party	Labour Party
Spouse(s)	Helen Allen Roughead (d.1919)
Occupation	Bookshop owner

Biography

Mitchell was born at Falkirk, Scotland, the son of Robert Mitchell and his wife Mary (née Heggie). He was privately educated and also attended night school before beginning work at the Falkirk Iron Works at the age of 16. He then became a publisher and carried on this pursuit after he arrived in Queensland around 1882 before opening a bookshop in Maryborough.[1]

He married Helen Allen Roughead[1] (died 1919)[2] in Falkirk and together had a son and two daughters.[1] He died in Maryborough in May 1923 with his funeral proceeding from his residence in Ferry Street[3] to the Maryborough Cemetery.[4]

Public career

After spending time as an alderman on Maryborough City Council, Mitchell, a member of the Labour Party stood for the seat of Maryborough at the 1899 Queensland colonial election but finished in last place behind the other four contestants.[5] He ran again at the 1904 state election and this time, successfully as both he and fellow Labour candidate John Norman won positions in the two member electorate.[6]

Mitchell remained the member for Maryborough until the state election of 1909 when both the Labour members lost their seat in parliament.[7] He stood again in 1912 but lost to Edward Corser by three votes.[8] Mitchell appealed the decision and another election was ordered for October that year. At the October election, the first count ended in a tied vote, with both Corser and Mitchell polling 1,792 votes. A recount was ordered and the result was Corser had won by two votes.[9]

References

1. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
2. Family history research — Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
3. "Family Notices". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (14, 303). Queensland, Australia. 22 May 1923. p. 4. Retrieved 25 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
4. Deceased search — Fraser Coast Regional Council Retrieved 25 May 2016.
5. "THE MARYBOROUGH ELECTION". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (8, 217). Queensland, Australia. 13 March 1899. p. 2. Retrieved 25 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "THE MARYBOROUGH ELECTION". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (9901). Queensland, Australia. 29 August 1904. p. 3. Retrieved 25 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "THE MARYBOROUGH ELECTION". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (11, 391). Queensland, Australia. 4 October 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 25 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "THE MARYBOROUGH CONTEST". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (12, 175). Queensland, Australia. 9 May 1912. p. 4. Retrieved 25 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "MARYBUROUGH ELECTION". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (12, 310). Queensland, Australia. 15 October 1912. p. 5. Retrieved 25 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.