Charles Mitchell
Charles Ernest Mitchell (b. 18 January 1882, Fraserburgh, d. 25 September 1963, Lerwick) was a fish curer and County Councillor for Gulberwick between 1945 and 1949.
He unsuccessfully contested the Gulberwick seat at the 1949 County Council election.
Biography
Charles was educated in Fraserburgh and at Aberdeen Grammar School. As a boy, he frequently visited Shetland through the family's fish-curing business at North Ness. In 1901, Charles took charge of the North Ness operation, and the other stations which stretched from Baltasound to Sandwick. The business then became James Mitchell & Sons, with Charles's brother James also joining. During this period, Charles also dabbled in coopering, along with some of the 300 others employed by the firm for that role.
In WWI, Charles served in the Shetland Gordon Highlanders as a Captain. After the war, he settled in Lerwick married Mary Williamson, the daughter of David.
The North Ness operation became the largest single employer of men in Lerwick, and for many years the state of employment in the town hinged on the business having a good year. The business eventually grew to operate across Britain. The North Ness operation was requisitioned by the army during WWII, and did not reopen after the war, with Charles retiring.
Other interests for Charles included being the Director of the British Oil and Guano Company, with a factory in Bressay and he was Director of MacLeod & MacLean, which later became Shetland Lime Ltd.
Political Career
Publications
In 1947 Mitchell published Up-Helly-Aa tar-barrels and guizing - looking back, the definitive record of the Up Helly Aa fire festival's early period.
External Links
| Zetland County Council | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Smith |
Member for Gulberwick 1945-1949 |
Succeeded by John Williamson |
